Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Addison Wentz, now Douglas, smiled as she put the plate of pancakes on the dining room table. Artem’s and Borysko’s eyes widened at the size of the stack, while Yana was more interested in combing the hair of the Barbie doll she held. Unfortunately, Ellory was having a flare that morning, so she was still in bed in her room, hoping she’d feel better by the time she had to go to school.
Every time her daughter cried with pain, Addison wanted to take her place. She’d gladly suffer every one of the symptoms in place of Ellory if she could. Crohn’s was a horrible disease, especially for a young child. Her daughter was dealing with an illness that would never be cured. She’d have to deal with the ramifications of Crohn’s her entire life. It sucked.
And now that she was in seventh grade, the bullies had decided her daughter made a good target, to boot. She was underweight and hadn’t really started any kind of growth spurt because of malnutrition. She simply wasn’t eating as much as a growing girl should, and it showed in the percentile for her height and weight compared to other girls her age. Crohn’s disease made eating many foods difficult, if not impossible. That made her a target at school.
She also had the same red hair as Addison. It was beautiful, but anything different, anything that made you stand out in middle school, was never a good thing. Addison had found that out the hard way when she was Ellory’s age too.
“All for us?” Artem asked.
His question brought Addison back to the present. “Yes. All those pancakes are for you. But don’t feel as if you have to eat them all. When you get full, we’ll save the rest for a snack after school.” When she’d first met the children, they’d all stuffed themselves to the point of being sick every time they were presented with food. It had taken a while, but it was finally sinking in that they weren’t in a food shortage situation, as they’d been in the bombed-out city where they’d lived back in Ukraine.
“Yana, you need to put down your doll and eat some breakfast,” Addison said gently but firmly.
“Barbie,” she said, holding up the doll proudly.
The little girl wasn’t as proficient with English as her brothers, as the boys had some schooling before war had broken out in their country. Yana had been too young, and therefore had only learned what she’d picked up from Artem and Borysko. She could understand much more than she could speak, but after only a few short weeks in a special program for children with English as their second language—which took place after her regular mornings in kindergarten—she was picking it up quickly.
“Yes, I see. Barbie is pretty. But you need to eat,” Addison repeated, putting a pancake on a plate and squirting some syrup onto it before pushing it toward the girl.
Yana looked over at her brothers, who were happily shoveling bites of pancakes into their mouths, and picked up her fork.
Satisfied the kids were eating, Addison went back into the kitchen to clean up the dishes she’d used to make breakfast and to start prepping to bake her first cake. As she worked, she thought about earlier that morning.
Specifically, the kiss.
She hadn’t been fully asleep when Ricky had gotten out of bed to get ready to go work out with his SEAL team. She’d felt the mattress dip as he rose and opened her eyes just in time to see his sculpted backside disappear into the bathroom.
The man was built—and the more she was around him, the more Addison wanted him. He was everything she’d always dreamed of in a partner. And the way he treated Ellory? That was the icing on the cake.
When she’d first met him, she was immediately attracted to Ricky. Then, oddly, they’d started running into each other more and more around town…at gas stations, coffee shops. When he ran into her and Ellory at a local diner, and ended up at their table, her daughter instantly liked him. But their relationship was still pretty much an acquaintance. Friendly but impersonal.
Until one day he went away, gone on another mission, then came home with three kids in tow…and asked her to marry him for their mutual benefit.
As crazy as it might seem to others—after all, they’d never so much as dated—she hadn’t hesitated to say yes. After years of hospital stays and ER visits for Ellory, Addison was one medical bill away from being homeless, and Ricky desperately needed her help with the kids he’d suddenly found himself parenting.
They were a month in, and true to their arrangement, Ricky hadn’t once made any kind of sexual move toward her…much to her dismay. Being friend-zoned sucked, but she’d brought it on herself. She was too shy to let him know that she wouldn’t mind being more than friends, more than married in name only. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin the good thing she had. She’d do anything for her daughter. Absolutely anything to ensure she had the medical care she needed. And if that meant living with the man she wanted more than she could remember wanting anything else in the world, and not touching him, she’d do it.
