One Day at a Time (Starting Over Series Book 4) (17 page)

“I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have looked through your phone. I just wanted to get phone numbers. I didn’t do it to hurt you.” He maneuvered her until she was in his lap. “I just wanted to make this a good birthday.”

She snuggled into him. “I know. Sorry I got so defensive.” She bent over in front of him—when she came back up she had the puppy snuggled up against her chest. “She is just the sweetest baby, ever. What should we name her?”

“Well, I’ve been calling her Furball.” The little beast started licking his face when she held up the puppy.

“How about Daisy?” She held up the pooch in front of her face and kissed the little wet nose. “You look like a Daisy.”

“Okay, baby, Daisy it is.” He helped her up and they went inside, where they tucked Daisy into her kennel. She was just too little to sleep with them. He feared one of them rolling over on her. Maybe when she was bigger they’d adjust her sleeping arrangements.

As he climbed into bed it struck him that he was actually thinking about his future in a positive way for once. It was all because of his Tessa. Rolling onto his side, he pulled her until her back was against his front and settled in.

Chapter Eleven

It had been a week since her birthday and Tessa was still on cloud nine. She and Daisy bounced back and forth between her apartment and Cash’s place. Luckily, Daisy was tiny enough that it was easy to move her back and forth. She still couldn’t believe he got her a dog and that Jonathon suggested it. When she was home, she and Josie would take her for walks. They even took her to the dog park, meeting Betsy and the girls there.

The wind was really starting to pick up so she wrapped her coat around herself a little bit tighter. She hated the weather getting colder and wetter. She was definitely a warmer weather kind of girl. Stepping inside the doctor’s office, she was assailed by the warm air. Letting out a sigh, she made her way to the counter.

“Hi, Tessa, sign in and I’ll let them know you’re here.” She had gone to Dr. Houchin since Alex took her for her first pap smear when she was eighteen. She was the same doctor that delivered Josie. She was a family practitioner and an obstetrician. She’d made the decision to go on birth control. The plan was to let it build up in her system and then discuss the use of condoms with Cash. She’d talked to Betsy about it a week ago when they were having coffee. Betsy had been very sweet, listening to her and why she wanted to do it.

The doctor’s nurse, Terri, came out to get her. They stopped so she could get measured and weighed. Afterwards she followed the woman into the exam room where she took Tessa’s vitals.

“So what can we do for you today?”

“Well, I’d like to start birth control pills.” She knew her cheeks were probably red.

“Okay, sweetheart. Here’s a gown and drape for your lap, but you already know the drill, don’t you?” She gave her a smile and then left her to get changed.

She took her clothes off and put on the paper gown. She hopped back on the table and covered her lap with the paper drape. It didn’t take long before the doctor entered the room.

“Hi, Tessa. How are you?” The middle-aged woman looked like Hilary Clinton except with red hair.

“I’m good, Dr. Houchin.” She went on to tell the doctor why she was there. Over the next half hour she went over different pills with Tessa. Once they made the decision, the doctor did the physical exam.

After stopping by the pharmacy and dropping her prescription off, she went back to work. She had switched shifts with the other manager, Meghan, so she was working until close.

It had been a pretty slow night, so it was just her and Stan, who worked for them part-time. Their store was decent sized, so they stayed more toward the front, and every now and then Stan would walk around the interior of the store to make sure that no one was lurking around.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and swiped her screen. It was a picture of Cash with Daisy in front of his face.

The caption said:
Someone misses her mommy!

Tessa:
Awww…she does? I miss her too. I miss you.

Cash: Are you coming over when you’re done?

Tessa: Yep, I should be there around eleven. If you’re tired you don’t have to wait up for me. I’ll let Daisy out before I come to bed.

Cash: Okay, I may still be up in bed, reading. I’ll see you soon. I love you.

Tessa: See you soon, love you too.

