Chapter Six
Moms and Dads
I awoke the following morning to the sound of cooing and Hale having a pretty intense conversation about a missing bootie. Rolling to my side, I watched him through the doorway as he held Elara and searched the sitting room for a missing baby shoe.
“Be still my heart,” I whispered, smiling to myself.
So the whole baby thing, it sort of came out of nowhere. I wasn’t a baby-crazed woman. I was an avoid children at all costs kind of gal, and usually cheated in Rock-Paper-Scissors at the bar when families sat in the restaurant section. Kids were messy and babies were fragile on top of the messy. But Elara was so cute I gave her a pass.
Still, I had to constantly remind myself that she was Hale’s and not mine. Not that I was thinking about kidnapping her or anything. Seriously, what would I do with a baby? I still wanted to enjoy the newness of us, but that newness included an infant who stirred up all kinds of nonsense where my ovaries were concerned.
I accepted his fatherhood status, maybe even fell in love with him a bit more once I understood what he’d done to become a father, but I wasn’t here to be a mom. I was here to be a sex goddess.
I slipped into the bathroom and washed up before heading into the sitting room. “Good morning.”
Hale turned, smiled, and sauntered over, not stopping until his lips brushed mine. “Good morning, beautiful.”
Elara slouched in his arm, kicking her little cricket legs, one bootie still missing. I grinned and held out my hands. “You come to me, little peanut. I’ve missed you. Have you been keeping your daddy busy? Oh my, you’ve gotten heavy.”
She cooed as I carried her back to the bed and gently laid her on her back. “So tell me, have there been any other pretty ladies around the house?”
“I heard that,” Hale yelled.
“Mind your own beeswax. We’re girl talking.”
Elara looked up at me with bright eyes and smiled. My heart melted as I examined her tiny toes and little knuckles.
“You really are too beautiful, peanut. One day your daddy’s gonna have his work cut out for him.”
She babbled pleasantly as I ticked her thighs and blew raspberries on her belly.
“Yes, he is. He’s going to have to chase all the boys away.”
Once Hale found the shoe, he took Elara down to his mother’s room. I showered and dressed because I needed to get my car, go home, and get fresh clothes. Hale and I grabbed breakfast in the hotel then we were off to my house where he would officially meet my mother.
My mother was a sweet woman. I had nothing against her on any level. She’d always supported my hopes and dreams and done her very best to be there for me. That was a hell of a lot more than I could say for my father. I didn’t even know what that man looked like.
“This is it,” I mumbled as I led him to the door and chuckled nervously. “Not quite a Davenport estate.”
“Stop.”
I paused and gave him a shaky grin, but accepted his edict. Hale was far from pretentious and I was making an issue out of nothing by illustrating all the ways our upbringings differed.
“Sorry. I’m just nervous.” I drew in a deep breath as I stepped into the house. “Mom? I’m here and I brought my boyfriend.”
Okay, I was a little immature about the whole boyfriend thing, but everyone, including me, seriously assumed I’d die single. “Boyfriend” was a new vocabulary word for me and I flagrantly abused it.
My mom came around the corner and jerked to a stop. “Rayne…” Her wide eyes took in Hale and she smiled, her shock obvious. I knew she didn’t believe me.
“Hello.” Her hand lifted slowly as if she might frighten him away.
I grinned, pulling Hale to my side. “Mom, this is Hale Davenport. Hale, this is my mother, Penny.”
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Hale said, reaching forward to shake her hand. My mother was instantly flustered, not used to such formality. Yeah, the acorn didn’t fall far.
“Please, come in. Can I get you some coffee? Have you two had breakfast?”
We followed her to the kitchen and squeezed in at the table. I smiled, watching Hale look totally out of place in our little home.
Leaning into him I whispered, “I was sitting in that chair the first time I heard your voice.” I’d also been so nervous I acted like a telemarketer and he hung up on me. I’d never expected to see his penis.
“You have a lovely home, Penny.”
“Thank you, Hale.” She glanced at me and grinned. “Such manners.”
Once the coffee was made, she joined us at the table. “So what brings you to Oregon?”
“Your daughter. I couldn’t keep away.”
My mother grinned widely. “Couldn’t keep away. Have you ever heard such an adorable thing? My goodness, I can see why she fell for you. And so handsome, too.”
“Mom.”
She totally ignored me. “So what is it you do, Hale? Ray tells me your dad’s into oil and stocks.”
“I have shares in all his companies and own a few of my own.”
“Hale’s looking into solar energy, Mom. And water turbines.” Remington was old school and not yet onboard with clean energy, but Hale was open-minded enough to see the necessity of change.
Her brow lifted, impressed. “Oh, wonderful. I’m a big fan of keeping the world green.”
My mother’s inquisition lasted nearly an hour. Hale could have said he robbed little old ladies and she would have been just as infatuated. I couldn’t blame her. He was just that charming.