But this morning…it was the first time they’d shared such an intimate moment. Ricky went out of his way not to crowd her. Not to touch her without her permission. But this morning, in the dim glow of the nightlights he’d plugged into every outlet in his room, he’d not only brushed her hair back from her face, but he hadn’t pulled away when she’d spontaneously put her hand over his.
And then that kiss…
After she’d heard the front door shut behind him, Addison hadn’t been able to stop herself from reaching between her legs and pleasuring herself as she fantasized about pulling down the sweats he wore to bed every night and showing him without words how much she wanted him.
“Addy, milk? Please?” Yana asked from the table. The kids had immediately picked up on the nickname Ricky had given her, and she loved it.
Shaking herself out of the fog of memories, Addison went to the refrigerator and grabbed the gallon of milk. She refilled the little girl’s cup and topped off Artem and Borysko’s while she was there. She’d just turned to go back to the fridge when the front door opened.
“Ricky!” Yana yelled, jumping off her chair and running for the man Addison couldn’t stop thinking about.
He caught Yana mid-leap and lifted her above his head, making them both laugh. He carried her to the table and put her back in her chair. “Doesn’t look like you’ve finished breakfast, little one. How many pancakes have you eaten already, Borysko?” he asked.
The little boy smiled and said proudly, “Four.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full. It’s impolite and gross,” Ricky scolded gently. “What about you, Artem?”
The other boy chewed furiously, then swallowed before saying, “Six.”
“Wow. You going to have room for the amazing lunch I’m sure Addy’s made for you?” Ricky asked.
Both boys nodded eagerly. There was nothing they liked more than mealtimes. Addison smiled from her spot in the kitchen. She was leaning against the counter, watching Ricky with the children. He was so good with them.
Before she could brace herself, he turned and walked toward her. Remembering what she’d done after he’d left that morning made Addison’s cheeks heat. She forced herself to look him in the eye as he came into the kitchen.
To her surprise, he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
“Morning,” he murmured, before turning to the coffee that Addison had brewed earlier. “Mmmmm, hazelnut?”
Addison swallowed hard and managed, “Yeah.”
“You spoil me. Us.” His voice lowered. “What fun do you have planned for their lunches today?”
Addison smiled. “I got some new cookie cutters, so their sandwiches are shaped like dinosaurs today. The cookies are naturally dinosaurs too.”
“Decorated?” he asked.
“Is a cookie a cookie if it doesn’t have icing on it?” she retorted.
Ricky chuckled. Then leaned toward her and whispered, “Any chance there were extras?”
He smelled like he’d been working out. Like sweat. He even had sand stuck on the side of his cheek. And it took everything within Addison not to throw herself at him. It was going to kill her when the adoption went through and the kids were old enough not to need a nanny. Because why would he keep her around when he didn’t need her anymore? This fantasy she was living of the happy family would end. She had to keep that in mind. Try not to get any more attached than she was already.
“Of course,” she told him with a small smile. “I know how much you like my cookies.”
“I love your…cookies,” he said.
Addison felt as if she imagined the small pause in his statement. Because of course they were talking about cookies, right?
“Hi, Ricky.”
Addison turned at the sound of her daughter’s voice. As did Ricky. He stepped toward her and pulled her into a bear hug, lifting her up. That was just one more thing Addison loved about this man. He didn’t shy away from showing her daughter physical affection. And she drank in his attention like she was dying from thirst and he was a tall glass of water. Much like her mom did.
“How you doin’ this morning?” he asked, putting her down but keeping his hands on her shoulders.
Ellory shrugged. “I’m okay.”
“That bad, huh?” Ricky said, not letting her lie about how she was feeling. “You need to stay home today?”
Addison had asked her the same thing earlier.
“No. I’m okay.”
“You want to eat anything?”
“No,” Ellory said again.
“Okay, but if you aren’t feeling better by lunch, call your mom. You can’t go all day without getting some nutrients in you. She can bake some chicken for you. Maybe you can try a banana and a protein smoothie this morning?”
Addison’s heart melted. Ricky had learned so much about Crohn’s since they’d gotten married. He’d researched for hours online to find out what foods were best for Ellory and what to do when she had a flare.
