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He nodded, and straightened. Now that he was on her level, she could see the strain around his eyes.
“She’s usually very bubbly.”
“She needs time to get used to the idea of me,” he said in a low voice. Then, louder, he added, “Why don’t we walk along the beach? Do you like the sea, Izzy?”
Acting as though he hadn’t spoken, Izzy grabbed Bex’s hand and tugged her toward the water. Bex sent him an apologetic look and prayed he wouldn’t think she’d poisoned Izzy against him. When they drew near the surf, Izzy dashed toward it, and Bex called after her to stay out of the waves.
“She hates me.” Wesley adjusted the beanie. He’d always touched his head when he was nervous. “I don’t know how to communicate with kids. I’ve never had to before.”
She shifted closer, and their arms bumped. Touch used to be the best way to calm him, but she wasn’t about to take his hand the way she did when they were dating.
“She doesn’t hate you. She’s confused, and she’s probably scared about how you’ll impact her life.” She shrugged. “She’s got it pretty good, and she might be worried you’ll change things.”
“But…” He trailed off, and she didn’t fill the silence, waiting for him to get his thoughts in order. They stopped just out of reach of the water where it lapped the shore, and watched Izzy kick her shoes off, roll her pants up and paddle into the shallows. Bex recalled the towel she’d packed in the car with gratitude.
Wesley sighed, and his pained expression caused a wrench in her stomach. “I do want to change things,” he confessed. “I don’t want to take her away from you, but I want to be part of her life.” He glanced over to check Izzy wasn’t listening. “I want to know as much about her as Michael does. Or more. I know you two have been seeing each other, but she’s my daughter, and I don’t like to hear about her secondhand.”
Annoyance heated Bex’s gut. She understood his feelings, but at this point in time, Michael had been more of a father to Izzy than Wesley—even if that was through no fault of her ex’s own.
“I’m willing for you to spend time with her,” she said slowly. “But it won’t be at the expense of her relationship with Michael. You can build your own. She has room in her life for both of you, and it isn’t a competition.”
Typical. For years, there’d been no man intimately involved in Izzy’s life, and now two wanted to vie for her affection? No wonder the kid was moody.
Wesley stepped closer than she was comfortable with, but she didn’t move because she didn’t want him to know it was bothering her. “Try telling that to my subconscious.” He gazed out to where her daughter—theirdaughter—splashed and played, his expression wistful. “I feel like I missed out on this wonderful family I could have had, and now Michael is stealing my second chance at having it.”
She frowned. “You chose not to have a family when you asked me to get an abortion, and don’t even get started on Michael. You’re only here because of him, remember?”
His head snapped around, eyes widening in surprise. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to upset you. You’re right, of course.”
Her teeth ground together, but she resisted the urge to snap again.
He studied her for a long moment, searching her face for something. “So, how serious is it between you two? Would you consider dating me instead?”
Okay, that was not all right.
“How could you possibly imagine I’d date you after what you put me through?” If he was playing a game, she’d had enough of it. “You and I are over. End of story.”
“But what about Izzy?” he protested. “Wouldn’t it be better if her parents were together?”
Doubt temporarily assailed her. That old uncertainty that she’d shoved to the back of her mind time and time again. Had she hurt Izzy more than helping her by keeping her from her father?
No. Izzy needed someone reliable, and that wasn’t Wesley. What’s more, Bex’s wants mattered too, and she had no desire to reignite anything with the wrong Briggston brother.
“Not if it wasn’t what we really wanted,” she replied. “That sets a bad example.”
He rocked from foot to foot. “Bex, I—”
“Mummy!”
Bex winced. Izzy had the worst timing. She raced toward them, her shoes dangling from her hand, sand flying up behind her and a wide smile plastered on her adorable face.
“Can we get ice cream now?”
Wesley’s shoulders dropped, and Bex gave him a sharp look to let him know the conversation was over.
“You’re done playing?” she asked.
“Yeah. The water’s cold.”