She shut her phone and began to help Stan close up the store. It didn’t take long since they weren’t busy. While Stan vacuumed the carpet she went to make her way to lock the front door when it opened. An older gentleman stepped inside. She looked at the clock and technically they were still open.

“Can I help you?” When the man turned toward her she froze. “Dad?”

She hadn’t seen her father since the night Jonathon and Alex came and took her away. He never called, never came to see them, and hell, he probably didn’t even know he had a granddaughter.

“I was walking by and thought that was you. How are you?” He seemed sober and time had not been on his side. He looked very old—older than his fifty-some years. She wouldn’t come any closer to him, though.

“I-I-I’m g-good. How-how are you?”

He scratched his thinning hair. “I’m good. How’s Jonathon and that girl he married?”

“He’s good, but Alex, his wife, died six years ago.”

Her dad just stood there staring at her. She couldn’t read the look in his eyes, but for once they weren’t filled with hatred. “I-I’m sorry, Tessa. Please tell him that.” He walked backward toward the doors. “You grew up to be a beautiful woman.” Then he was gone.

Tears filled her eyes as she was hit with conflicting emotions. She hated him for all of the abuse she endured, but he was her father and whether he wanted them or not, they shared blood.

The whole way to Cash’s her mind whirled with what to do. Should she tell her brother about their dad showing up or should she just pretend it never happened? Maybe she would talk to Cash about it and see what he thought. She wondered if he was going to start coming around more. She’d just have to be prepared for anything.

***

Cash smoothly glided in and out of her pussy. His kisses were slow and sweet. She felt the pressure building inside of her until he slid a hand in between them. He began strumming her clit and in seconds she cried out as she came hard. He gripped her hair as he picked up the pace, pounding into her at a punishing pace. She felt him pulse inside of her as she was hit with aftershocks. He bit down where her shoulder met her neck and shuddered. She savored the weight of him on top of her.

“Hi,” he whispered against her lips. She couldn’t help it and began giggling while he was still inside of her. He groaned against her neck. “My dick is really sensitive, baby, and you’re squeezing it while you giggle.”

“Sorry.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled out of her. Every time he pulled out she missed the feel of him inside her. She was becoming addicted to him in every way possible, but it was an addiction that she could handle.

“Don’t be sorry, baby. Let me get rid of this. I’ll be right back.” He climbed out of the bed, grabbed his pajama pants and carried them with him to the bathroom. She took a second to admire his naked rear. She heard the bathroom door open and shut and then heard Daisy start whining. She threw on her nightgown and went to get her baby out of her cage and take her outside.

“I hear you, my sweet little baby.” She opened the kennel, pulling her baby out and snuggling her close. Carrying Daisy outside she sat her in the grass, watching her go over to her “spot” to go potty. A few seconds later she felt Cash wrap and arm around her waist while he took a drag from his cigarette. Leaning her head on his shoulder, they silently watched Daisy scamper around.

“I saw my dad today.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth she wanted to take them back. Cash’s body went ramrod straight.

“What?” His voice was quiet, but scary.

“He-He came in tonight before I closed. He d-didn’t say much and then he was—he was gone.”

His silence was unnerving. She’d never seen him like that before. She tried to step away from him to get the puppy, but he wrapped his arm around her tighter. For a split second she was scared of him and he must’ve felt it because he kissed her temple.

“Please don’t ever be afraid of me. I’d never hurt you.” He turned her toward him, kissing her forehead.

“I know. I’m just a little freaked out. He looked really old, unhealthy. Should I tell Jonathon? I don’t want to upset him.”

“Baby, you need to tell him. If you don’t, I will. I also want you to call me if you see him again. I don’t know him, but I’ve seen your scars and witnessed your nightmares.” He turned her toward him, kissing her forehead. “I love you, and it’s my job to protect you.”

“Okay, I promise I’ll tell him tomorrow.”

He should be satisfied with that, so they brought the puppy in and went to bed.