“Okay,” Ellory said, hugging Ricky once more before heading to the fridge.
Addison should’ve been surprised at her daughter’s acquiescence. After all, she’d suggested Ellory have a smoothie not twenty minutes earlier but had gotten an unequivocal no in response. But when Ricky suggested it, she was all for it. Addison would’ve been irritated if she wasn’t grateful that someone could get her daughter to eat. She was underweight and needed all the calories she could get.
“Ricky?” Ellory said, turning away from the fridge.
“Yeah, El?”
“You stink,” the almost-teenager said bluntly.
Ricky laughed. “Yeah, well, that’s because Kevlar thought it would be fun for us to do burpees in the sand this morning. I hate those with a passion.” Then he growled and hunched over and stomped toward Ellory with his arms out, as if he was some sort of sand monster.
Ellory screeched and yelled, “Stay away from me, smelly-man!”
Ricky laughed. “You weren’t telling me to stay away a second ago,” he said.
“Whatever.”
It was such a teenage thing to say, Addison couldn’t help but chuckle. “Don’t forget to fill your water bottle before you leave. And drink as much as you can throughout the day.”
Ellory rolled her eyes once more and mumbled again, “Whatever, Mom.” Then she took her smoothie and banana, went to the table and sat next to Yana and Borysko, and immediately began talking to them about school.
Addison was grateful her daughter had taken so well to the children. She could’ve been resentful they were taking some of her mom’s time and attention away from her, but she wasn’t. She seemed happy they were there, and grateful for the distraction they gave her from the constant pain she was in most of the time. And while Addison had been afraid she’d hate having to share her room with a five-year-old, to her surprise, Ellory seemed to love having Yana around. She was a huge help with the kids, if nothing else by keeping them occupied. Artem and Borysko loved to talk with her, loved to practice their English, and Yana was content to play with her dolls with Ellory.
“You good?” Ricky asked, bringing Addison’s attention back to him.
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked, genuinely curious.
“Because you’re cooking for six now, running kids around everywhere, still working full time, and doing all the laundry, cleaning, and dealing with the state when they unexpectedly show up to check in on the kids.”
“I’m fine,” Addison told him honestly. “Why? Is there something I’m doing that I shouldn’t be, or not doing that I should be?”
“No!” Ricky said almost forcefully. “This…it’s just a lot. And I want to make sure you’re okay with it all. I don’t ever want you to feel as if I’m taking advantage of you or not doing my part. I want this to work, Addy. And it won’t if you don’t tell me when you’re unhappy.”
There. That. Only one of the reasons he was such a good man. And would make some woman an amazing real husband one day. “Honestly, I’m fine. You do a lot, Ricky. You do all the grocery shopping, you work full time too—in a much more stressful job than I have, I might add—and when you’re here, you do as much as possible to help out.”
“Well, if there’s anything else I can do, please let me know. I don’t ever want you to feel as if you’re the only parent.”
“I don’t.”
“Good. Now, I need to shower. I have it on good authority that I stink,” Ricky said with a small chuckle.
“It’s not that bad,” Addison blurted, then immediately blushed.
“Glad you think so,” he said. Then he shocked the crap out of her by leaning in and kissing her on the cheek once more.
She could smell the coffee on his breath before he turned and took his cup with him and walked out of the kitchen. He stopped by the table and touched each of the younger kids on the head, saying something in a low voice that Addison couldn’t hear. He squeezed Ellory’s shoulder before disappearing down the short hall toward their bedroom.
Once he was gone, the electricity in the air seemed to dissipate. It had always been like that when Ricky was around. He lit up whatever room they were in and made everything seem so…exciting. It should’ve been exhausting, but instead it was thrilling.
By the time Ricky returned, he was freshly showered and wearing his blue naval camo uniform. It was all Addison could do not to jump him right there and then. There was just something about his uniform that made him even more attractive than he was before…and that was saying something.
“Better?” he asked Ellory, holding his arms out, as if for her inspection.
To Addison’s amusement, Ellory walked up to him, leaned in, and sniffed. Then she pulled back and smiled. “Better,” she agreed.
