Chapter 4 #2
I nodded and pulled out my phone to show her a photo of them that I had taken a couple of weeks prior. “These are your grandparents. Though I hear these days that people get to choose what they want to be called. I don’t know if they’re a nana and pop like the people now.”
Bella’s lips twitched, and I counted that as the biggest win of the day. “They look nice.” She leaned forward and stared at my mother. “She looks like me. A little.”
I swallowed hard, the emotions getting the best of me. “That’s what I thought when I first saw you. Which is why I stared at you like a fish trying to breathe without water.”
A small laugh escaped, and my shoulders relaxed marginally. “You did look kind of weird.”
“I try my best. But what do you expect, I was just sitting there, enjoying my workday, and suddenly you show up, calling me Dad.”
“Mom said you were dead.”
The phone nearly dropped from my hand, and I tightened my grip, my throat feeling dry. “What?” I asked.
“She said you were dead, and that’s why I never got to meet you.
But then later she said that you left, and you didn’t want us.
But one time she said that you didn’t even know I existed.
It just depended on the day. Mom liked to lie a lot to annoy Grandma and Grandpa.
But it doesn’t matter. Mom’s dead now, and she’s not coming back.
And now I get to stay with you until you decide you don’t want me. ”
Anger roared through me, and I knew I had never been as pissed as I was in this moment. She said I was dead?
“That’s not going to happen. I’m still here. And I didn’t know about you, or I would’ve been in your life, Bella.”
“Whatever.” She went pale. “Sorry.”
So maybe there was hope for both of us yet.
“You said you had camp? Is there a reason you can’t still do it?”
“Grandma said that you didn’t want me to, so she canceled it.”
I closed my eyes, counted to five, and told myself that yelling wouldn’t help anyone. And Bella didn’t deserve it. “How about the two of us make a promise?”
She looked at me then, confusion etched on her face that looked so much like my family’s.
“We don’t lie to each other. Because I didn’t know about your camp.
Just like I didn’t know about you. If your grandmother canceled it, I’m sorry.
But I had no idea. It’s been a stressful few days, and I’m just trying to catch up here.
Maybe we can call the camp, and I can get you back in? Is it a daily thing? Overnight?”
“It was a day thing. They had a waiting list, so I already lost my spot. But it’s okay. Whatever. It was just a few hours a day during the week anyway.”
“What was the name? We can call them. These are unique circumstances.”
“Grandma lied too?” Bella asked, her voice soft.
I reached out and gripped her shoulder, before letting my hand fall. She hadn’t flinched, and that was good, but everything was still so damn awkward. “I don’t know what your grandma said or did, but I did not know about camp. So we’re going to start over. With our truths.”
“It was the Montgomery Art Camp. The camp is in its second year and it has to do with their gallery or something. The whole family is like crazy talented, and I was going to learn to work on shadows and things.”
Relief flooded me, and I had never been so grateful to be connected to the Montgomery clan.
“Did you notice the building that you walked into when you first met me?” I asked.
She scrunched her nose. “No. I was too busy trying not to throw up.”
“Same here,” I said with a snort. Bella’s lips curled into a smile, and I continued. “I work for Montgomery Construction.”
Her gaze shot up. “What?”
“I’m a contractor and fire restoration specialist with them.
It means that I try to fix things that were once destroyed.
And the Montgomerys own the business. Their cousins own the gallery.
In fact I’m friends with a few of them. And knowing their group chat they probably already know about some of our situation.
I can’t promise you one hundred percent, but I can give you a high probability that I can get you back into that camp. ”
“Really?”
And for the first time, this was a Bella that I hadn’t seen. Her face animated, she was practically dancing on her toes.
My daughter was an artist.
And she liked the color green.
“That would be amazing. I didn’t know. You really know the Montgomerys? Have you seen Leif Montgomery’s tattoos? I know I’m too young for them, but he’s so dreamy.”
I blinked at her, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do with that information.
“Leif is a friend and married to my other friend.” I shook my head, knowing that explaining to a kid that someone in his twenties was married with children was probably idiotic.
But here I was, once again out of my depth.
“I don’t want to marry him or anything, geez. But he’s so good at sketches. And one day when I’m old enough and have the money I’m going to get a tattoo.”
