Chapter Thirty

Taylor

 

I parked in front of Elijah’s house, staring up the walk and to the open front door. He’d sounded so relieved, so happy when he’d call the night before, and my heart swelled with admiration for him as he told me about his visit with Bailey. He didn’t say anything about Kellie, other than she was gracious and he respected her for handling things the way she had. There was no mention of them becoming a family, of him leaving me to make things work with her. I couldn’t have been more relieved.

The front door swung open and Elijah appeared on the porch. “What are you doing?” he called out to me as I opened my car door to get out.

“I’m coming,” I laughed at his eagerness. I pulled the two gallons of pink paint he’d requested I pick up from the backseat. He planned to paint his old bedroom the girlish color, giving it to Bailey for when she stayed.

“You’re really doing this?” I teased, tiptoeing to reach Elijah’s lips for a quick kiss.

“I am,” he beamed, his smile spread wide across his face.

He took the paint from my hands and held the door for me while I walked inside. The place was really coming together nicely. The floors were slick and looked like new, and the cracks and holes all patched in the walls. I giggled as I walked into the kitchen, taking notice of the cabinets, half torn down and sitting outside by the pool. “You’re not keeping anything the same, are ya?”

“Nope, not if I’m staying. This place has to have a new look. I don’t want any old memories haunting me,” he smirked.

“I’m really glad you’re staying,” I admitted.

Elijah sat the paint on the floor and pulled me into his hard chest. His eyes pierced into me, his mischievous grin sparked my arousal, and then his lips pushed into mine. His kiss was passionate, sensual, and warm. His hands held me tight instead of wandering down my ass, and once our lips released, he held me there, just staring into my eyes and saying nothing. Yes, I loved this man. There was no denying my feelings, and I was certain my eyes displayed the truth as he stared into them.

“I better get started on the painting,” I whispered.

Elijah let me slip from his arms, but not his stare. “Thank you for helping me,” he smiled.

“Of course,” I sighed, picking up the paint and walking into the back room.

I knew I’d been silly to worry about Elijah. He was a good man, an honest man, and a loyal man. The way he held me, looked at me, and kissed me, there was no denying he had feelings for me as well. He wanted me here, helping, and becoming a part of his new life. There is no other place I’d rather be.

I opened up the first can of paint and carefully stirred it with the wooden stick. The color was bright, vibrant, and so feminine that it made me laugh thinking about tough Elijah with a little girl in his life. It would certainly soften any of the edges left unsmoothed from his years in the military and unloving childhood.

I poured the paint into the pan and prepared my roller. The first swipe of pink on the white walls was dramatic and instantly brightened the room, as well as my mood. I was looking forward to spending time with Bailey, getting to know her, and hopefully becoming a part of her life.

I could hear Elijah tearing out the remaining cabinets from the kitchen, and I knew he was excited about the overhaul of the old house. Even though he’d cringed at the thought of even spending a night in the house when he first arrived on the island, I knew Bailey was going to turn it back into a home for him.

The doorbell rang as I finished the first coat on the first two walls. I set my paint roller down into the tray of paint and listened for Elijah. The ruckus of tearing out cabinets had silenced, and after a few seconds, I assumed he was out back. I walked out of the room and towards the front door, shocked to see Kellie standing on the front porch. Her long dark hair was perfectly smoothed into a ponytail that flipped over her shoulder to show off the length, while mine was frizzed and probably speckled with pink paint.

I pushed open the door, smiled as I explained Elijah was out back. She walked in, no smile returned, and her expression filled with irritation as she looked me up and down. “Taylor, right?” she asked, the flinch in her voice obvious.

“Yes. I was just helping Elijah paint. He’s so excited,” I tried to lighten her mood without success.

“He’s out back?” she asked, ignoring my attempt at small talk, and headed through the house.

I was tempted to follow her but decided that privacy was in order for whatever she’d come to say.

I could hear Elijah’s voice, and then Kellie’s high-pitched screeching as it sounded as if she were arguing with him. Suddenly, everything grew silent, so I stepped back into the hall towards the bedroom. It felt like an eternity as I waited for something, anything to happen. Finally, Kellie’s high heels clicked against the smooth floor, threatening to scuff it as she stormed back through the house and out the front door. She turned to me, glaring at me like the devil as she pulled the door shut, hard, behind her.

