Page 29 of Accidental Baby Daddy

Moments later, I watched as a sleek black car pulled into the driveway and Lex got out, heading into the house. She offered a tired wave at the car as it pulled away.

Who was that? Was she on a date? How’d she meet someone so quickly since arriving back in Wagontown?

My shoulders stiffened as I wondered if it was Tristan. They have some catching up to do and maybe they’d done it tonight. I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated.

I couldn’t think about it for too long though because Trent woke up, yelling for me. I rushed into his room,panicked, to find him sitting up in bed, wiping at his eyes and crying.

“Monster,” he said in a whispery, hoarse voice. “The monsters were trying to get me. They got you, Daddy,” he whimpered, and I picked him up, humming to him lightly.

“It’s okay, Trent. Monsters aren’t real, remember?” I soothed, patting his back, but he pulled away, frowning at me.

“They tried to eat my toes, Dad,” he said solemnly, and I had to bite back laughter.

“I’m so sorry, honey. Do you want to get a snack or have some tea?”

“Both.”

I carried him into the kitchen, sitting him down in his booster seat while I made a pot of peppermint tea, his favorite, and a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Trent often had nightmares and I worried about that a lot. Was it because his mom wasn’t around? Was I doing the right thing, distracting him, and not making him go back to bed immediately? This whole parenting thing didn’t come with a manual.

Trent sniffled slightly before digging into his peanut butter and jelly and sipping his tea. I smiled at him, ruffling his hair.

“Feeling better, buddy?”

“A little,” he said in a tired, raspy voice. He looked up at me with wide eyes. “Do you think the monsters want my toes because they’re clean and smell good? Because I could stop washing them.”

I couldn’t help but snicker and he frowned at me.

“I think they like dirty toes even more,” I replied with a serious expression, and Trent’s eyes widened. I laughed. “I’m only joking, buddy. There’s no such thing as monsters.”

“Then why do they come in my dreams?” he asked, huffing out a breath in frustration.

“Dreams come from your mind, Trent. Something deep down that you’re afraid of,” I tried to explain as I sipped my tea.

“What are you afraid of, Daddy?”

He tilted his head as he looked up at me. I opened my mouth but didn’t know how to answer.

“I guess I’m mostly afraid of being a bad dad,” I said quietly.

Trent climbed off his booster seat and into my lap, hugging me tightly. “You’re the best dad in the world.”

My heart swelled and I hugged him back just as tight. “I love you, Trent. You ready to go back to bed?” I asked after a brief pause.

He shook his head fiercely. “I think you know what I need,” he said promptly, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Rock and roll?” I asked, and Trent grinned, nodding his head in agreement.

I chuckled and stood up, taking his small hand, and leading him to the back of the house and onto the terrace near the pool.

I turned on the boombox as loud as I could stand it. He started to dance, moving and grooving, but soon his dancing became slow, and within a couple of songs, he climbed up into my lap and fell asleep, snoring lightly against my chest.

I rubbed his back, knowing he would probably wake up if I took him back into the house right away. So I sat there and listened to the music for a while, classic rock, Trent’s favorite, and thought about better days.

Everything was perfect when I was eighteen. I had asweet girl and the world at my feet. I had my best friend, Tristan, who was there for me through thick and thin, and my parents were happily married.

One day, Lex wore a yellow sundress to my house. I pinned her against my bedroom wall, arms above her head, our fingers intertwined, until she was panting against my neck.

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