Ricky laughed and pulled her against his chest for another long hug. Then he took hold of her shoulders and looked down at her with a serious look on his face. “You sure you’re okay to go to school today?”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t hurt?” he asked.
“I didn’t say that,” Ellory said with a shrug.
Her response made Addison’s heart ache. There was nothing worse than knowing your child was in pain and not being able to do anything about it.
Ricky obviously felt the same way, because he frowned.
But Ellory being Ellory, she patted his chest and said, “But it’s not awful today. I’ll be all right.”
“You take your meds?” Ricky asked.
“Of course.”
The girl had a litany of medicines she took to try to keep her Crohn’s under control. Antibiotics, an anti-inflammatory, an acid-reducer, and an immune system suppressant to reduce the swelling in her intestines. Addison hated that she was so young and taking so many medicines, but they really did seem to help. Besides, the next step was surgery, which wouldn’t cure her but might keep the worst symptoms at bay for a while. But the thought of anyone slicing into her baby was abhorrent.
“Right. If things get bad, don’t hesitate to call your mom or me,” Ricky told her.
Ellory rolled her eyes. “I know.”
Her daughter was growing up before her eyes. Addison didn’t know whether she should reprimand her for being disrespectful or laugh at the exasperation in her tone.
“I know I’m not your father, but I care,” Ricky told her seriously.
Ellory tilted her head as she stared at the man in front of her. “Why?”
“Why do I care?”
“Yeah. Like you said, you aren’t my dad. And you haven’t known me or my mom very long.” Her voice lowered, so the three other kids couldn’t hear. Addison herself had to strain to hear what she was saying. “And I know you married my mom so she could have insurance for me, and you could have a babysitter for the others. So…why do you care if I hurt or not?”
Addison’s gut clenched. She hadn’t really wanted Ellory to know the circumstances behind her marriage, but she also didn’t like lying to her daughter. So when Ellory approached her one night, wanting to know why she’d married Ricky when they hadn’t even dated, Addison was completely honest. Well…as honest as she could be, leaving out the part about loving the man.
“I did not marry your mom for those reasons alone,” Ricky told her.
Addison held her breath.
“Yes, us being married made things easier in regard to you getting the healthcare you need. And yes, having her here is a tremendous help with Artem, Borysko, and Yana. But I married your mom because I like and respect her. We’ve actually known each other a while now, and there wasn’t anyone else I even considered marrying.”
It was kind of a non-answer, but it still made Addison feel warm and gooey inside.
“Do you love her?” Ellory asked almost nonchalantly.
The warm feeling disappeared in a puff of smoke. She wanted to rush over to where her daughter was standing with Ricky and laugh off her question. She both wanted to hear his answer and was terrified of it at the same time.
His gaze lifted at that moment and met her own. Addison swallowed hard as she stared back. He only looked at her for a heartbeat, but it felt as if something momentous happened in that short span of time.
“Your mom is one of the most generous, talented, and beautiful women I’ve ever met. She would do anything for you, for her friends. She puts everyone else first, even if it means she goes without. She’s got more love in her little finger than many people have in their entire bodies. I would bend over backward for her. I’ll protect her, and you, with every breath in my body. And before you ask why again, it’s because she’s got a pure soul. And she makes me a better man. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”
Addison felt as if she was going to pass out. People had told her she had pretty hair, that she was lucky she had such a slender frame, that she was nice. But what Ricky just said? It floored her. He hadn’t come right out and said he loved her, but obviously he’d satisfied Ellory. Because she nodded.
“Okay?” Ricky asked.
“Okay,” Ellory told him.
“No more talk about doubting whether I care about you or your mom, all right?”
“Yeah.”
“Will you help get Yana ready for school while I talk to your mom real fast?”
“Sure.” Ellory spun toward the table and held out her hand to the little girl. “Come on, Yana. Do you want to wear your Elsa shirt or the Little Mermaid?”
“Elsa!” Yana practically shrieked.
Ellory laughed and headed down the hall toward their room hand-in-hand with the little girl. Artem and Borysko had finished putting their dirty dishes in the dishwasher and ran down the hallway more rambunctiously than the girls had, pushing and shoving each other to try to be first to get to their room to grab their backpacks.
