Playing Pretend: A Single Dad Secret Baby Romance Read online

  “Yeah, of course we can, Maggie.” Tearing my eyes off her red, roughened face, I inhaled deeply as a police cruiser pulled up in front of my driveway. The air didn’t cool the fire inside me but intensified it, and I pushed myself up to hold Maggie on my hip. “I just need to talk to this policeman about Kayla, and then we’ll go. Sound good?”

  “Uncle Martin says policemen are just miller-i-tary wash outs.” Down the driveway, the cop clearly heard but ignored Maggie’s comment, and I frowned down at her. She watched me intently, so smart for her age, and she ducked her head to rest her cheek on my shoulder. “He’s not very smart- Auntie Raina says that’s why he’s an infant-er-man.”

  “Don’t listen to anything Uncle Martin says, baby. The police take care of us- you know that.” Strolling up to us, the policeman shook his head slightly, and I blew a hot breath before raking my hand through my hair harshly. “Yeah- so, my babysitter left while I was at a conference across town… I don’t know how long. She wasn’t here when Maggie woke up.”

  “What’s her name?- the babysitters? Also, yours, as well.” The cop was seasoned, graying around his temples, and he arched a bushy brow when I answered him. “She lives down the street from you, you say…?”

  “Yeah- I want to press charges.” Reaching for my wallet, I passed it over to the officer as my blood boiled with renewed frustration and betrayal. “It’s the three cards in the top- her parents’ and hers.”

  “Okay- do you mind if we go inside? I have a couple more questions, and I need to talk to Maggie.” Intelligent, brown eyes watched the man wearily from over my shoulder as I led us into the house. Everything seemed to be in place at first glance, but if Kayla had just up and left, I wouldn’t put it past her to steal.

  This wasn’t how I was expecting this weekend to end, but nothing about the past two days seemed to be predictable.

  Delainne

  “Hey- hi, Eric.” Turning away from my computer, I gnawed on my lower lip as the line crackled slightly. Anxiety tightened my abdomen, and heat filled my cheeks at the memories that flashed in my mind’s eye. “How are you?”

  “… Honestly, I’m not doing too hot right now, Delainne.” My blood froze at the heaviness in Eric’s tone, and he sighed hard and long into my ear. “How are you doing?”

  “Uh- I’m okay…” The fine hairs on my face stood up, and I licked my lips heavily as I hunched slightly. Eric had called me, not the other way around, and alarm bells rang in my skull as I remembered our last conversation. “Are you okay? Is your daughter okay?”

  “That’s why I’m calling, actually…” He spoke slowly, like he was tired, and I held my breath as he trailed off for a second. “Are you available? I don’t want to take you out of work or anything. It’s a bit of a story…”

  “No- no. I’m free. I’m at lunch right now.” Swishing side to side, I tried to calm the apprehension that flooded my veins. “You can talk to me.”

  The irony of the situation didn’t escape me as Eric and I lapsed into silence. His anxiety was palpable, and my chest tightened while he worked himself up to speak. My mind ran with every possible scenario that could’ve happened in the past three days, but there was one question I couldn’t answer.

  Why had he called me?

  “So-“ Ripping me from my thoughts, Eric inhaled sharply, and the sound skittered across my cheek and down my neck uncomfortably. “I went home Sunday morning to find that my babysitter left my daughter alone all night. She wasn’t there when Maggie woke up, and Maggie doesn’t know my cell numbers… I called the cops and am pressing charges on her.”

  “Oh, my God!” Shooting up from my chair, my sneakers hit the concrete hard enough to echo, and my heart thundered just as loudly. “Is she okay? How long was she alone? Do you need help?”

  I felt so much in that moment that I became numb, and I reached to rub my throat as it threatened to close up. Pacing furiously through another bout of silence, I couldn’t barely wrap my head around what Eric revealed.

  “She’s okay. She was alone through the night, and she was awake for about three hours of it. I had the babysitter arrested.” A harsh bark of laughter rattled my skull from the speaker, and I clenched my jaw as my eyes stung. “You know what she said- she said she didn’t see any reason to stay because Maggie was asleep, and I was going to be back before 10am. She needed to study for one of her college credit courses that she’s taking right now. Well- good luck getting that credit in jail.”

