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“I’m not mad. I just came to check on you. I’ve never seen you pissed off before and I was worried,” she says, squeezing me harder.
“Sit down, I need to talk to you,” I say and pull away from her. We sit down and I look at her, noticing that she looks nervous. “I am pissed, but not at Kallie, at myself, because she’s right.”
“Braden, that’s not true. You’re doing what is best for the girls. I told you I get that that’s all that should matter,” she says.
“It should matter, you’re right, but I can’t help how I feel. I feel like I live a completely different life when the girls aren’t around and that’s fucked up.” I scrub my face, unsure of why this is all bothering me so much tonight.
“Listen, you need this time with the girls. They need your full attention. You can’t be stressed out or beating yourself up when they are only here for a few days at best. So this is what is happening. I’m going to give you a kiss, a kiss that will keep you smiling for days. When the girls leave, call me,” she says, standing up.
“No, you’re misunderstanding.” I jump up and stand in front of her.
“I’m not the one misunderstanding, Braden. I grew up with a man that tried to act like my father, but he did a shitty job at it. I finally foundhr out who my real father is and months later I still haven’t met him. Don’t be that guy. Be present for your girls because I’m not going anywhere. This isn’t going to chase me away. Seeing you be a man and love your kids, that’s about one of the sexiest things there is.”
She smiles at me and my heart breaks for her, but she’s right. I need to be a dad first and everything else can and will wait.
I move the hair off her face and rub my thumb across her lips. “You’re right, thank you for putting me in my place.” She smiles and I move my face closer to hers. “This better be one hell of a kiss.”
And damn is it ever. Once our tongues collide, I deepen the kiss. I kiss her with everything I have, and she kisses me back with the same. I can feel it, this thing between us growing and deepening, right here, right now. I know in this moment that I am falling in love with her.
When we pull away from each other, she gives me a half-smile. “I need to go.”
I nod my head and watch her walk away, but it doesn’t hurt like it should, because I know this is just the beginning of amazing things for us.
The next few days are spent with the girls. We spend the days on the beach and even a few nights sitting by the fire. I took them to the zoo, shopping, and a big family dinner at my mom’s last night. She wasn’t happy I didn’t let them stay, but they are leaving today, and I wanted to be with them last night.
The time always goes so fast when they are here. A few days feels like a few hours. Driving them to the airport always makes my heart hurt and my stomach turn. I hate putting them on a plane alone all the time, but I’m crossing my fingers it won’t be for much longer.
We are at the gate and this is the hardest part. I need to be strong when all I want to do and cry. “Dawn, you watch after your sister. Tiffany, you listen to Dawn.” They both nod and I pull them in for a tight hug. “I love you both so much. Be the best girls.”
“I don’t want to go back. I like it here with you better, Daddy,” Dawn says with tears in her eyes.
“It’s only for a little while. Before you know it, you’ll be back out here.”
“Sir, we need to get the girls to their seats,” the flight attendant says.
I pick them up and hold them both tight. “I love you both. Call me if you need anything, I don’t care what time it is. I’m always here for you.”
I put them down and they look up at me with sad eyes. “Bye Daddy,” Tiffany says and grabs onto Dawn’s hand.
“Bye Daddy. I love you,” Dawn says just as the flight attendant ushers them into the tunnel.
I let a few tears fall before going to the window to watch them take off. It’s the exact same every time they leave. So once the plane leaves, I know I’m going home and getting drunk. The only difference this time is that McKinley will be in my bed.
Chapter 15
McKinley
* * *
Walking away from Braden the other night was so damn hard, but it needed to be done. I don’t want to be the reason he is feeling guilty. He shouldn’t be, he’s an amazing father and that’s all he needs to be when his girls are here. I only wish I had that kind of love from a father growing up.
I’ve kept myself busy without him these last few days, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited as hell to see him tonight. I remember when I first got here, and everyone said he would hide away for days after the girls left. I’m just hoping he isn’t like that this time. If he is, I will wait for him, I’m not going anywhere.
Kallie sent me the photos she took and holy shit, I’ll admit I look amazing. I set up my page and started sharing the photos and I had an author inbox me interested in using one of them for a cover. It is overwhelming in the best possible way and I can’t wait to tell Braden everything.
I’m just leaving work, and my feet are killing me. Getting home and in the shower is the only thing I want to do right now, but I told Blake I’d stop by. We haven’t had much time together and he said he wanted to talk. I get into my car and look in the mirror to fix my makeup. I can’t help but smile at how different and amazing my life is. Never did I think things would ever be this good for me, but they are and I’m so happy. Happy is not something I’m used to, but it is something that now that I have, I never want to let go of.
I knock on Blake’s door and he opens it with a small smile on his face. “You don’t need to knock, I’m your brother. You can just walk in,” he says.
