Chapter 4
REECE
Today was the day. An entire day where my life would once again change. All was well and I totally wasn’t panicking.
I was completely panicking.
If my mother had any say in it, she and my father would be here, and my brothers would’ve taken the day off work and filled my house with their rambunctiousness.
They wouldn’t have let me feel alone and would’ve welcomed Bella with open arms. I had put my foot down on that.
I had a feeling Bella didn’t want to do this at all.
I said, what, six sentences to her? If that.
No, this little girl who apparently had half of my DNA wanted nothing to do with me.
It wasn’t like I knew her enough to know what to say or how to handle this.
But I hadn’t been completely deprived of being near children in my life.
Though I wasn’t an uncle, my cousins had kids, and so did many of my friends.
Hell, most of the fire station had bred like bunnies before I left.
The fact that none of the Fox brothers had any children was an anomaly.
I knew kids. Somewhat. I could figure this out.
And this lying to myself thing was really working for me.
We had spent most of the evening and all this morning getting Bella’s room ready.
I didn’t know her favorite colors, her favorite foods, or if she had touch aversion to some materials.
Aiden had sensory issues sometimes, which made for strange bedfellows on the job.
So we made sure there were no microfiber towels or blankets anywhere near even if she didn’t have an issue with them.
We’d gone with sage green as her primary color, with soft yellow accents.
My mother knew what she was doing and had chosen things.
We hadn’t painted the room, since I’d put on a fresh coat of paint a few months ago, but if Bella wanted to change it, we would.
Maybe she would be like Rowan and go through a goth phase and end up wanting to paint it black.
That had nearly broken my mother’s will.
Dear God. If she went through a goth phase, what would I do? Was she dating yet? Had Cassie already had the talk with her? How the hell was I going to do this?
I quickly pushed all terrifying thoughts out of my mind as a late model luxury SUV pulled into my driveway.
Bella’s grandma got out of the passenger seat, lifted her chin, and glared at me.
What the hell was I supposed to do about this?
It wasn’t as if this was my fault. I hadn’t been the one to hide my daughter this entire time.
And I didn’t want to steal her away from them.
But I didn’t know how they were as grandparents or people.
What if they were hurting her? My heart flooded, and I wondered if I needed to hire someone to check that out.
My lawyer would know what to do, hell, my family would know what to do.
But I had wanted to do this alone today.
“Mr. Fox,” Bella’s grandmother said, her voice devoid of emotion. I had expected Bella’s grandfather to get out of the driver’s seat, but that’s when I realized he wasn’t driving. Instead it was a man I didn’t recognize, and I frowned.
“This is our driver, and I decided to sit in the front seat to give Bella some time.”
“I hope the drive wasn’t too long.” I sucked at small talk.
She seemed to think so too, because she merely raised a brow. I waited for Bella to open her door, and when it didn’t budge, I moved forward. Bella’s grandmother put her hand on my arm, and I froze, wondering what the hell she was doing.
“Mr. Fox. We are following what Cassandra wanted. You seem to be competent enough. And now you will have to deal with your consequences.”
I wasn’t sure what Bella could hear through the window, and due to the highly tinted glass, I couldn’t even see her. So I did my best not to growl or frown at the older woman.
“Ma’am. Let’s have our lawyers discuss that.”
She didn’t respond but the snarl on her face remained. This wasn’t promising. I had no idea what my lawyer would do, or what would happen after the legalities were finished, but that didn’t matter. Right now, I needed to get my daughter out of the car.
I opened the back door, oddly thankful it hadn’t been locked.
For some reason I had assumed she would keep it locked for me—and I wouldn’t blame her considering everything she had been through.
Bella sat in the seat closest to the door and stared at me.
Her eyes were red-rimmed, and her cheeks swollen. ”
“Bella. It’s good to see you.”
“Reece.”
I held back a wince. She didn’t know me and calling me dad or father or anything like that would probably be too much. Both of us were just getting used to this after all.
“I’ve got your room all set up, if you want to get out and point me to where your things are.”
