Читать книгу The Red Headed Stepdad - Avery Rylan - Страница 1

“So, are you scared?” Lisa grinned up at Derek. The red-haired man shook his head but the nervous look in his eyes said otherwise. Lisa chuckled and she leaned up and patted his chest. She was quite small at 5’2” next to his 5’11” frame. “Come on, let’s go in. Jackie gets quite restless when I’m out of her sight for too long.”

“Sure…” Derek swallowed hard, still rooted to the spot on the curb in front of the two-story suburban home which had a crowded backyard and a four year old party in full swing at that moment.

“Isn’t this cute? You, a cop are not afraid to run down a dark alley after a suspect wielding a weapon but you’re afraid to meet a four year old kid? Come on, babe, you don’t have to be so worried. Hey, you brought up three boys, you’re a natural.”

“Key word there, boys, she’s a girl,” Derek said softly, his large green eyes fixated on the front door of the house.

Lisa smiled softly, “If you’re not ready, babe, I’ll understand. You don’t have to do this if you aren’t.”

Derek pulled Lisa into his arms and said, “I’m ready for this, babe, believe me. It’s just this is your daughter, I really want her to like me.”

“And she will. You’re amazing,” Lisa winked.

Derek chuckled as he nuzzled her nose with his. “True that. Well, getting you to give me a chance was not an easy feat. I should expect the same from your little one, right?”

Lisa laughed and she pulled out of his hold. She took one of his hands in hers, “Come on.”

They stepped onto the back porch and Derek’s eyes widened as he looked over the backyard, at all the kids running around and the adults who were in clusters, cradling their plastic cups filled with adult ‘punch’. Being a father to two sixteen year olds and an eighteen year old, it had been so long he had been around kids and he felt really nervous. He didn’t even hear Lisa telling him that she was going to go search for Jacqueline, her daughter.

Derek stepped into the backyard, his eyes flitting around when suddenly, he saw a kid who was running towards him fall. He stepped forward to help the girl up when another girl with long chestnut hair jumped out of the bouncy castle and ran to help the girl up. A smile lit up his face as he watched the girl help the other kid up and brushed the dust off her dress. The nice gesture of the kid touched his heart and helped get rid of a little of his unease.

Just then, the kid looked towards him and he found himself staring into large hazel eyes. She suddenly smiled and he found himself smiling back. She ran towards, him, her ponytail bouncing against her back.

“Mommy!” she called. She ran past Derek and he looked after her to find her being pulled into a hug by Lisa.

“Hi baby, having fun?” Lisa asked as she let her go. Derek walked towards them and Lisa’s smile widened when she saw him and she straightened up. “Jackie, I want to introduce you to someone. This is Derek. He’s a friend of mine.”

Jacqueline turned around and tilted her head as she stared up at Derek. “You are tall…” she drawled.

He chuckled and he nodded. “Now, that’s very true. I am tall. It’s really nice to meet you Jackie. Your mom has told me so much about you.”

Jacqueline crossed her arms as she stared at him, tapping one of her little feet. She turned to her mother and then back to him. She stretched out her hands and said, “You’re tall. Please help me into the playhouse.”

“Playhouse?” Derek asked as he turned to Lisa.

Lisa pointed out a tall stilted building at the center of the backyard. There was a slide on one end and a ladder on the other. Judging from the way the wooden steps were set apart, it was obvious it was for the older kids. But at that moment, the little ones were being supervised by their parents.

“Please be careful!” Lisa called after them.

Derek could not reply as Jacqueline was already hurrying through the crowd. When they got there, she turned to him and announced, “Swings next.” She pointed at the swing and then, raised her hands so he could lift her up.

Not capable of suppressing the smile on his face, he lifted her up. As Derek helped her into the playhouse, he could not help thinking that Jacqueline was just like her mother- kind, confident and smart.

It was a little before five pm when the party finally drew to a close. A tired Jacqueline, rubbing her eyes padded over to her mother and Derek. She stretched her hands out as she yawned. Derek picked her up and as he held her in his arms, she wrapped her little hands around his neck and leaned her small head against his chest. And just like earlier in the day, he felt a tightening in his chest, just like the strings of his heart were being pulled together because his heart was bursting.