Addison knew she and Ricky only had a couple of minutes before the kids would be back, and they’d all have to leave to get to school on time. She held her breath as Ricky walked toward her.
“I’m sorry.”
Addison frowned, her brows furrowed.
“I didn’t mean to overstep there. I just…I hate thinking of her in pain. I hope you aren’t offended by what I said.”
That wasn’t what she was feeling. “Offended? No, not at all.”
“Good. I respect you, Addy. So damn much. You’ve stepped into this role without any hesitation. Taken on me and the kids as if you were born to it. I couldn’t do this without you. Most of the time I feel completely out of my element. I can shoot my way out of a dangerous situation, MacGyver my way out if I’m trapped, and basically kick ass when it comes to anything related to the military or electronics. But three kids? I don’t know what I was thinking. Am I doing the right thing? Would they be better off in their own country, surrounded by their own culture?”
Addison reacted without thinking. She stepped toward Ricky and put her hand on his arm. “You’re an amazing father. Artem looks up to you so much. I don’t know if you realize it, but his eyes are always on you. He watches you, and whatever you do, he does. This morning, you told Borysko not to talk with his mouth full, and Artem, who’d been doing the same thing all morning, immediately chewed and swallowed before he spoke.
“And Borysko, he’s blossoming under your care. When I first met him, he was shy and looked to his brother for reassurance. Now he’s gaining confidence and actually making some decisions on his own. And Yana has you wrapped around her little finger.” She smiled. “She’s also so darn smart. And I can’t even begin to express everything you’ve done for Ellory. You’re doing the right thing, Ricky. I promise.”
His shoulders relaxed, as if he’d needed to hear her words. Addison wanted to kiss him so badly, but she refrained…barely.
“And you?” Ricky said with a grin. “Do you regret marrying me?”
That was an easy question. “No.”
“Good. You ready to be seen with me in public?”
“What?”
“Public. You know, outside this house? Since we got married, we haven’t done anything together. Some SEAL friends of mine are having a get-together. I thought we could go.”
Addison licked her lips nervously. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be seen with Ricky in public. It was more a self-preservation thing on her part. The more she integrated into his life, the more it would hurt when he got permanent custody of the kids and decided he didn’t need her anymore. She was aware those kinds of thoughts didn’t paint Ricky in a very flattering light, but she didn’t think he’d want to be with her if and when he no longer had to.
He took her silence for a refusal and hurried to continue speaking, to try to convince her. “It’s an informal thing. Wolf and Caroline never had children, but they love their friends’ kids as if they were their own. They have these get-togethers all the time so they can get their kid fix. It’ll be crazy. The kids are older now but they still run around like hooligans. The grownups sit around and drink beer or sodas and catch up with everyone’s lives. It’s laid-back and a chance for everyone to talk about stuff other than work.”
“Of course I’ll go,” Addison told him, reluctantly giving in.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Everyone’s gonna love you.”
“You have told them that we’re married, right?” she asked a little hesitantly.
He looked confused. “Of course I have.”
“Oh.” For some reason, Addison thought he was keeping their marriage a secret.
“My team knew the day after it happened. They weren’t thrilled with me for not inviting them, but they also understood that it could be overwhelming for you and Ellory. They’ve been bugging me to introduce them ever since. And of course, the ones with girlfriends have let them know about us, and now I’m also being badgered by Remi, Wren, Josie, and Maggie too.”
Addison knew all about his SEAL teammates. Ricky had no problem talking about them. It was obvious he respected and liked them a hell of a lot. Which wasn’t exactly a surprise, since they went into life-or-death situations together. She’d heard all about how he’d come to meet Artem, Borysko, and Yana in Ukraine, how scary their situation in the war-torn country had been, and how they’d come to be in the States because Borysko was shot when Ricky and his teammate and Maggie were rescued. The story was frightening. Hearing about what Maggie had been through was equally terrifying.
Addison wasn’t anything like what she imagined Maggie to be, and the thought of having to figure out what to talk about when she met the woman scared the crap out of her. But she was Ricky’s wife, and she knew that came with certain obligations. So she’d go to this get-together, do her duty, then hopefully not have to do it again for a long while.