  “I just can’t believe it- she’s been so straight-laced and reliable since I hired her when Maggie got out of school. She even asked me to pay her for the time she did spend doing her job. I mean- seriously! What kind of studying did she need to do that she couldn’t do on my couch! I had to call my captain and explain what happened, and I felt like such a fucking idiot trying to explain that I thought she was trustworthy.” Eric’s voice shook with rage that prickled down my spine, and I raked my hand through my hair hard. My heart ached for him between waves of anger that this had happened in the first place. “I don’t know what to do, Delainne. I mean- Maggie’s not in any summer programs, and there’s no way- no way-“

  “I can help you.” Blurting out the offer at the desperate irritation in Eric’s tone, my ears rang from the sudden quiet that filled my office. “… I’ll help you. After what you did for me- I want to return the favor.”

  “Delainne…” Pain rippled through my chest, and he sighed again- but this time, it didn’t seem to laden. “Are you sure? The wedding is enough.”

  “I’m sure, Eric… to be honest, I’ve been seriously considering quitting. Donald is great and all, but after Saturday… I don’t think I can work here anymore. I don’t- I don’t feel safe here…” Sourness coated my tongue, and a dark pit opened up in my body; I felt disgusting for expressing my own problems when I should’ve focused on Eric’s. “Uhm- so, what are you doing right now? I can come to you.”

  “We’re at the park. Are you absolutely sure that it’s okay? I don’t want you to get in trouble for leaving early.” Shaking my head furiously, I grabbed my purse off my desk with a huff. Eric sighed heavily, and I held my phone to my ear with my shoulder as I fired off an e-mail to Donald. “I didn’t know who else to call. My parents are… well… my parents… and I’m short on friends at the moment.”

  “You can always call me, Eric- always. I’m leaving right now. Which park are you at?” Rushing out of my office, I skirted the edge of the warehouse towards where my bike was parked. Tension thrummed through me, hastening my strides, and my measly flip phone cut in and out inside the huge building.

  “It’s near Chase School, if you know where that is? I can give you directions.” The relief in Eric’s tone was palpable, and I nodded before realizing he couldn’t see me. Every team was on a job today, and the building was only occupied by myself and a few contract organizers. No one saw me leave, but I refused to worry about it when my bicycle came into view.

  “I know where it is. I ride past it on my way to work. I’ll be right there, okay?” Hopping with practiced movements onto my bike, I pedaled my way out of the entrance and onto the street. Eric and I stayed on the phone, but neither of us spoke as I rode fast towards the end of the industrial drive. Three turns and two stop signs later, I could see the park’s colorful structures rising above chain link fences. The journey took 5 minutes, maybe, but it still seemed like a long time before I finally caught sight of him sitting at a picnic table under a tree.

  Rolling into the park, I climbed off my bike fully before Eric twisted to notice me, and relief drenched his expression. Snapping my phone shut, my palm tingled wildly, and I smiled broadly as I sat beside him. Almost immediately, he grabbed my hand to fiddle with my mom’s engagement ring, and I waited patiently for him to speak.

  “… You know, Delainne… I was meaning to call you- or talk to you about it when you called me. I was wondering if you’d mind if I asked my cousin if I could propose to you at the wedding next week. You know- to m
ake to seem more realistic or whatever.” Of all the things I was expecting Eric to say, that wasn’t it, and shock dropped my jaw into my lap. Glancing over at me, he smirked slightly with a shrug of his weighted shoulders. “There won’t be any kids there, and Maggie’s grandmother is watching her that night. At the very least, it’ll keep us from having to make up lies on the spot… which is a little hypocritical, I know, but…”

  “I- I mean, if that’s how you want to do it, sure… I have to admit- I’m not at all a good liar, so…” His smirk widened, and he sighed heavily before tilting his head towards the playground. Gazing out over the park, my eyes widened, and my chest tightened when I saw the little girl who looked exactly like him. Maggie’s wild hair made her stand out, and she was so small that I worried for her going down a metal slide. She was so small that there was no friction to slow her down, and she giggled with her friends when she landed on her butt.