***

A week had gone by and she still hadn’t talked to her brother. She meant to, but things always came up and she forgot. Plus, it didn’t help that Jonathon was crabbier than usual, and she was afraid he would go after their dad. She hadn’t seen her dad again anyway, so she didn’t know that it mattered.

She had the day off so she was going to relax in Cash’s hammock. She just bought a new romance novel that she was dying to sink into. Her brother and niece were both gone already, so she grabbed the toiletries she bought for his bathroom and treats for Daisy and packed them in her bag. Putting the puppy in her kennel, she carried everything down to her jeep.

Not too much later she was pulling down to Cash’s street, smiling when she saw his truck in the driveway. It was nine o’clock and he should’ve been gone already, but she was glad he was there. When she and Daisy made it to the front door, Cash met her there with the phone to his ear. “We’ll be there. Love you too, bye.” He hung up and smiled. “Hey, babe.” He took Daisy from her hands and held the little puppy to his face. “Hey, pretty girl.”

“I see how it is, she gets a kiss and I don’t.” She stuck out her lower lip in a mock pout, but instead of kissing it, he grabbed it softly with his teeth, and growled against her mouth.

“Damn, I wish I didn’t have to leave. We’re going to my sister’s for dinner tonight. She said to bring Daisy for the kids to play with.”

They talked for another minute before he kissed her thoroughly, grabbed his cooler and headed out the door. She waved as he climbed in his truck and then pulled out of the driveway.

***

Tessa looked around Cash’s home and smiled. She had added a few personal touches—pictures of the two of them, his sister’s kids, and other little knick-knacks that weren’t too girly. She straightened up for Cash, doing some laundry and dusting. He insisted that she didn’t need to do it, but she always stayed with him so she wanted to do her part.

It was lunchtime now, so she took her sandwich, tea, book, and Daisy out to the backyard. Sitting everything on the little table she bought to put by the hammock, she watched her puppy chase a little butterfly. She hoped that someday their own children would be running around this backyard too. She knew she was jumping the gun, but she loved him and could imagine a long future with him. With those thoughts, she settled into the hammock with her book.

A few hours later Tessa was snuggling with Daisy when she heard the gate open. She kept her eyes closed because she figured it was Cash coming home for lunch. “Hey, honey, how’s your day going so far?” She was met with silence. Her eyes slowly opened but then flew the rest of the way when she saw her dad standing there. “What are you doing here? How did you know where to find me?”

He stared at her blankly for a minute, scaring the shit out of her. She got off the hammock as smoothly as she could without alerting him that she was scared. Daisy squirmed in her arms but she didn’t put her down.

“I followed you here the night I saw you at the bookstore. Is this your place?” He wasn’t being mean or condescending, just nosy, but she still didn’t trust him.

“No, it’s my boyfriend’s home.” She was thinking that maybe she shouldn’t have said that. “He should be home soon.”

He walked up the steps and looked through the sliding glass door.

“What do you want, Dad?” Her pulse was pounding as she walked toward the steps.

“I was just curious about your life now. You haven’t called or visited me in ten years. Never a thank you for anything I gave you. The sacrifices I made.”

The nerve of him; she was older now and wouldn’t be intimidated by him. No matter how scared she was, she wouldn’t let him see it. “Why would I come see you? You acted like you hated me and Jonathon. You h-hurt me.”

He moved fast, grabbing her arm. “Listen, you little bitch, I only gave you what you deserved. Put the dog down or I’ll hurt it.” He snarled in her face. The stale scent of booze on his breath made her stomach roll.

She clutched Daisy to her chest. He brought his hand out as if to smack her, but before he connected with her cheek chaos erupted all around her. Cash had her dad by the throat against the sliding glass door. Jonathon and Hunter were coming through the back gate and running toward Cash.

“You don’t ever put your hands on her again! You hear me?” He roared in her dad’s face. “I’ve seen her scars, motherfucker, and you’re lucky I don’t want to go to prison for fucking killing you for what you did to her.”