23. Caden
Caden
My skin makes contact with the punching bag’s worn leather again, and I grunt in between hits. The walls of my garage seem to be closing in tighter.
I’ve known him since we were kids.
So what, he’s a boyfriend, a hookup? Daisy’s father? I didn’t like the way he talked to her, like she was a punishable child. He seems too rough for her softness . . . not someone I would’ve pictured her with.
I punch the bag again, my eyes slipping past it to meet my disheveled reflection in the mirror.
Yeah, because you pictured yourself with her.
But I saw the way Daisy was at ease in his arms, like he was familiar with her, too. He and Fia didn’t kiss goodbye. They didn’t have to; their stance said it all. He stood there over her, protective.
I hit the black bag until my knuckles feel raw, my hair unruly as I guzzle cold water, leaning my head back against the wall.
She is your twenty-two-year-old employee. Get a hold of yourself.
I’m just the guy who helped her. That’s the way it has to be. To keep it safe for her, so she feels stable at work. And fuck, that sucks, but I’d do it again.
Once there’s not an ounce of energy left in me, I hit the shower. I throw gray sweatpants on, too exhausted for much else after the interview today, and make a quick dinner for one.
I fall onto the sofa and flip the TV on. A text comes through from Eddie as I mindlessly browse channels.
Eddie: The AC went out at her house today. Tried to troubleshoot the unit myself, but it’s old as dirt. Wanted to run it by you before reaching out to Fia.
I groan, leaning my head back against the sofa.
That house is really falling apart. But I can’t send her home in a few weeks without air-conditioning. I certainly can’t let Daisy sleep in a hot old house.
As I begin to type out a reply to Eddie, I glance out the back windows—windows I never bothered to get blinds for—and movement catches my eye by the pool.
I sit upright and stretch my neck to get a better view.
Fia sits on the edge, her long legs dipping into the water as she reclines, tilting her head up towards the dusky night sky. Her long curled hair brushes the concrete behind her, and I watch from the window as her chest rises with a deep inhale and she closes her eyes.
Her expression is unreadable. Maybe her visitor calmed her nerves, maybe he . . .
I shake my head, willing those thoughts away, and reply to Eddie.
Caden: I’ll call the HVAC guys in the morning. We’ll have them install a new unit ASAP. No need to bother Fia, I’ll handle it.
I flip on the patio lights, stepping into the backyard. The lights illuminate her face as she looks up at me. Her green eyes are wide, as if I’ve caught her, as if she thinks I’ll chase her out again. A baby monitor glows beside her thigh.
“Oh, hi,” Fia says, her voice husky and low as I step towards her.
Stopping at the edge of the pool across from her, I nod at the water. “Would it bother you if I swam? I don’t want to disturb your peace.”
I already showered and put on my comfortable clothes, but I’m not going back inside.
“It’s your house, your pool,” she remarks quietly.
In the outdoor shower, I quickly slip on my swim trunks that’re still hanging there from yesterday morning’s surf. Then in silence, I sink into the pool, letting the cool salt water wake me back up.
When I break the surface, I’m only feet from her, and her eyes trail my movement.
Her legs are still submerged, but she’s sitting more carefully than before, curled in on herself.
I’m afraid my conversation with Eddie is written all over my face. I don’t want to stress her out about it when there’s something else clearly weighing on her. The last thing I ever want is for her to think she’s a burden, so I’ll tell her about the AC unit another time, once it’s fixed.
I clear my throat, schooling my face. “By the way, you know you can have guests over, right? Overnight, or whatever. I meant it when I said I want you to feel at home here.”
Blush creeps from her neck to her cheeks. “Oh, I don’t plan to have guests over—”
“It’s okay, Fia. I saw the motorcycle in the driveway.”
Her brows furrow as she stares at me.
I let out a heavy breath. “You don’t have to hide having a boyfriend—”
Fia grimaces like she tasted something sour. “Oh no, no, no, no! That’s Jesse, my sister’s boyfriend.” She shakes her head. “Like I said before, he’s been in my life since I was little. He’s like a big brother to me.”
A big brother . . . That explains his familiarity with Daisy.
“Oh, got it.” I exhale a bit too obviously, trying to hide the fact that I feel like a possessive asshole for even assuming. “So he knows about this?” I ask, waving my hands towards the guesthouse.
Fia tucks loose hair behind her ears, twirling her feet in the water. “He does now.” She pauses. “He comes off rough, but he is just protective of me and Daisy. Don’t worry though, I made him promise not to say a word to anyone—”
“No,” I cut in sharply. “It was unreasonable of me to ask you to keep this a secret.” I stare a moment too long into the thick tree line behind the guesthouse. “It was more for my protection than yours.”
“Your protection?” She tilts her head.
I run my fingers through my wet hair and catch the way her eyes briefly trace the valleys of my chest.
“I was worried that if anyone found out that I was helping you, that you were living here, they might make something out of it more than it is.” My chest tightens.
I fucking hate talking about this. “Unfortunately my family has made a name for themselves in this town. My dad has a notorious reputation for being a womanizer, and it’s a dark cloud in my life .
. . I didn’t want anyone to—” I grapple with the right way to explain the complicated feelings stirring in me, ones I’ve barely let myself process since she’s moved into that guesthouse.
“To think you were like him?” She finishes.
I snap my eyes to hers, searching.
She shrugs. “I kind of gathered that you and your dad weren’t exactly fishing buddies.”
I smirk. “That’s a very polite way to put it, but yeah. You’re right.”
Crickets chirp in the distance, and I move my legs lightly through the warm pool water.
“For the record, I never thought you were like that . . .” She stumbles over her words, tucking her head down. “I never thought you had impure intentions when you offered to help me.” She lifts her face, and the air leaves my lungs.
I force a smile. “Good, I’m glad. I’m happy to be helping you. You’re essential.” My voice sounds robotic, and my throat grows hot with each passing second.
Each second I’m not honest with her . . . about how I feel now . . .
“I know, I know.” Fia rolls her eyes with a small smile. “And for the record, I’m painfully single.”
I blink, confused, my head twitching to the side. What?
Fia’s face reddens as she grips the side of the pool, blurting out, “So like, I won’t be having any guests over. Who wants to date a single mom who barely has time to remember to do laundry?” She laughs, but it’s strained.
“I mean . . .” I say, and our eyes linger a moment too long.
Fia kicks her legs, her pink-painted toes moving in the water. Her lips hang open, and for a moment I think she might say something more, or I might let something slip I shouldn’t.
The water stills between us as the moment stretches.
But then a cry comes through the baby monitor.
Fia’s gaze darts to it, her movement too quick as she pulls her legs out of the water and jumps up, monitor in hand. Her bare feet drip water onto the stone pavers as she takes a step away.
She flashes a sad smile my way. “Duty calls.”
I bob my head, desperate for one more moment with her.
As she walks through the guesthouse door, I call out, “Good night,” but she doesn’t hear me.
I continue to swim, because if I don’t get this energy out of my body, I’m afraid I’m going to go straight to her door and finish telling her what I wanted to say.
Anyone would be damn lucky to date you.