“My room is at my mom’s house. Not at yours, and not at theirs.” She’d lifted her chin to where her grandmother stood, and I realized it was going to be even harder than I thought.
“I get that,” I said, and I did. I didn’t like change either. “How about this… The room that was my guest room that is now going to be yours for as long as you want it, is prepped. I have no idea if you like the color green, but my mom thought you might. So, it is what it is. How about that?”
She raised her brows at me, looking surprised. Hell, I wasn’t going to force her to do something she didn’t want to do, except she needed to get out of the car. We were like fish out of water, and I didn’t want to make it harder than it already was.
“Bella Long, get out of the car,” her grandmother snapped.
I looked over at Cassie’s mom. “I’ve got this.”
Bella let out a sigh, unclicked her seatbelt, and gestured for me to move out of the way.
I took a few steps, and she hopped out of the SUV.
She didn’t have far to go, as she was decently tall.
I had looked up a few milestones for twelve-year-olds, and realized that some were five feet, some were a decent bit shorter.
Considering I was well over six feet, I figured she had to be at about the five-foot range.
She was slender and wore a double tank top with a light flannel shirt over it, and loose fitting jeans.
I didn’t know what style that was or what group or clique that meant she was part of, but I figured she would let me know.
Probably with a sneer. After all, we only had a few short months until she was a teenager.
I could feel the blood draining from my face even at that thought.
The trunk opened as the driver went to the back to get two large suitcases, and I tilted my chin up at Bella. “Why don’t you say goodbye to your grandmother, and I’ll get your stuff.”
“Whatever.” She huffed and moved towards her grandmother. I tried not to stare, to give them privacy, but it wasn’t easy since we were in close quarters. Bella crossed her arms over her chest and lowered her head.
“Be respectful. And show the Foxes who the Longs are. You are my granddaughter, Bella. Remember that.”
“I can’t really not.”
“Grammar,” she snapped.
I took the two boxes next to the suitcases and nearly staggered at the weight.
I didn’t think this was everything she owned but I’d do my best to make sure she had access to all of her things.
She could have whatever she needed to feel comfortable.
We would probably have to go shopping multiple times to get her what she needed.
“Her room is second on the right,” I said to the driver, and the other man nodded. I looked over at Bella, who glared at her grandmother, before she turned and walked towards me.
“Welcome to my home.” Our home. I didn’t say that though as I knew she’d throw it back in my face.
“Okay.”
Okay? How was that an answer to what I just said?
I looked over at Bella’s grandmother, who had already gotten into the car, waiting for the driver.
When the man moved past us, bags already in Bella’s room, he said a quick goodbye and closed the door behind him.
The engine turned on and, in a blink, the SUV was gone.
I was standing in my hallway, holding two boxes, alone with my daughter.
She stood in her doorway, facing the room that I had tried to put together with my family.
“Do you like green?” I asked as I set down the boxes.
Good going, Reece. That wasn’t the best way to break the ice.
She looked over at me and snorted, a small smile playing on her face. “Yes. At least you didn’t go pink.”
I should probably do something about the attitude, but then again, she deserved time to lean into resentment. She hadn’t asked for this either. I rubbed the back of my neck, once again out of my depth. “My mom thought green would be soothing.”
“Does she live here too?” Bella asked. She still hadn’t gone into her room.
“No, but they live two neighborhoods over. Do you mind if I set these down in your room? What do you have in here, bricks?”
Her lips quirked and I counted that as a win. “Books. And pencils. Notebooks. Things like that. I was supposed to go to art camp this summer. Not anymore though.”
My stomach plummeted. “Oh. I’m sorry. They didn’t give me your itinerary, Bella, or hell...I guess I’m not supposed to say hell.”
She moved out of the way but didn’t go into the room. Baby steps first. “You can say whatever you want. You’re the adult. I’m the kid who doesn’t have a choice.”
I sighed and set her boxes next to the suitcases. “I’m sorry, Bella. For all of this. I know you’re not happy, but we have to figure this out, I guess. Right?”
“Whatever.”
“Don’t whatever me,” I grumbled. “My parents always hated when I said whatever to them in answer.”
“So your parents are still alive?”