What has her in such a foul mood? From what Elijah had said, she was gracious and sweet just the day before.

I walked through the house, carefully making my way to the back door. Elijah sat on the back steps, his head buried in his hands. “What was that about?” I asked, stepping outside to comfort him.

Before I could reach out and touch him, he stood, shrugged, and headed towards the red cooler by the pool. “You want a beer?” he asked, pulling two bottles out of the ice.

“Yes,” I agreed, feeling as though whatever had happened would require a drink. “Is everything okay with Bailey?” I asked.

He let out a sigh and sat back down where he’d been before I walked out. I sat down beside him as he handed me the beer. I sipped the cool liquid from the bottle. It wasn’t wine, but it would have to do. Elijah stared down at his shoes, twirling his beer bottle in his hand as he appeared to struggle with whatever he needed to say. “So, Kellie isn’t going to be quite as gracious as I originally thought,” he chuckled nervously.

“I can see that,” I said softly, reaching my arm to his shoulder for support. His muscles were tense and tight. Whatever she’d said, it had him a mess. “What did she stop by for?” I probed, hoping to shine some light on this situation.

“She came by to plan a time to bring Bailey over this week,” he sighed. “But, that isn’t happening now,” he growled, chugging half his beer with one gulp.

“Why? What changed?” I asked.

“Apparently, she thinks it’s a bad idea for me to have another woman in my life,” he groaned.

My stomach flipped as he spoke. I sat my beer on the step next to me, no longer able to swallow the putrid concoction. That’s why she stared at me so hatefully, why she’d been so angry and rude. Fuck, it is me or Bailey, that’s what she was telling him.

“She said she hasn’t had any other men around Bailey, and that it would only confuse her if I were with another woman,” he explained, pushing his head back into his hands. I felt so bad for him, and for me, for us. “Since she told her I just got back from the ship, it would be too much for her to understand that I already shacked up with another woman besides her mother,” he groaned.

He turned and looked at me, his eyes filled with sorrow and confusion. I couldn’t deny that Kellie was right, but I hated to think of what this meant for us. “So, we’ll take it slow,” I offered.

“I told her I’d keep you at a distance when I had Bailey, at least until things were settled. She wouldn’t have it. She said that my distraction with another woman would interfere with Bailey, and if I cared for her, I’d understand that she needed me, without sharing me,” he scoffed.

That part to me was ridiculous. If I wasn’t around Bailey, what difference did it make to Kellie what Elijah did with his spare time? Unless she wants him for herself?

Elijah turned to me, his arms stretched out around me, and his eyes staring into mine. “It doesn’t matter what she wants. She can’t tell me what to do, or who I can have in my life,” he assured me, pulling me into his chest. His tense embrace displayed the stress he was feeling, and I knew that this was bothering him far more than he was letting on. By choosing me, to stay with me, he was risking his relationship with his daughter.

“We’ll figure it out,” I whispered in his ear, stroking his back with my hands. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew it was up to me to figure out the next move. Elijah obviously couldn’t handle more big decisions or changes in his life. He’d reached his limit. “Let’s get this done,” I pulled away from him gently.

His eyes were stricken with grief. I hated to see him hurt so badly. “I don’t feel like dealing with this now,” he sighed.

“It will help take your mind off of it, and besides, it needs to be done,” I urged, standing and reaching for his hand. I pulled him to his feet, slid into his arms, and tiptoed for a kiss. A slight smile emerged on his face, and I could feel the tension starting to loosen his muscles. “It will be fine,” I smirked, reaching behind him and slapping his ass.

“You’re amazing; you know that?” he smiled.

I nodded, and gave him a quick wink before disappearing back into the house. In the room, the pretty pink room, tears rolled down my cheeks as I finished covering the walls. When I finished, I wiped my tears, sucked up my pain, and enjoyed an amazing evening with Elijah. After he grilled steaks, and we took a dip in the pool, he gripped me around the waist and pulled me into him. “Let’s go to bed,” he whispered in my ear.

He’d never stayed in the house since he’d been back. He was finally ready to let go of his old painful memories and start new ones. The realization that I may not be a part of them crushed my soul. I leaned in, let our lips push together and our tongues entangle. I forgot about the future for a moment and just lived in that moment. I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t want to think about it while warm and safe in Elijah’s arms.