She asked about his daughter and insisted he bring Elara by to meet her. She also inquired how Remington was doing. And of course, she brought up Elle.
“So sad. Elle was such a sweet girl.”
“She still is, Mom.” I hated when people talked about her like she was gone.
“I hadn’t realized how badly she’d been hit,” Hale commented, his mouth compressed with worry as his hand gave mine a squeeze.
“Thirty stitches, was it, Ray?”
“Thirty-two,” I grumbled.
“They say if she wakes up, she might never be the same.”
I stood and dumped my coffee, all the ifs and past tense talk of my friend who was very much alive turning my stomach.
“I’m shocked her brother hasn’t been home to visit.”
“That’s because Chris is an asshole, Mom. The last time he was here he robbed Elle and their neighbors. She’s better off without him.”
“Such a sad situation.”
My gaze met Hale’s and I gave him a look telling him I was ready to go. He stood and poured his coffee in the sink. “Well, it was lovely meeting you, Penny.”
My mother smiled. “You too, Hale. You come by again. Bring your daughter next time you visit.”
“I just have to grab some clothes,” I announced, leaving Hale to follow.
Once in my room, I grabbed a bag from under my bed and stuffed it with clothes. As long as Hale was here, I’d probably be staying with him. He stepped into my room and glanced at the pictures on the wall.
“Your mom’s nice.”
“Usually.”
He watched me for a long moment. “People don’t always know the right thing to say in situations like Elle’s, Rayne.”
I counted out socks. “I know. I just wish they’d stop talking like she died.”
He stepped closer to the bed. “Hey. Don’t get upset.”
I stuffed the socks in my bag and wiped at my eyes. “I’m aware every day that passes her prognosis gets worse, so people can stop worrying that I’m kidding myself. I hear the doctors and I know she probably won’t be the same when she wakes up, but she’s my best friend. What am I supposed to do, leave her there alone until she opens her eyes?”
He slid the bag out of the way and pulled me into his arms. “No, of course not. No one expects you to forget about her.”
I sniffled and pressed my cheek to his shoulder. “They’re starting to talk about putting her in a permanent care facility.”
“Well, you know I’ll help you with whatever you need.”
My stomach hurt because I wanted to give her the best possible care, but she was just a hairdresser who had about as much savings as me. “I don’t know how she’ll ever pay for this.”
“Don’t worry about that. We’ll figure it out.”
By that, he meant he’d figure it out.
Never in my life had I been concerned with money. I worked to support my needs and I made do. We were thirty. We weren’t supposed to have problems of this magnitude.
“I can’t let you do that, Hale. I need to talk to a lawyer or something. Elle has a house, but her brother owns half of it.”
“Look at me.” He pressed my shoulders back and lifted my chin. “I have an attorney and I have the money to help your friend. I’m not going to argue about this. For now, she’s at the hospital and no one’s moving her just yet. You do what you’ve been doing and everything else will work out.”
There was that god complex again. Hale had a habit of thinking he had power over things outside of his control. But, maybe in Elle’s situation, he did.
I had to ask, knowing he was here on borrowed time and had countless responsibilities waiting for him on the other side of the country. “What will happen to us if she doesn’t get better? You can’t stay here forever.”
He turned away and his lips flattened. “All of my homes are on the east coast. That’s where my businesses are. I’m not totally restricted, but I can stay in Oregon for a bit.”
And that was what happened when you fell in love across the country. Why couldn’t he have had companies on the west coast? We had stuff.
“But we have the world’s biggest barber pole here. Don’t tell me that doesn’t tempt you.”
He chuckled. “I’m here for now. Let’s not jump too far into the future.”
That didn’t make me feel better. I mean, I was glad he was here, but what happened next? Would we continue to do the long-distance thing?
“Maybe you could rent an apartment here or something.” Maybe I could move in with him if he got a place here. No. Wait. That was way too fast. “Sorry. I just like having you here.”
Hugging me, he pressed his lips to my temple. “I like being here with you. We’ll figure it out.”
After I finished packing we went to the hospital. I painted Elle’s toenails and gave her another massage to keep her blood flowing. Hale disappeared for a bit and returned with a slice of pizza. I wasn’t hungry, but he insisted I eat.
“What’s your work schedule?” he asked on the way back to the hotel.
“I work on weeknights and Saturday afternoon.”
He nodded. “Every weeknight?”
“Yup.”
“Then we should do something tonight.”
“Like what? I didn’t pack any fancy clothes.”
“We should do something fun.”
I hadn’t had a drink in weeks. I could handle some fun. “What about Elara?”
“There’s a reason I brought my mom, Rayne. I’ll be with Elara while you’re working. This is my week off. I needed a break, too.”
Wasn’t he just the cutest with all his dad stress and what not? “I’m up for anything, so long as you remember what I’m like drunk.”
“We’ll start you off slow,” he joked, taking my hand. “But I plan on taking full advantage of you once you’ve hit your limit.”
“You have my consent.”