Page 8 of Fight For Us
“I know, I know. Your leg and your friend and your tragic life. I get it. But I can’t let this opportunity go. It’s time for you to step up.”
Anger, sharp and hot, burned through me. “Nice of you to talk about Dylan that way.” I shifted to take pressure off my throbbing hip. “You can’t just up and leave. Lilly’s not a fucking pet, she’s a child. She needs you.” It took everything in me not to raise my voice for the entire town to hear.
“You up and left us all the time. Even when youwerehere, you weren’t everhere, Wesley. You’re the poster boy for emotionally unavailable.” I scoffed while she took a long drag on her cigarette. “All her important paperwork is in her backpack and she starts school next week.”
I was stunned silent. She was serious?
“You’re really leaving her here? Without so much as a goodbye?” I asked, dumbfounded.
“I’ve said my goodbyes. She knew this was coming all week. Lilly wants me to be happy. She’s mature enough to understand. Plus, it’ll only be a few months. Six, tops.” She sucked another drag on her cigarette before stomping it into the cement with her flip-flop. “I’ve gotta go, Jeff is waiting for me in the car. Iknow you’re unhappy, but look at this as an opportunity for you to get closer to your daughter. You both need that.”
She walked toward an idling white Camaro, where a dude obscured by tinted windows sat waiting. This couldn’t be happening. I loved Lilly with all my being but I wasn’t cut out to parent full-time. I could barely handle her one day a week with my work schedule. The slam of the car door broke me out of my haze.
“Sav, get back here!” I yelled and took off toward the car. Jeff backed it out with a squeal and peeled out of the parking lot before I could get anywhere near it. “Shit!”
I forced air into my chest and counted down from five. Going back inside filled with anger wouldn’t help anything. I’d call Sav and work this out. Lilly was my daughter and I loved her, but I couldn’t do this alone. I was barely holding on as it was trying to keep the restaurant going. I hadn’t made it to the gym this month because of my workload. Taking a break from Sunshine wasn’t an option. It’s been in my family for too long to let it go to shit.
I wiped sweat from my brow and made my way back inside. Every customer kept their eyes trained on me as I walked toward Lilly’s booth, like I was about to lash out. I wanted to. Smashing a few plates in the back would feel fucking amazing right about now. This was just like Sav. She walked out on me with nothing more than a shoulder shrug and a half-hearted apology. Why wouldn’t I believe she was capable of abandoning our kid?
Lilly was watching a video with Alex on his device. Maybe a few minutes to blow off some steam would be okay? Then I could come back and have a rational conversation with my family.
A warm palm on my shoulder stopped me in my tracks. I flinched a bit at the unexpected contact before realizing who was touching me. “Is everything okay?” Concern dripped from Olivia’s voice as thick as the humidity outside. With one look into her eyes, some of the tightness in my chest loosened. She was my employee. I didn’t need to dump my personal life onto her. But shit, if I didn’t talk this through right now a part of me that I didn’t want Lilly to see would sneak its way out.
“Not really.” I blinked, looking around with clearer eyes. People had gone back to eating and chatting like normal. Everyone except my father, who sat back in the vinyl booth watching me like a hawk. “Dad, can you keep an eye on the kids?”
He waved me off. “Go ahead. We’ll be right here.”
“Let’s go to my office.”
Chapter 4
Wes
Two Months Earlier
I couldn’t believe shefinally took me up on my offer. It was the least I could do after weeks of her keeping an eye on Lilly while my father had his afternoon nap. That kid would be the death of me.
I couldn’t say I wasn’t clenching my ass cheeks that second Saturday when I got home from the restaurant and found Lilly missing again. But to my surprise, Olivia didn’t yell at me. Maybe there was a tinge of annoyance in her stance when I showed up. Her arms were crossed against her chest and her head was tilted as I gave Lilly another talking to. But that fire in her eyes stayed banked. Which was too bad, considering Olivia yelling at me was the first time I felt much of anything in years.
Olivia walked by my side, likely slowing her pace for me. My body ached but I tried not to show it. I could whine after I put Lilly to bed. For now, I had to suck it up.
She was so fucking gorgeous, I didn’t know what to say to her. When was the last time I had a conversation with an attractive woman?
“Do you enjoy living on the beach?”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God she started the conversation. “Yeah. It’s peaceful.”
“You’re lucky. I’d love to step out my door every morning to that view.” She turned her head to gaze back at the crashing waves.
“Do you live inland?”
“We’re only here for the summer. My parents are friends with the Richardsons down the street. They’re letting us stay in their home while they’re vacationing in Europe.”
My stomach sank. I’d known a woman like her appearing out of thin air across the street from my house was too good to be true.
She continued. “But I think I’m ready for a change. I’ve fallen in love with the beach during my time here.”
I led them across the driveway of my parent’s modest home. Compared to the mansions in the area, ours was a shack. But my parents had saved up every penny and when the restaurant was in its prime, they bought the two-bedroom for a steal.
