6. Charlie
Chapter 6
Charlie
While Paisley busies herself with taking care of the animals who live on the farm, Travis and I do a good job of creating our very own sex montage straight from season one episode six of Bridgerton (fast forward to fourteen minutes in and thank me later). It’s just as much fun as it sounds.
But there’s more to it than just amazing sex. My life over the last few weeks looks completely different with Travis by my side. I laugh more, I’m a better parent, and I’m not rushing around. The little things in life are coming into focus and a sense of calm is washing over everything in my world. I'm so wrapped up in Travis, my stomach lurches when I think about going back to my old life. The lights of the city can’t compare to the stars in the country sky.
Today, Paul is coming to pick Paisley up from the farm. It’s no surprise that he’s over two hours late. She seems to have taken to this new life just as much as I have and I can’t imagine she’s going to want to leave any more than I do. Paisley has all but forgotten that she’s leaving today and truth be told, I have to. That is until Paul’s car comes barreling down the road. He slides to a stop, his tires kicking up a wave of gravel and dust.
“Who in the hell?” Travis looks through the tavern’s windows.
“It’s Paisley’s dad. Don’t worry about it, I’m going to talk to him. I forgot he was picking her up today.”
“I don’t give a shit who it is, he can’t drive here like that here.” Travis starts toward the door to the tavern.
I catch his arm and pull him back. “Stop, stay in here. He’s looking for a reason to fight this day, but I can handle him just fine.” I put a hand on Travis’ massive chest and it sends butterflies rippling through me.
He deflates. “Fine, but I don’t like it. I’m going to watch from right here and I sure as hell hope he doesn’t give me a reason to walk through that door.”
“Don’t you dare? I’ve already got one ridiculous man on my hands, I don’t need another.” A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “But at least you’re sexy as hell.”
When Paul puts it in park and climbs out of the driver's side door, he slams his car door with an aggression that has me snapping to attention. What a ridiculous way to make an entrance.
I step out of the tavern and give Paul a wave he doesn’t return. “I’m going to grab Paisley for you.” I don’t wait for a reply before I make my way down to the horse stable.
Paisley is in the center of the pen running a brush through Dolly’s hair. I tell her about Paul’s arrival, but she doesn’t seem interested in the least. I try again. But before I can coax her out, Paul appears behind me.
“Wow, farm life huh?” His voice is low and dripping with sarcasm. “Does he know that you can’t cook, don’t clean, and work more hours than he does? Or are you saving that information for the honeymoon like you did with me? You told me you were selling this property as soon as possible so I’m assuming that we’re way out here because of the new boyfriend you’ve introduced to our daughter without my permission.”
My skin burns hot with rage. I bite back a thousand truths. He isn’t my boyfriend, but so what if he was? This is my property now, so what do you care what I do with it? I’d be lucky to start a life here. Instead, I settle on, “Good morning to you too, or should I say afternoon? You’re four hours late.”
Paul lets out a huff. “Well, I had to drive to the middle of fucking nowhere so that added some time to my commute.”
I roll my eyes and struggle to maintain my composure. When Paisley makes her way to the fence, I let out a sigh of relief. She waves to Paul, showing off a new gapped-tooth smile.
“Hi Pais!” Paul looks genuinely happy to see her and that makes me smile.
We will figure out this co-parenting thing at some point.
“Hi, Dad!” Paisley climbs onto the fence and peers over at us. “I don’t want to go with you. Not today. So I’ll just skip it this time.”
I swallow hard, can’t blame the girl . I clear my throat. “No, it’s Dad’s turn to spend time with you. He misses you and you’ll be back here in just a few days.”
“But why do I have to? I didn’t go last time.” Her voice takes on a whining tone.
“It didn’t work out last time, but that makes this time more special.” I try for logic, but I can tell Paisley isn’t buying a single word I say.
“No, I won’t go because Travis is taking me horseback riding today. He promised! Dad, Travis is the best!” She throws her head back and lets out a wail.
Shit.
A flash of sadness whips across Paul’s face. “Well, he lied. We’re leaving. No matter what Mommy is trying to tell you about her new boyfriend, he isn’t your dad and it sounds like he makes promises he can’t keep.”
“Paul, is that necessary?” I shake my head at him. “No one is trying to replace you.”
“I want to ride the horse and Travis said that me and Dolly can be best friends,” Paisley continues to turn up the volume and it’s like she’s trying to reverse-parent-trap us.
Paul’s expression is growing more icy by the minute. He turns to me like it’s my fault. “This is unreal, Charlie. She’s spoiled.”