He looked down at the little girl whose eyes were already blinking close and he knew in that moment exactly what it meant and what he was feeling. It was love for the kid he had just met, the sweet and adorable child who was the daughter of the woman he loved. As he walked towards his car and she stirred in his arms, he knew he was hooked.

*

“So?”

“So what?” Lisa asked, looking up from the inventory she was taking.

“Are you really not going to say anything?” her best friend Julia said, staring pointedly at her.

“I am no mind reader, Julia so I’d appreciate it if you’re a little bit more specific.”

Julia set her mug down with a groan. “Oh for goodness sake, I’m talking about Derek. It’s been over a month since he met Jackie. And you’ve still told me nothing.”

Lisa sighed as she opened the freezer. She scanned the almost empty shelves and scribbled on her notepad. She turned to her friend and said, “That’s not true. I told you it went okay.”

“Yeah, yeah, you said that Derek was taken by Jackie which really is not surprising, she is a sweet little girl. What I want to know is how she feels towards him.”

“She doesn’t not like him. I mean, she talks to him when he talks to her but she doesn’t negotiate conversation and she doesn’t light up when he comes around,” Lisa said softly.

“Like the way she lights up when Hank comes over,” Julia said the words her friend had refused to say.

Lisa looked at her friend and she shook her head of dark chestnut hair that was so like her daughter’s and she said, “I can’t expect her to like Derek as much as she likes Hank, right? I mean, Hank is her father.”

“And he is a good father,” Julia agreed with her friend.

“Yeah he is.”

“Do you think that she is going to be okay with having Derek as a stepfather?”

Lisa jerked. “What on earth are you talking about?”

“What? Don’t look at me like that. You told me you weren’t going to introduce any man to your daughter until you were both really serious. You introduced Derek after five months of dating to Jackie. I think it’s safe to say that you’re serious.”

“But marriage? Oh I don’t know about that, Julia. It’s been just six months, won’t that be rushing things?”

Julia scoffed and she picked up her mug once more and took a sip of her coffee. “You dated Hank all through college and culinary school and on your wedding day, you both decided to call it quits. I think that should tell you something, dear. It’s not necessarily about the length of time but how you feel about each other. If you really care about each other, then you shouldn’t let anything hinder you. You should go for it.”

“Oh I don’t know,” Lisa said and she snapped her notepad shut and headed out of the industrial sized kitchen, her friend fast behind her. “I can’t help but feel a bit scared. I mean, after what happened with Hank, you know I’ve been reluctant to open up. In the past four years, I’ve been in two relationships that didn’t last longer than three weeks.”

“Yet here you are, still with Derek, more than half a year later. That should tell you something. Besides, you really should not use your relationship with Hank as a yardstick. He was kind of a douchebag,” Julia announced as she settled down on a stool at the counter in the dining area. Lisa owned the bakery and had given her few staff a day off and set a Closedsign at the door while she restocked.

“Julia! Come on… he is still the father of my child,” Lisa protested as she slipped the notepad into her shoulder bag and pulled out her purse, glancing through to ensure that her cards were intact and that her cash would be sufficient for the day’s purchases.

Julia frowned as she stared at the display shelves behind the counter that were usually filled with pastries. She twirled the stool so she could face the larger display stands placed at different spots around the booths and tables and chairs which made up the dining area of the bakery. They too were empty. She turned back to her friend and rolled brown eyes, “Oh please, Lisa. You and I know that he is a douche. And you know that the only reason you both are still in each other’s lives after the wedding cancellation is because you discovered you were pregnant. Else, you both should have gone your separate ways.”

Lisa looked at her friend but she did not say anything. She pulled out her phone and her fingers started flying across the screen as she typed out a message.

“Ignore me all you want but you know I’m right. You know what I’m always glad for? It’s the fact that you found out about the pregnancy after the wedding was called off else…”

“I would have gotten married for the sake of my child and that would have been an utter mistake,” Lisa completed and she rolled her eyes. “Yes, I know, Julia. You’ve told me exactly that more times than I can remember.”