“Anyway, it’ll be great. It’s a potluck, so we’ll have to come up with something to bring, but we can worry about that later.”
Addison smiled. Now that was something she could take care of without any issues. “I can make something,” she told him.
“Are you sure? I figured you bake so much for work that you wouldn’t want to do it for this. We can stop at the grocery store on the way and grab some cookies or something from the deli.”
Addison widened her eyes and gasped in mock outrage. “Store-bought cookies? Over my dead body!” she exclaimed dramatically.
Ricky chuckled, and the smile on his face transformed him from handsome to drop-dead gorgeous. “Right.”
“When is the thing?”
“This weekend.”
Addison nodded. “Okay.”
“Are you saying that because you think it’s what I want to hear, or are you really okay with going?” Ricky asked.
He was so astute it was almost scary. “I’m a little nervous, but these are your friends. I want to meet them. And it’ll be good for Ellory and the others to hang out with new people.”
“Great. I’ll let Wolf and Caroline know. And the girls too.”
“The girls?”
“Wren, Josie, Remi, and Maggie. They’ve been driving me crazy, texting and wanting your number. Is it okay if I give it to them?”
“I guess. But I don’t have a lot of time to be on the phone,” Addison warned him.
Ricky didn’t look concerned. “They’re text people. It’s their preferred mode of communication. You can respond whenever you have time.”
Addison relaxed a little. She hated talking on the phone. Many times she didn’t know what to say and those awkward silences made her cringe. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
They stared at each other for a beat, and Addison could’ve sworn that he was leaning toward her before Artem and Borysko burst into the room, arguing with each other in Ukrainian.
“English,” Ricky called out gently.
Mid-argument, the boys switched to English. It was still a bit broken and stilted, but they were getting better by the day. It was astonishing how fast they were picking up the language.
Any intimate moment she and Ricky might’ve had was lost as Ellory and Yana joined the others. Addison quickly grabbed her purse and headed for the door with Ricky and the kids. She would drop off Ellory and Yana, as their schools were close together. Ricky took Artem and Borysko. They were currently going to a private school for kids who were learning English as a second language. They were the only ones there from the Ukraine. Most of the kids spoke Spanish, but there were a few who spoke Farsi, Korean, Tagalog, and even one little girl who was from France.
The kids ran to the vehicles to get themselves strapped in. After Addison locked the front door behind her, Ricky touched her arm. As she turned to look at him, he was already leaning in to kiss her. His lips brushed against hers in a short, chaste kiss. It took everything in Addison not to reach up and trace her lips reverently.
“I’ll touch base at lunch. See how everything’s going. If you need anything in the meantime, don’t hesitate to text me. I’m in meetings most of the day, but nothing so important I can’t get away to talk if you need me.”
He always made it clear that if there was any kind of emergency, he’d be there for her. It was comforting. Addison had gone through too many health scares with Ellory by herself not to realize what a gift Ricky gave her with his reassurances. “All right.”
“Want me to bring anything home for dinner?”
“No. I’m going to make chicken for Ellory, since she’s having a flare. I thought I’d make lasagna for everyone else. That all right?”
“I can’t remember the last time I had homemade lasagna. That sounds perfect. But I hate that Ellory has to have bland food while the rest of us eat pasta.”
“I know, but she’s used to it. And more importantly, she doesn’t miss the rich food that we can eat. She knows it’ll just make her feel horrible later.”
“Still. That sucks,” Ricky insisted.
“It does.”
He sighed, then nodded. “Have a good day, Addy.”
“You too.”
He smiled at her, then stepped away and headed for his Explorer. The boys were already in the backseat with their seat belts on.
Four. That’s how many times Ricky had kissed her today. Three more times than he ever had before. The one and only other time had been their wedding day. She had no idea why he was suddenly so affectionate…but she liked it. A lot.
He waved at her once more before he pulled out of the driveway and headed down the street. Addison backed out and headed in the opposite direction.
All in all, her life was going really well. Which worried her, because in her experience, just when things were going well, life seemed to throw her a curveball.
Hoping she was past that, she concentrated on the traffic. She had two girls to get to school and three cakes to bake. She had no time for curveballs.