Chapter 25
twenty-five
. . .
Archer
I held my little girl a little longer tonight. She’d been quiet at dinner, even though she’d tried to rally for Winnie’s birthday, and Melody had always loved Valentine’s Day. But the hurtful words that Justine had said to her today had definitely taken the wind from her sails.
I’d talked to her about it, and she’d listened and nodded, but I knew that she was wounded, and it fucking killed me.
“I’m glad you came in here for bath time, too, Winnie. Bath time is my favorite. Tonight, we don’t have to wash my hair, right, Daddy?” Melody said. That little twang in her voice was like a straight shot to my heart. She was pure sweetness.
“Right, angel face. Last night we washed your hair, so tonight we’re just washing your body.”
“Bath time is my favorite time of day, too,” Winnie said as she held up the body wash. Melody held her hand out for a few pumps. Winnie and I were both down on the floor beside the tub, as my daughter had asked us both to be in here tonight.
She’d had her feelings hurt real bad, and it wasn’t familiar to her. So she was working through it.
I was just pissed off, and tempted to give Justine’s mother, Sarah Lynn, a piece of my mind, but Winnie talked me out of it.
She thought I should sleep on it, and see how I felt tomorrow.
As a parent, we’re prepared for how challenging the newborn stage is. The sleepless nights, the diapers, the feedings, all of it. Everyone talks about the difficulties that you will face.
We’re even prepared for the commitment that comes with parenting—the time, the financial expectations, all the safety issues that you need to be aware of. Again, it’s discussed all the time.
But no one tells you how to prepare for this kind of stuff. For seeing your child get hurt. For how deeply you feel that pain and desperately want to take it from them.
So I forced myself to remain calm and talk her through it. To just love her the best way I could and hope that it was enough.
“Me and you’s love bows and bubble baths,” Melody sang out, and then she chuckled.
“We sure do, those are two of my favorite things, but you know what else I love?” Winnie asked as she handed my little girl a washcloth to wipe away the water that had splashed her face.
“What?”
“You.” She smiled at my daughter. “I love you so much, Melody. And when your daddy hired me, I admitted I hadn’t been around kids much, so I was a little nervous. But once I met you, I knew I was lucky because you’re the most lovable girl in the whole wide world.”
Melody blinked a couple of times. “You and me don’t have mamas, but we’re still lovable.”
“Absolutely we are.” Winnie sighed. “Having a mama doesn’t make you lovable—it’s what’s inside your heart that makes you lovable. And you, Melody Chadwick, have the best heart I’ve ever seen.”
“I like your heart, too, Winnie.” Melody’s bottom lip started to quiver. “I felt real sad today when Justine said those things to me, because I do sometimes wish you were my real mama.”
My fucking chest tightened so much, I was doing my best not to show my discomfort. Seeing my little girl in pain did crazy shit to me.
“I’m your real Winnie, and I think what we have is even better than if I’d met you as a baby.”
“You do?” Melody asked.
“I do. Because we both found each other when we needed the other most.”
Fuck me.
These two owned me right now.
I glanced over at Winnie, but she was focused on my daughter. On healing her pain. On making her feel better and taking away that hurt.
“I’m happy about that.” Melody smiled and then raised her arms over her head. “I’m ready to get out and have the sweetest dreams.”
I stood and scooped her out of the water before wrapping her in a towel, and Winnie left to go get her jammies.
The next hour was spent getting her ready for bed, and then Winnie read her three books tonight. We both kissed her good night, and I pulled the door closed behind me, leaving it open just a crack so I could hear her if she called for me.
Winnie walked toward the kitchen, and I grabbed her hand, stopping her at the end of the hallway and pressing her against the wall. “I’m sorry for fucking up your birthday.”
She shook her head, brows cinched together with confusion.
“Archie, I love that little girl of yours. And I love the way that you love her. I couldn’t care less about my birthday, and you guys did too much anyway.
The cake. The gorgeous monogrammed journal, the flowers, the delicious dinner, which you wouldn’t even let me help clean up. ”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, but I know that I was distracted. I hate seeing that sadness in her eyes,” I admitted. “You just somehow know all the right things to say.”
She chuckled as her hand reached up to stroke the side of my face. “Trust me. I’d like to throttle Justine for what she said, but I tamper it down, because Melody doesn’t need to see anger right now. She just needs comfort and love.”
“And what do you need, Winnie?” I stepped closer, tucking the hair behind her ear.
“I’m pretty content at the moment.” She smirked. “You rocked my world earlier, so you left me with plenty to think about.”
“We could finish what we started,” I whispered, feeling bad at the way things had turned this afternoon.
She shook her head. “Today is not the day for that. I know you’re upset about what happened, and you don’t need to worry about me. There’s no rush here. This was actually the best birthday I’ve had in a very long time.”
“Yeah? Which part? The cake? The presents? Or was it when you came on my lips?” I whispered against her ear.
Her cheeks flamed pink, and she smiled. “All of it.”
“Good. What would you like to do for the rest of your birthday?”
“How about we watch a movie? I have a feeling Melody may wake up a few times tonight. When I used to get upset as a kid, I’d never sleep well after.”
I leaned down and picked her up, then cradled her in my arms and carried her to the couch before settling her on my lap. “I hate even thinking about you being upset.”
“It didn’t happen often. I had an amazing father, just like Melody does. It makes a difference.” She snuggled against my chest, and I reached for the remote.