“Then maybe you should be around more to help,” I snap at him under my breath. “Anyway, she isn’t spoiled, she’s fine.”
We try to coax Paisley from the pen, but she’s entered a full-on tantrum state. I haven’t seen behavior like this since she was a toddler. All of the recent life changes and broken promises can’t be easy on my poor girl, but this is absurd.
Paul and I take turns trying to negotiate with her, but Paisley is inconsolable. She’s resolute in the fact that Travis told her she’d be riding that damn horse today. Her repeated mention of the sexy cowboy I’m actively sleeping with isn’t helping me and Paul reach a real team-work-making-the-dream-work kind of vibe.
Despite our best efforts it takes us another full fifteen minutes to get Paisley out of the horse pen. Even then we only get her to the front side of the fence. Finally, Paul has had enough. He scoops Paisley up in his arms and tosses her over his shoulder. The gesture does nothing to break her stride. She’s kicking and screaming so loud on the way up the hill that the sound reverberates through the prairie.
By the time we reach the cars, Paisley has quieted, but it’s too late. Travis is outside waiting for us. His face is twisted into a deep scowl and his glare is trained on Paul. I squeeze my eyes shut. This is the last thing I need.
“Put her down.” Travis’ voice bellows.
“Who are you?” Paul cuts his eyes at Travis, but he doesn’t stop walking.
“Travis stop,” I say.
“Put her down,” Travis repeats himself, taking a step forward.
Paul looks up at Travis, over to me, and back again. “Stay the hell out of my relationship with my daughter. I don’t even know you.”
“Well, we can change that right now,” Travis’ words are a challenge.
I whirl to face him swallowing the panic that rises in my throat. “Get back inside now.”
Travis hesitates for a moment. But when I put a hand to his chest, he grumbles under his breath and makes his way back through the doors of the tavern. I can already see the judge looking over the details Paul will provide of this situation and the thought makes me sick to my stomach.
Paul opens the car door and whispers something to Paisley. Whatever he says seems to do the trick. She climbs into the backseat of his car with nothing more than a small wave in my direction. I’m sure he’s promised junk food, a weekend of no rules, and maybe even an online shopping spree. The thought makes me cringe, but right now it’s the least of my worries.
As Paul makes his way to the driver's side, he pauses to look at me. “You know it’s really classy having our daughter hang out at a bar with your new boyfriend.”
I resist the urge to give him the middle finger and instead wave to Paisley as they drive off. When I explode back into the tavern, my blood is boiling. I acknowledge that I’m mostly mad at Paul, but Travis needs to answer for his overstepping of my boundaries.
“I don’t like what I saw.” Travis folds his arms across his chest. “It took everything in me not to show Paul what happens when you?—”
I hold up my hand, cutting him off. “Excuse you, this isn't your fight. You’ve already made the situation more difficult by making more promises to my kid after I asked you not to do that. You told her you’d take her horseback riding this afternoon. You didn’t ask me. If you had you would’ve known that her dad was picking her up. Things with Paul are already difficult and you're making them worse. You aren’t a dad, you don’t know what it’s like.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come out and I know it wasn’t my place.” Travis’ eyes go dark. “But you're wrong about one thing… I am a dad. I have a daughter floating around in this world somewhere and I don’t have the chance to know her or to stand up for her. So forgive me for standing up for yours.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stand there staring at him in stunned silence. “You have a daughter?”
“I do and I don’t even know her. If I could change things, I would, but I’ve lost my chance and I’ll never stop regretting it. So yeah, sometimes I’m going to cross a line that isn’t mine to cross.”
My heart shatters for him and in an instant, all I can do is wrap my arms around him. I squeeze until he hugs back. Then I hold him in the empty silence of the tavern. For a moment, the whole world goes quiet. But he pulls away from me and stiffens.
His eyes go glassy. “Yeah, I was young and about to age out of foster care. Her mom was a few years older than me and she gave that baby up for adoption. I don’t want to get into this with you right now.”
“Have you looked for her?” My voice is soft but heavy with the weight of the conversation.
“Of course, I looked for years. There’s always going to be a part of me that never stops looking. But I get it, you aren’t my girlfriend and Paisley isn’t my daughter. It’s not fair of me to put that on you. You’re my landlord and I’m a fucking mess.”
“Travis, I?—”
“I’m gonna go.” He turns to walk away from me and I ignore the tears that stream down his face.
When I’m left alone in the silence of the tavern, my heart breaks for him. He said this place held secrets, but I never imagined his would be the biggest. I feel his hurt in every part of my body and I’m desperate to make things right with him and for him.