Page 30 of My Mistake To Make

‘Well, isn’t that nice.’ I roll my eyes and turn to make sure the door is closed, and that Bo can’t hear thisconversation. ‘Why is it you get to do whatever the fuck you want, and I just have to sit here waiting for instruction?’

‘Because, Doug, you didn’t wear a condom and put your dick in me and ruined my fucking life.’

I see red.

‘Get off my porch.’ I snap. ‘That’s your daughter you’re talking about, Jessie.’

‘Tonight, she’syourdaughter,’ she calls out as she climbs into her car, and anger vibrates out of me.

What happened this morning with Cara put me in a bad fucking mood, worse than usual, and if it weren’t for the she-demon driving away from my mom’s house right now, it never would have happened. Shit, if it wasn’t for Jessie’s bullshit ultimatums, I might have even made contact with the old me—the one that was confident with women and liked getting fucking laid—and actually made a move on Cara. Instead, I let her think I don’t like her while I wait for Jessie to tell me just how high she wants me to jump.

‘Daddy, it’s starting.’

Bowie’s sweet voice behind me has me gripping the railing and taking deep breaths. My baby girl is waiting for me to watch a movie with her, and that’s the only thing that matters right now. I have a good job starting in a matter of days. One that’s going to give me enough money to get that little girl under my roof permanently. I just need to toe the line until then.

Play Jessie’s game and stay the hell away from Cara. I can do this.

‘I made you breakfast,honey,’ Mama says with a huge smile on her face when I enter the kitchen.

‘I helped.’ Bowie beams next to her, and I grin, leaning in to kiss my baby’s head.

‘Thank you, guys.’

We sit together at the table, and Mama reaches over to squeeze my hand.

‘Big day, honey.’ I nod in agreement. ‘I’m so proud of you. Your daddy would be so proud of you.’

I hear the break in her voice—the croak of emotion at the memory of my dad. We always used to talk about the Reynolds’ house and how much we loved it. I know he’d be proud, but more than that, he’d be so goddam excited to see me finally getting my hands on it.

I take a deep breath.

‘It’s just day one, nothing too big is happening today.’

‘It’s day one, honey,’ I look up and meet my mom’s watery gaze. ‘Day one of the rest of your life.’

Crazy how my future is so tied up in a house that’s not even mine, but it is. I need this house and this job to go well so that I can set everything right in my life.

This is day one, and I can’t wait to get started.

Cara isn’t at the house when I arrive. I wanted to offer to give her a ride, but that went against my plan to keep away from her, so I didn’t. Letting her walk up here doesn’t sit right with me, but she’s my employer, not my girlfriend, so it’s not my business.

We still haven’t agreed on the final plans for the house, but initially, I need to turn this old shell of a house into something safe, secure, and functional so I get to work. I’ll have to bring in some other guys at some point, but right now, I just want to get my hands dirty and work until my body aches.

I stop at lunchtime, sweaty and dirty, surprised there’s still no sign of Cara. My mind starts to run through scenarios of her being hit by a car on the way up here, and I’m about to get inmy truck and go looking for her when I see her approaching the house from my spot on the front steps.

Staying away from this woman is going to be harder than I thought. She’s fucking beautiful.

She turns up in jeans that are a little baggy and rolled up at the ankle above her Converse and a gray t-shirt that fits herjustright. Her hair is tied in two braids, and her cheeks are a little pink from the walk up here and, Lord, I apologize for the thoughts I’m having, but you can’t put a woman like that right in front of me after years of abstinence and expect me to not dream about burying myself in her.

‘Hello,’ she says as she comes to a stop in front of me, and I lower my gaze to the remains of the sandwich in my hand.

‘Hey.’

‘Sorry I wasn’t here this morning. Your sisters convinced me to drink with them again last night, and well, I’m sure you know how that went. They are either a very bad influence, or I am very impressionable.’

She smiles so fucking sweetly, and I feel my jaw tighten. I knew Bree and Zoe were going to the bar last night, but I didn’t know Cara was with them again. Cara and basically every man in this town, the fucking asshole construction workers included—the construction workers staying in cabins right next to hers.

‘Good night?’ I grunt, not wanting the details.

---