I let her choose the movie, since it was her special day, and seeing as it was Valentine’s Day, we had an endless rom-com selection to choose from.
This was nice. We just sat there cuddling on the couch. She didn’t expect anything from me after the day I’d had, yet I wanted to do everything for her.
I got up and made us some popcorn, and we laughed and talked and enjoyed the movie. She fell asleep with her head on my lap during the last half hour of the movie, and I carried her to her room. She gave me a kiss good night before going to her bathroom to get ready for bed.
“Good night, Archie. Thanks for making today so special.”
“Night, Winnie.”
I made my way to my room, but I knew it was time to step up my game.
This wasn’t casual anymore. At least not for me.
I picked up my phone and texted in the group chat.
I know it’s late. Is anyone up?
Rafe
I’m on the shitter. My ass is on fire from the lobster bisque Lulu and I had tonight to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Bridger
Use the turbo on the toilet, and flush that shit out of your system.
Easton
Perhaps you should start tracking what you eat. You are clearly intolerant to many things.
Bridger
I find him intolerable, so it makes sense.
Rafe
Clark
Agreed. You can’t spend your life squeezing your ass cheeks together and running to a shitter.
Axel
Little Mills just woke me up to go take yet another piss, because she has the world’s smallest bladder.
My brother and Wren had gotten a puppy a few months back, and he loved to tell us how many times a night he woke up with Millie.
Rafe
Two little wieners in one house is a lot to handle.
Axel
Hey. They didn’t call me Well Hung Chadwick on the football team for no reason.
I do not remember that being your handle.
Easton
Wait. Why were you asking if we were up, Archie?
Bridger
Do you have the shits, too?
Rafe
At least he has the good toilet if he does.
Clark
Tell us what’s going on.
Axel
Is Melody okay?
I’d filled them all in earlier about what had happened at school this afternoon, and they’d all texted separately and checked in several times.
She seems to be doing okay.
Bridger
Do not make me go down to the school and supervise my girl.
Rafe
What are you going to do? Buy the little bully a shitter?
Bridger
Axel
What’s going on, brother?
It’s nothing bad. I just need some advice.
Easton
I love giving advice.
Clark
Let’s hear it.
I like my nanny.
Bridger
Bridger
You don’t say?
Bridger
I told you that you liked her, you fucker.
Rafe
Aren’t you supposed to be the man of few words?
Easton
By like her, do you mean… you’re happy to have her working for you? Or you like her.
Bridger
Do you think he’d send us a text on Valentine’s Day when it’s almost midnight if he wanted to tell us he was happy he hired her? Wake the fuck up, dumbass.
Easton
Tone down the tude, dickfuck.
Rafe
Motherfucker. You’re giving me an upset stomach. I can’t handle tension right now.
Clark
Dude. You were born with the shits.
Clark
Archie, I’m happy for you. Winnie’s great. I think we already knew you liked her, though.
Bridger
Ya think? Why does nobody listen to me?
Rafe
Because you’re mean.
Axel
And angry.
Easton
Kind of terrifying.
Clark
Moody as shit, too.
I just thought you were wrong. But I don’t disagree anymore.
Axel
Did something happen.
Bridger
Yeah, he just decided in the middle of the night that he likes his nanny. Of course something fucking happened. Nobody comes in the group chat asking for advice before something happens.
Rafe
I came in the group chat and asked if you thought I was lactose intolerant last year, and that was before I shit my pants in the parking lot of the Honey Biscuit Café.
Clark
Can we please focus. What happened, Archie.
I’m not here to discuss what happened. I just want to know what to do now. I want to take her out on a date, but we sort of live together. So it feels weird. And what the fuck do we tell Melody? And I don’t even know if she wants to date me.
Easton
You don’t sort of live together. You actually live together.
Rafe
Always the lawyer. Of course she wants to date you. You’re Archie fucking Chadwick. The best dude I know.
Bridger
Wow. Tell us how you really feel.
Easton
Pickleball is starting up again next week. You could ask her to play on the Chad-Six. That’s a good icebreaker.
Rafe
She could happily sub for me. I’m over pickleball.
Easton
Fuck you, and your irritable bowels.
Clark
Forget about pickleball. Ask her out. She likes you. You don’t have to tell Melody anything. You can say she’s your friend.
Axel
Agreed. And Melody loves her.
Exactly. So what happens when it blows up in my face, and it’s awkward.
Rafe
I don’t like the negative attitude, Archie.
Easton
You just both need to agree that no matter what happens, it doesn’t affect your work relationship.
Clark
Didn’t your work relationship become an issue for you and Henley when you were first together?
Easton
Glass fucking houses. You’re dating and living with your team physical therapist.
Bridger
And, she’s your coach’s daughter.
Clark
And… it all worked out. BOOM, BITCHES!
But what if it doesn’t? What if I fuck this up and Winnie ends up hating me and Melody loses her nanny, who she adores.
Axel
You won’t fuck anything up. You’ve spent months together, and you clearly like one another. Why do you expect the worst?
She works for me. She’s a decade younger than me. She lives in my home. She’s recently divorced and wants to be single.
Bridger
Shit. Who brought the dark cloud to the party.
Axel
Stop overthinking it. You deserve this.
Easton
Sometimes you’ve got to take a fucking risk.
Rafe
Let’s go, Archie!
Clark
Fuck, yeah!
Axel
Let’s do this!
I just wanted some advice. I wasn’t looking to get pumped up.
But either way, I was pumped up.
I was going to officially ask my nanny to date me.