Since I was equally covered with tattoos, I couldn’t really say anything, but still. I felt like I was going to throw up.
“Leif actually did this tattoo,” I said, pointing to a grouping of trees on my arm.
“Really?”
I nodded. “Yes. You’re right, they are the best. But maybe no tattoos until you’re thirty.”
Bella laughed. “Grandma said never, so I guess you’re the easier one.”
I shook my head. “Oh no, you don’t get to pit me against them. I told you we would be truthful to each other, so that means no trying to get your way against your grandparents. Including my parents.”
“Fine.” She let out a dramatic sigh, and I smiled. There was a little more of the Bella that I wanted to know underneath the veneer of sullenness. “If I get into camp, that means I have a few hours a day with them, but then what am I going to do? You’re not married right?”
My heart kicked, and I shook my head. “I used to be. But no, I’m not married. I used to be, but not anymore.”
She didn’t visibly react to that information. “No kids?”
“Just you,” I said dryly. “My wife and I decided we were better as friends, and now she’s married with two kids, and they live in Montana. I’ve been staying in the Denver area, working.”
Bella walked around the room, touching everything as she walked by, before she sat on the bed and began to play with the duvet. “So I don’t have any brothers and sisters out there?”
I shook my head. “No. You don’t. I would say I’m sorry about that, but I don’t know what you want the answer to be.”
She looked up at me then, her eyes sad. “I don’t know either. Why do you work with fire things?”
This I could answer. “I used to be a firefighter. I liked it, and was good at it, but I got hurt one too many times and decided to go into construction. Your grandpa’s a carpenter and taught me all he knew. Your uncles are still in the firefighting business.”
Her eyes widened. “I have uncles?”
I cursed under my breath, and she laughed. We would get used to this whole father daughter thing. Maybe. “Yes. I have three younger brothers. And they all want to meet you, but I figured day one with so many Foxes in the house would be a little ridiculous.”
“My middle name is Fox,” Bella blurted.
My heart did that little kick thing that was so new to me with this kid. “I know. I’m glad she gave you part of me, even though I didn’t know you.”
“Did you ever save anyone? Or go into a burning building?” She clearly didn’t want to get into that and I didn’t blame her.
“It was part of the job, and I did.”
“How did you get hurt?” The worry in her tone slapped at me, but I didn’t know if it was for me, or the fact that she had lost her mother so recently. Poor kid.
“I fell a couple of times, floors giving out, or just the comings and goings of being the person that goes into burning buildings. I didn’t need the adrenaline rush like my brothers did.”
“Will I meet your brothers?”
“You’re not going to have a choice,” I said dryly. “They will want to come over and meet you soon. If they get to be too much, just let me know. Maybe we can have a signal.”
Her smile brightened her whole face and I knew I’d do whatever I could to make her smile like that again. “Like waving my hands in the air rapidly?”
“We can do that. Or go more subtle. It’s up to you.” The doorbell rang before I could say anything else, and I sighed. “That is probably one of them now.”
“Oh. Well, I guess it’s okay to meet them.”
Gone was the happy, slightly energetic daughter that I was just meeting, and back was the shy girl who was out of her sense of normal.
“Come on, let’s go see who it is. We can get you unpacked and figure out what I missed. Because I have no idea what a preteen girl needs.”
“You think I do?” she asked, sarcasm dripping from her.
I had a feeling I was going to like this kid.
When I opened the door however, it wasn’t one of my family members. Instead it was the woman who sent the unwanted adrenaline through my system and made my mouth go dry.
Brooklyn Montgomery, with her hair flowing down her back, the sun shining on those freckles that I wanted to count one by one, stood there with a large basket in her hands and a smile on her face.
“Hey there. I know you have the day off, and I thought about just leaving this on the doorstep, but it has food in it, so it’s probably not the best place for it.
” She smiled up at me and then looked down and behind me.
Her eyes widened, and she winced. “Oh. I had the timing wrong. I thought I would be here before Bella showed up. I’m sorry. Hi Bella.”
“Hi Brooklyn,” Bella said softly.
I moved to the side and gestured for Brooklyn to come in even as I took the large basket from her. It weighed nearly as much as Bella’s suitcase. “I didn’t know you were coming by.”
She winced, her teeth grazing those plump lips of hers.