  “She couldn’t call me.” The scene across the playground clashed with Eric’s dark tone, and I squeezed his hand reflexively as I watched Maggie jump up. She looked happy, with a big, toothy grin and cheeks reddened with excitement on her way back up the stairs. “We talked about Kayla- I mean, I feel like shit, you know? Mags has never liked Kayla, but I didn’t trust her.”

  “Eric- she’s six.” My bland response earned me a harsh chuckle, and I tore my eyes off Maggie to frown at her father. “You’re not wrong for not listening to her about the babysitter. I babysat my cousins for a summer- they hated me, and we’re related to each other. This isn’t about trusting her- or being guilty… it’s about someone abused you and your daughter, and you can’t do anything more, so you need someone to blame… even if that person is you.”

  “Her parents were incandescent, you know. They didn’t even try to stop Kayla from being escorted away by the cops. They’re not trying to cover up what she did, and they’re not bailing her out. She’s a wreck, I guess. I feel like shit for ruining her life, but-“

  “Eric, stop that.” Forcing Eric to look at me, I pursed my lips tightly at the barrage of emotions that battled in his eyes. “You’re not ruining her life. What if something happened after she left? She obviously had no intention of coming back, so what if something happened to Maggie? Her life is not ruined. She’ll never work with children, and her life will be difficult- but it won’t be ruined, and it’s all her fault. It was her decision. If she called you and told you the situation, you could’ve come back earlier than planned, but she just walked out.”

  If Eric was too clouded to be angry, then I could do it for him, and he leaned against the table to blow out a hot breath. Clenching my jaw, I turned my gaze to the park to find Maggie staring right at me, and I smiled and waved her over. Her bright, intelligent gaze flickered between myself and Eric, and she advanced cautiously.

  Eric

  “What’s your name? I’m Delainne- I’m a friend of your dad’s.” Maggie darted around my opposite side, and Delainne’s smile widened out of the corner of my eye. Sitting up straight, I hoisted my daughter onto my lap as my roiling emotions quelled now that she was so close. When she didn’t say anything, Delainne only waited patiently, and Maggie rubbed her ankles together against my shins.

  “Maggie…” As cute as she was, my daughter was always weary of strangers- which was great. I didn’t discourage it, at least. Next to me, Delainne gasped loudly and leaned back, and I watched Maggie’s expression as her cheeks rippled with the urge to smile.

  “Maggie! I am so happy to meet you, Maggie. Your dad has told me a lot of things about you.” Delainne spoke enthusiastically- like she actually meant it and then some- and I smiled when Maggie blushed bright red. “So, I saw you going down the slide. Is that your favorite part of the park?”

  “Yeah-“ Hiding her face in my chest, Maggie snuck peeks at Delainne as I caught her eye, and a pleasantness swept through me. For a short moment, we were silent, and I inhaled a deep, sharp breath before speaking up.

  “How about we play tag, Maggie? That’s your second favorite thing to do at the park.” My daughter perked up at that, and Delainne giggled when she shot up to nod furiously. Her hair went everywhere, and I swiped it back away from her rounded face to cup her cheek. “Is it okay if Delainne plays with us?”

  “She can just watch.” My jaw fell into my lap at Maggie’s flippant dismissal, and Delainne burst out laughing. A dense wave of mortification swept through me as my daughter looked between us in growing confusion. The light, hysterically amused sound filled the air and earned us looks, but I couldn’t even put my face back together before the woman by my side clapped her hands loudly.

  “I would absolutely love to watch you, Maggie.” Mirth heightened Delainne’s tone, and I snapped my jaw shut when Maggie’s cheeks threatened to burn a hole through my shirt. Flickering to her, Delainne raked her hand through her obviously fake, blonde waves with a wide, silly grin. “Maybe I can learn a few tricks from you? I don’t even remember the last time I played tag.”

  “All you gotta do is run away. You can’t run away?” If the question struck a chord, Delainne didn’t let it show as she shook her head, and Maggie huffed hotly. “I’ll teach you. Uncle Martin says grown-ups are supposed to know everything…”

  “Mags-“ Sliding off my lap, my daughter scrunched up her face at my scolding, and embarrassment crept up my neck. “You shouldn’t listen to Uncle Martin. He’s loopy.”

