Page 43 of Reckless Single Daddy

Mike groans. “Yeah, man, don’t tell me that.”

I roll my eyes at his childishness. I obviously didn’t mean it like that, though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t anticipatethathappening. But even if it doesn’t, that’s okay, too. I just want toprovide a relaxing weekend for her so she can reset and come back recharged to take on her maid-of-honor duties without worrying about this stalker guy.

I won’t be telling her about Pickens, not now at least. If I told her now, she’ll just worry and won’t let herself completely relax this weekend. The best thing I can do is avoid revealing the news until after we get back.

I hang up and turn back to Sloane. “Hope you’re ready for the most relaxing weekend of your life,” I say warmly, walking up to her and kissing her gently.

She smiles, and it’s a welcoming sight after all the craziness we’ve endured lately. “I’ve been looking forward to it since you texted me,” she replies.

I pick up my suitcase, and we descend down the stairs. Her bag sits at the front door, waiting for her.

I pick up the bag and take it out to the car, placing it in the trunk along with my suitcase. We both get inside, and I start driving to the private airport, leaving all our doubts and worries behind for the time being.

…

We land on a beautiful island in the Bahamas. Even though we arrive in the evening, it’s still early enough to enjoy a wonderful dinner. While on the plane, Sloane changed into a floral, Caribbean-inspired dress. I settled for an open-collared shirt and white dress pants, finishing it off with a pair of boat shoes. If we’re going on vacation, we’re going in style.

This trip is supposed to be about nothing but relaxation, but it’s more than just that. Tonight is the night I truly open up myself to Sloane. I have been coming to grips with my emotions a lot recently, and after seeing how vulnerable Sloane’s allowed herself to be with me, and how great she’s been with Liam, I can’t help but feel like she’s my person. She can very well be the woman I spend the rest of my life with, and now I feel like it’s time to be transparent.

We walk hand in hand up a long boat dock lined with expensive yachts until we finally get to a brightly lit one. Sitting on the open deck is a table, beautifully decorated and ready for service. I help her on the boat and up the stairs until we finally get to our table. I slide the chair out for her and then take a seat across from her.

“This is beautiful,” she says, beaming. “You know you don’t have to flash your money. You already have me,” she adds jokingly.

I chuckle, staring across at her. “I know. It’s just an added bonus.

I wring my hands nervously as the waiter comes and gets ready to pour out wine. I start to decline, but Sloane stops me.

“It’s okay. You can drink around me. It isn’t the first time,” she says with a thoughtful smile.

I have drank around her, but I still want to remain respectful of her sobriety. “I’ll just take a mocktail, thank you,” I say to the waiter. He nods, walking away. I look back to her, and she’s staring at me curiously. “What?”

“Just trying to figure you out,” she replies. “You never cease to surprise me.”

I never really thought of myself as someone who kept people on her toes, but ever since I’ve gotten together with Sloane, I’ve become more spontaneous than I’ve ever been. But I think that’s part of the problem. While it’s always good to keep things interesting, at times I feel like I’m doing it the wrong way.

I think it’s time I’m honest.

Now I almost wish I had accepted that wine with how nervous I am, even though I’m not sure why. Everyone has a past, and mine isn’t exactly riddled with dark skeletons, but I hate the idea of opening up about the tragedies I’ve suffered.

“You’ve asked me to let you in, and I’ve wanted to for a while. But I’ll admit, I was terrified to do it,” I begin.

She sits up straighter. “What were you afraid of?”

I shrug, knowing I was never really afraid of her, or her judgment. “I was afraid of feeling the pain all over again,” I admit as I close my eyes, feeling the weight of my loss press against my chest. “I was married before.”

I meet her eyes, and she doesn’t seem surprised by this information, which I suppose she wouldn’t be.

“Liam’s mother?” she clarifies, and I nod. “I’ve always wondered why she was never around, but I didn’t want to ask,” she adds.

I feel guilty for putting her in a position where she felt like she couldn’t ask me such a basic question. It’s normal to ask those things when you’re getting into a relationship, especially with someone who has a child.Where is the other parent? Why did you end things?These questions are all important to know, but I never gave her the room to ask anything about anything because I wouldn’t allow her through my walls. Not until I was sure she was someone worth opening my heart to.

“Her name was Laura,” I say. “We met in college, and I thought she was the most incredible woman I had ever known. It was easy to fall in love with her. Like you, she challenged me. And let me mope, but not for long.”

Sloane gives a small smile as I think back to Laura’s memory, and her beautiful face that isn’t ever far from my mind.

“So what happened?” Sloane asks tentatively. I sigh deeply, letting myself get to the root of the pain, setting my body into a tense state.

“After we married, we bought a house in D.C., then she found out she was pregnant with Liam. My job at the time was incredibly dangerous, but it also kept me away more often than I wanted. Laura understood, but with Liam being born, I wanted a different life.

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