“I’m just saying,” Julia said as she lifted her hands, palms facing forward in a gesture of surrender. “Be happy, Lisa, you deserve to be. Not everyone finds that person that makes them light up and feel so happy, like what you and Derek have. You both are lucky. He lost his wife and he found you, even though it took a while. And you, you left that coward Hank and you found him.”

Lisa laughed heartily, throwing her head back, “You’re crazy, Julia.”

“You know I’m right,” Julia winked.

Lisa smiled softly, “Thanks Julia.” She looked around the shop and she turned to her friend as she said, “Come on, we’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got a shitload of shopping to do.”

“I won’t be coming with you, you know that right?” Julia asked as he friend shooed her out.

“But if it were to get the latest rad winter boots, you would be all over the place and pulling me along with you,” Lisa said in an amused tone.

“That is very true,” Julia nodded in agreement, “But this is no leather boots. Your list consists of baking stuff and this and that that I have no business with.”

“But you can dip those teeth of yours into a chocolate filled croissant and grin sheepishly as the chocolate drips, right?”

“Exactly. There are different kinds of people in this world, dear friend. Our dynamo is this, you are the baker, and I am the eater. It makes so much sense.”

“I hear you,” Lisa said, unable to suppress an eye roll.

*

Three months later

Lisa looked over the table at her daughter as she speared a piece of pie with her fork. She stuck it in her mouth, the frown still on her face. Lisa’s eyes flitted over to Derek who was seated across the table from her. He was eating his meal quietly but she noticed that he like her was also stealing glances at the little girl who was giving both of them the silent treatment. It was just the three of them having dinner because the twins were off at Tech Camp while Derek’s eldest son, Kurt was off starting his freshman year in the university.

“Honey, would you like some more juice?” Lisa asked. Jacqueline looked at her, her hazel eyes flashed with unshed tears. She shook her head and turned back to her meal. Lisa sighed and as she looked at Derek, their gazes locked. Lisa had no idea what she would do but the smile that he gave her in that moment eased her worries and made her feel so much better.

“Can I be excused?” the four year old asked after less than five minutes of silence. The adults looked at her plate which was devoid of food and Lisa said,

“Sure.”

Jacqueline jumped off the chair and hurried out of the kitchen.

Lisa sighed and she stood up to clear the dishes away. Derek helped her out and when they were done clearing the table, she ran her hand down her face and she said, “I’m really sorry about Jackie’s behavior, Derek. You don’t deserve this.”

“It’s fine, love. I do understand her. She’s getting used to a new and larger home, having another adult around, having siblings even. I mean, we’ve been married for little less than a month. She is still adjusting,” Derek smiled as he loaded up the dishwasher with the dirty dishes.

“But she already knows you. She wasn’t like this when we were dating. She seemed to like you,” Lisa groaned as she scooped leftover food into Tupperware.

“Well, then, I was a friend of her mother. Now, I am a husband. You really shouldn’t let it bother you.”

“Of course I will, Derek. I heard what she told you this morning. She said she has a dad and she doesn’t need another and...” Lisa was saying when Derek walked closer to her and wrapped his hands around her waist.

“So what if she said that? Fine, she doesn’t want me to be her dad, but I want her to be my daughter. I love you, I love her. Nothing will change that. Even if she doesn’t want to be my daughter, I’ll continue seeing her as one and keep being her dad.”

“I’m sorry, Derek. I don’t know if she’ll ever love you back as much as you love her and I feel guilty about that.”

“That’s nonsense, Lisa. Look, I know she has a dad who loves her and she loves him too and I’m happy about that. The fact that she might not love me as much as that or that she might probably never consider me a dad doesn’t stop me from loving her. One can never have too much love, right? I’ll show the little one enough love for her and me. And yes… I know it’s going to be difficult, she can be a cranky one,” At that, Lisa chuckled and he smiled, “But I can’t help it, love. I really care about your little girl. As time goes by, she keeps tying her string tighter around my heart. Frankly, I’m helpless.”

This time, Lisa threw her head back, “You are so sweet, Derek Powers. You know I love you so very much right?”

“And I absolutely love you, Lisa Holstein Powers,” he said and kissed her.

When they separated, she said, “We have a long ride ahead of us.”

“Oh, I am prepared, I won’t have it any other way.”