Her eyes widened. “Different?”
Fuck. By her reaction, I’d screwed that up. “I like it, Charlie.”
“You’re just saying that now. You hate it.”
I scrubbed my face. The long day, coupled with not a drop of fucking whisky, meant my levels of patience were at a low. But I kept a leash on my frustration for her. “I’m not just saying it. I never say shit I don’t mean. I just preferred it darker. This blonde thing you’ve got going is nice.”
“Oh God! Nice is the worst possible word to describe hair!”
Fuck, it was worse than different? A teen dictionary would be useful right about now.
“Your mother paid for it, huh?”
“Yeah, she’s bribing me into being nice to her after yesterday. For the record, I’m all about bribing.”
“What happened to the balay-colour-thing you wanted?”
“This is balayage, Aiden. Keep up.”
I frowned. “Looks fucking blonde to me.”
She rolled her eyes, and I knew this conversation was done.
“I got your text about dinner,” she said, confirming I was right about the conversation shifting gears.
“You’re good with that?” Monroe had asked us both to dinner at her place that night.
“I don’t know…. Did you say her family will be there, too?”
“Yeah.”
She grinned. “Okay, I’m in, then.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “What’s that grin for?”
“I’m all about watching you handle her family. I hope she’s got one of those overprotective dads. You know, kinda like you and the way you are with Jamie.”
“Smartass,” I muttered. “That little shit hasn’t fucked off yet?”
She stood. “Nope.”
As she took a step to leave, I grabbed her hand and stopped her. “You okay, baby?”
Looking down at me, she nodded, knowing exactly what I meant. “Kinda. It sucks, though.”
She wasn’t wrong there. “Yeah, it does. But we’re gonna get that test done and it’ll prove I’m your dad. And then we’re gonna forget about all this shit.”
She was silent for a few moments. “I’m sorry Mum did this to you,” she said softly.
I stood. “Charlie, I don’t want you to think about me in all of this. Not in that way. Let me deal with that.”
Her voice wobbled on her next question. “What if you’re not my dad?”
There wasn’t anything in life quite like watching your child struggle. It broke me in ways I’d never been broken. The urge to protect kicked in fiercely, and I pulled her into my arms. I wanted nothing more than to tell her it wasn’t fucking true, that it would all work out. But I knew that wasn’t what she was looking for. She needed me to be the strong one here, to be the one she could count on to know what to do if everything turned to shit.
With one arm tightly around her and a hand smoothing her hair, I said, “If we get to that point, we’ll deal with it together. I will never walk away from you. Ever. I will be right here, still your dad as far as I’m fucking concerned, ready to be in your life however you’ll let me.”
She blinked a few times before nodding and resting her head against my chest. She didn’t try to move out of my hold, and I didn’t give her the option. We held each other for a long time, taking the strength and comfort we both desperately needed. Life sure as shit had a funny way of bringing people together.
Chapter 37
Monroe
Dad’s eyes bulged. “You’re moving in with him?”
I put down the tea towel I held and gave my father a look. “Yes, and I don’t want you going on about that all night, okay? I’ve invited you for dinner so you can all start to get to know him.”
“You’ve just met the man, Monroe. Why on earth would you think it’s a good idea to move in with him so soon?”
We’d been going back and forth about Hyde for a good ten minutes while Dad drilled me before he arrived for dinner. Both of us had gotten worked up, but this question calmed me down. I smiled at him and gave him the best answer I had. “Because I just know.”
Dad frowned. “You know what?”
“That he’s the one.”
Dad drew a long breath. I knew it was one of his stalling moves when he grew frustrated. I hated it when we argued like this, but I wouldn’t back down from this disagreement.
Mum placed her hand on Dad’s arm as she joined in. She knew he was reaching his breaking point, too. “What makes you so sure, honey?”
“I know you just see his roughness and what he shows the world, but there’s a whole other man underneath all that. He’s thoughtful, and caring, and giving. He accepts me for who I am and doesn’t try to change me. He puts up with my demanding side and doesn’t complain. He listens to what I have to say about things. He stands up to me and fights me on the things that are important to him. He admits when he’s wrong, and he tries to be a better man. He’s a good dad. And he gives me the fireworks I’ve always wanted.” There were so many other little things about Hyde that I loved. And I knew there would be a million more things I’d discover along the way. People could think we were moving way too fast, but they didn’t know what we already had, and they sure as hell didn’t know what was in my heart.
Mum’s face lit up while I shared my thoughts. “I like him, Col. I saw the way he made Monroe sparkle. I think you should look for that tonight rather than focusing on Hyde so much. Look at your daughter and see that this man makes her feel good about herself. At the end of the day, it’s not whether we like him so much as how he makes Monroe’s life better by being in it.”
Dad looked at her. “You just quoted your mother, didn’t you?”
Mum nodded. “Remember how much my father disliked you when you two first met? That’s how you’re acting now. Think about that before you give Hyde too much hell tonight.”
He shook his head. “You’ll be the death of me, woman.”
She grinned. “I do my best, darling.” I wanted to high five my mother, but a knock at the front door distracted me.
Butterflies swarmed in my belly.
Hyde.
Today had been a write-off at work thanks to him. I’d planned on tackling tax stuff but hadn’t been able to concentrate after he’d bossed me into moving in. Not that he really had to do much bossing. I just let him think he did.
His intense gaze captured mine the minute I opened the door. I was surprised to find him on his own.
“Where’s Charlie?”
His hand curled around my waist, and he pulled me outside. Drawing me close, he bent so he could speak against my ear. “She asked me to drop her at the service station around the corner, so she could buy some drinks, which means I’ve got you alone for a good few minutes. I’ve been thinking about those lips of yours all fucking day.”
“I like your thinking.” I really freaking liked it. I needed this time with him before venturing back inside where my father lay in wait.
He captured my mouth in a kiss that took my breath away. “Fuck, sugar, you make a man wanna dedicate days to you.”