AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah.” Falling into silence, I stared at the tabletop absently as I realized exactly how easy it was to forget who I am here. In this city, with Hailey and Antonya, I was just a man who had a daughter with a one-night-stand. I wasn’t rich. I wasn’t burdened with responsibility I didn’t want. Hailey didn’t expect me to pay for shit; in fact, she usually fought with me about it.
This must be what it’s like to be happy with where you are and what you’re doing with life.
The sensation was almost alien; I hadn’t been happy—truly happy—for a long time.
“Uh, if you turned your phone off, how do you call me and stuff?” Flickering to Hailey, my eyes narrowed as I spotted our waitress emerging from the kitchen across the floor behind her. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my new phone to set it on the table. The only contact numbers displayed on the screen was Hailey’s, my therapist’s, and my voicemail, and she shuffled in her seat to lean forward.
“I got this one after I left last Monday. I was wondering when you’d ask why I never got any calls or anything.”
“I never noticed. I—” Speaking up quickly, Hailey sat back in her chair as the waitress stopped against the side of the table. Balancing the tray with one hand, the woman arranged our plates and drinks before wordlessly leaving once again, and Hailey adjusted Antonya in her arms before continuing. “I just thought you had it on silent or something when you’re at my house. You go back to the hotel every morning, so I just figured you’d check your stuff there.”
“It’s not nearly as important as you think, Hailey. My end goal is to separate from my father and everything he owns and stands for completely. Turning off my phone wasn’t a big deal. And, since we’re on the subject, I only go back to the hotel to shower and change. If nothing else, the room is good enough for that.”
Grabbing my fork to twirl it between my fingers, I watched intently as Hailey took a deep breath of her sausage, egg, and cheese on toast. She was so well together, and tensions zinged down my spine and into my thighs. Even over breakfast, she exuded grace and confidence as her fingers caressed the edge of the plate.
And all I wanted to do was strip away that confidence, leaving a quivering, cum-covered, raw creature exposed.
“I got it for you.” Clearing my throat roughly, I forced the thoughts away as Hailey’s struggling passed into my scope of comprehension. Standing up as she opened her mouth to protest, I moved the car seat to the floor to sit directly to her left. “Just let me, Hailey.”
“It’d be easier for you to hold Antonya—I can do it…” Frowning as I reached for her fork and knife, I stared at Hailey through narrowed eyes. She caved quicker than I thought, leaning back and breaking eye contact with a soft sigh. Nodding slightly, I set about cutting her sandwich into easily managed triangles, and the thought briefly occurred to me to feed her.
But I had to be careful, and that step was just one too far for now. Which was fine, because the wait was just as exciting. We were slowly but surely getting to know each other beyond Antonya, and that was essential.
Because I’m not going to waste this opportunity.
“Thanks.” Hailey’s gratitude was tainted by the slight lilt of awkwardness, and I nodded before moving back to my seat. “Um… yeah… so… when your dad takes everything back, what are you planning on doing?”
“I’m going to stay here.” The ‘duh’ in my tone rang across the cluttered expanse of the tabletop, and I picked up my fork once again to stab a piece of scrambled egg. “I’m not going to abandon Antonya. It was one thing when I didn’t know, but now I do. With any luck, things won’t go too bad between us, right?”
“Way to have low expectations, Anthony.” Smirking as I pushed my forkful past my teeth, I chewed as Hailey let out a laugh. The sound was pretty, relaxed, and she took a bite of her sandwich before I swallowed roughly to open my mouth.
“They’re realistic. Besides, things are going pretty okay right now. There’s no reason they can’t get better. I don’t want to be that guy that loves his kid but can’t stand her mom. I’m not going to allow that kind of suffering.”
Arching a brow as she chewed on her sandwich, Hailey let the silence stretch while I worked on my own plate. My words hung low and firm between us, and confidence seared my chest when the twinkle in her eye brightened slightly.
Chapter 15
Hailey
“?You are so b-e-a-u-tiful… to me…?” Swaying slowly with Antonya horizontal just under my bust, I smiled broadly even as her kicking feet dug into my aching, sore breasts. “?Yes, you are.?”
Antonya’s naked, wrinkly butt was soft against my skin, and I rolled my shoulders against the pressure of my padded sports bra. My swaying never ceased, and the cold tiles of the kitchen floor sent little shocks up my legs. Water spewing from the sink faucet created a background for my song, but the tiny baby in my hands didn’t notice the droning sound as she wiggled and reached for me with gurgling squeaks.
“My turn.” Anthony’s deep voice caused Antonya to pause, eyes darting around, and I carefully held her up for his hands to come up under her. His smile was wide, and she squawked in pleased surprise, waving her pudgy hands around wildly. “There she is—my little fire Ant, huh.”
“Fire Ant?” Strained amusement laced my tone as Anthony held our daughter just above the tub in the sink, and I leaned on the counter in front of the dishwasher to tap my foot. Anxiety flooded my veins when her butt touched the water, and I gripped the edge of the granite countertop tightly. This was the third time Anthony was giving Antonya a bath, but it made me a nervous wreck, and sweat broke out at the nape of my neck.
“Yeah—I thought it’s fitting.” Sucking in a sharp breath at Antonya’s uncomfortable squeal, and the muscles in my arms tightened as she wiggled in an attempt to get out of the water. “It’s okay, Antonya. You’re okay. I got you, Daddy’s got you.”
Anthony’s soft coos didn’t do anything to ease the stress running rampant in my chest. Slowly, gradually, Antonya got used to the lukewarm water, and he grinned down at her as she rested against the mesh support. Watching the interaction between narrowed eyes, I held my breath as my thoughts slowed down to just below the speed limit of my mind.
“She doesn’t have a personality yet, Anthony. She’s only 7 weeks old.” Remembering what we were talking about beyond the fog of worry, I exhaled through my nose. Anthony only shook his head, his eyes never leaving Antonya as he caressed her belly and shoulders under the water.
“I don’t care. She’ll be fire. I know it. She’ll be beautiful and fierce, just like you.” Blushing furiously, I pursed my lips together and looked away, but Anthony smirked in my peripheral vision. My heart fluttered in my chest, and I shuffled from one foot to another as I became incredibly aware of how little clothes I was wearing. “You don’t think about what she’ll be like when she’s older?”
“It stresses me out.” My confession earned me a laugh, and goosebumps broke out along my thighs and up my back. Clenching my abdomen and butt tightly, I silently cursed the heat that spread from my core; I couldn’t do anything to stop it even though I had anticipated it for a long while now. “I don’t like to think that far in the future.”
“Are you okay?”