  “You know-“ Stealing Maggie’s attention, Delainne braced her elbows on her knees with an easygoing smile, and fondness flooded my veins. Watching her interaction with my daughter made me feel safe- and the irony wasn’t lost to me. “I may not know how to play tag, but I can do some pretty cool stuff.”

  “Like what?” Delainne cast me a sidelong glance, and I leaned back with a nod before she stood up. She had Maggie’s full, unwavering attention, and my lips twitched in a smile when my daughter just plodded along complacently. It didn’t escape me that Delainne was trying hard to get Maggie to like her, but I couldn’t help but be surprised. The faint wisps of their conversation made their way to me on the hot breeze, and my own interest piqued when Delainne lifted her hands over her head.

  She hopped up on the balance been expertly, and my daughter watched in avid fascination. Delainne was a lot more flexible than she looked, balancing on one sneakered foot to stretch her leg out. In a perfect right angle, she whipped around to face the opposite direction, and Maggie squealed with excitement.

  I’d thought about getting Maggie into some programs like dance or gymnastics, but she always fought me. Workouts were enough from a health point of view, but I felt like they weren’t fun for her. Now, watching her watch Delainne, hope began to bubble up in my chest.

  “Here, you can try it, if you want.” Maggie leaped in the air at the offer, and Delainne shot me a questioning glance. Nodding as her consideration touched my heart, I gnawed diligently on my inner cheek while my mind wandered. She held my daughters hand to help her balance, but Maggie just tried to copy what Delainne had done.

  Maybe this was a good thing; Delainne wants to quit her job because of her step-brother, and I need a babysitter. The notion soured my tongue, but it had been her that brought it up. She no longer felt safe, and where safer than with me? I was active duty military- I had a conceal carry permit- I worked relatively close with steady hours.

  “Plus, we need to get our story straight about next week.” Mumbling to myself, I ignored the pang of regret that stabbed my chest. What the fuck was I thinking when I said that? Even now, I couldn’t find the answer. I wanted my parents off my fucking back, and Delainne didn’t strike me as the person to take something without offering something else.

  Which, as fucked up as it seems, was how she saw it. Her step-brother was a damn creep, and my taking her virginity was a favor to her.

  Taking out my phone, I dialed Teagen’s number and held the device to my ear with a stiff palm. A dozen feet away, Delainne lavished Maggie with praise on how flexible she w
as, how good her form was, and the cogs in my mind turned faster.

  “Hey, Eric- what’s up? Did you finally find a date for my wedding, or are you going to eat two plates of food?” Chuckling at that, I shook my head even though Teagen couldn’t see, and his sigh echoed through the line. “I’m just kidding. Your mother won’t shut up about your fiancée that no one’s ever met, and you’ve never talked about, and I don’t think is real.”

  “She’s not my fiancée, but that’s something I wanted to talk to you about. I’ve been seeing this girl-“ Lie number one. Teagen’s gasp shadowed the thought, and I licked my lips heavily before continuing. “I was wondering if you and Casey would allow me to propose to her at your reception. Everyone’s hyped about meeting her and stuff, so I just figured I could do it with everyone there- if that’s okay with you and Casey, of course.”

  “You serious? Why didn’t you tell me you were in a serious relationship, dude? I was worried your balls would explode!” The faux anger in Teagen’s voice rippled through the speaker, and I barked out a laugh that mingled with his own. “I want a damn answer.”

  “I just… never told anyone. It wasn’t personal, but you know how the family gets. After everything that happened between my parents and I with Maggie, I just wanted to be sure. Delainne seems really good with Maggie, and Maggie really likes Delainne.” So far, at least. Sourness coated my tongue as I lied a bit more to a man I could always trust, but I knew he didn’t believe me anyway. His silence was proof enough, and I blew out a hot breath and reached to pinch the bridge of my nose. “Honestly, I just want them all off my back, Teagen. I can’t stand this- it’s been two years, and it’s getting out of control. You and I both know that my mom won’t admit she lied.”