“Because I didn’t tell you. I couldn’t sleep last night because I was excited for Bella.
” Brooklyn winked at my daughter, and Bella smiled brightly at her.
No reservations, no worries. Just a connection between the two of them that snapped into place.
What had they talked about during those thirty minutes they had been together in the conference room?
And why the hell did I resent the fact that they were so easygoing?
Then again, Brooklyn was a woman and not related to her. It was just a girl thing. I didn’t need to be jealous.
“I’m going to drop this off and head out. I brought some of my favorite things when I was twelve.” She smiled at Bella, but my daughter just rolled her eyes.
“It’s been like one hundred years since then, right?” Bella asked sarcastically.
“Bella—” I began.
Brooklyn pressed her lips together, laughter still breaking through. “Yes. I am so old, and my bones are brittle, but your dad is older,” Brooklyn said dryly.
“Excuse me,” I bit out, and the girls just looked at each other before giggling.
What the hell was going on?
Brooklyn continued as if I wasn’t standing there…
being old and decrepit apparently. “I remember you said you like to draw, so I asked my cousin what pencils to get. I’m sure you already have them, but I didn’t know if you could bring them here or whatever.
So Oliver gave me these to give to you, and a notebook, and a couple of sparkly things because I like sparkle, so I’m going to force sparkle on everyone.
Then I brought over a cinnamon raisin loaf and a regular sourdough loaf thanks to Jane Dough.
And some fried chicken. As well as a few sides.
I didn’t know if you guys had any food planned, and I was craving chicken.
Not that I’m going to have any. I just need to give things out when I’m stressed. ”
Brooklyn said all of that in practically one breath, and I blinked at her.
“Thank you. I was planning on either sandwiches or heading out for lunch. I hadn’t actually gotten that far.” I rubbed the back of my neck as Bella stared at Brooklyn.
Bella leaned forward, wide eyed. “Who’s Jane Dough?”
“The name of my sourdough starter.” That beautiful, freckled face blushed, and I told myself it was idiotic to not only be attracted to someone I worked with, but to be attracted to anyone in the presence of my daughter. I didn’t have time for this.
Bella’s entire face brightened though. “Oh, my friend Natalie’s mom does sourdough too. She has a little micro bakery. I think that’s what it’s called.”
“I have a couple of friends in my sourdough support group that have micro bakeries. I only bake when I’m stressed or for my friends. So I bake a lot. I have a lot of family and friends thanks to being a Montgomery.”
“Oliver Montgomery is your cousin or your brother or something?” Bella asked.
“He is. You know him?” Brooklyn asked, giving me an odd look.
I cleared my throat. “Bella here likes to draw—as you apparently know,” I said dryly.
I could tell Brooklyn held back a wince at that.
I wasn’t mad at her for knowing things I didn’t, but I already felt two weeks behind.
“And there was an issue with summer camp. I was going to call him or Riley to see if they can fix it.”
“Oh, what’s wrong?”
“Grandma pulled me out of summer camp and blamed it on Reece.”
Brooklyn’s face fell. “What? Wait, our camp? Not that it’s my camp, but it has my name on it.”
I nodded. “That’s the one. Do you think I should call Riley, or who’s running it?”
“Riley runs it, but I can do that. Why don’t you guys get settled with the lunch that I’m forcing on you, and I’ll handle it?”
“Stay,” I blurted, needing support. Because I didn’t know what I was doing, and Bella finally seemed relaxed.
Brooklyn gave me an odd look before a smile spread over her face. “I would love to. Because that chicken smells amazing and I was going to steal a piece on my way out.”
Bella nodded. “It does smell good.”
“Oh thank God, I was really worried you were going to be a vegetarian,” I said, only partially kidding.
Bella scrunched her nose. “Steak is my favorite meal. But it has to be medium rare.”
I put my hand over my heart and sighed. “It’s true. You really are my daughter.”
Thankfully, Bella laughed with Brooklyn joining in, and I felt as if maybe we had turned a corner. Maybe we could do this.
As long as Brooklyn was here, apparently. The woman I couldn’t stop thinking about. The woman I couldn’t have. But the woman who made my daughter laugh. I would just have to deal with all of that. Later.
For now we had fried chicken, sourdough, and the start of whatever the hell life was about to throw at us. I had a feeling it was only the beginning.