Page 25 of The Lake House

This is not Todd.

Todd made it very clear that he did not want to be with me. I wasn’t the one to leave him… he left me. This was his decision, his doing. This was what he wanted.

So why would he stalk me now?

ChapterEleven

DECLAN

There she is.

My little girl.

On stage, singing and dancing with the rest of her classmates, graduating from pre-k. Come September, I’m going to have a little kindergartener on my hands. How the hell did time go so fast? And to think, just a couple of years ago, I was single with no kids.

Then Claire changed everything. She made me fall in love with the tiniest little human that I had ever met. I never knew love like that before, and for that, I’ll forever be grateful to her.

But, for everything else she did and caused, it will all remain unsaid. I refuse to speak negatively about her, even if what she did tore me down for a little while. But if I ever see her walking down the street someday, will I say hello, or will I be shell-shocked and unable to move or speak?

It’s not because I still care about her. That ship has long since sailed. She ruined everything that I ever felt for her when things ended between us. I’m wondering if I’d be shocked, because if I were in her shoes, I don’t think I’d ever be able to face that other person.

But it all doesn’t matter now. What matters is that my beautiful daughter came out in all of this, and she’s here with me. I love her more than anything in this world, and if I had to ever give my life for hers, there would be no hesitation on my end.

I got lucky though. There are so many people in my life who adore this little girl just as much as I do. And they’re all here for her now.

I look around as Roger, Rachel, Mom, Cheryl, and Charlie are watching Lily up on stage with grins as wide as the ocean, resembling mine. If it weren’t for these guys, I don’t know how I would have raised my little girl on my own. Never in all my life had I ever imagined I’d be a single dad.

And yet, here I am. Of course, these guys are always here for me with anything Lily and I need. But when it’s just her and me alone at home some days, it’s just me making sure she’s okay. I mean, I don’t mind it. I would do anything for my little girl. It’s just that sometimes I wonder if I’m doing it right or if I’m just a fuck up. Hopefully, one day when she’s all grown up, she’ll let me know I didn’t do so badly.

“They’re gawking,” Roger whispers to me in my right ear.

“Huh?” I whisper back.

He tilts his head to the left side of the stage where Ms. Nicki and Ms. Kristen are standing. I hadn’t seen them there till now.

“Over there,” he adds.

“Oh.” I look away.

He turns his head slightly to face me. “Dude, they can’t make it any more obvious that they’re looking at you,” he pauses for a second and then adds, “did I say looking? I meantridingyou.”

I cough. “What?!” I look away.

Roger shrugs. “They have to be picturing themselves screwing you in their minds. Look at how they’re staring, practically drooling over you.”

I close my eyes and shake my head. “No way.”

He nods. “Yes way. They haven’t taken their eyes off of you yet.”

“Maybe. But there’s a ton of people here tonight. Maybe they’re looking at someone else.”

Roger shakes his head. “Not a chance, man. Look again.”

He subtly points over to them, and sure enough, the two teachers from Lily’s school are still staring at me.

I shrug again. “Maybe they are.”

Roger chuckles. “Yeah, maybe they are. And maybe they’re thinking of more.” He pauses for a second and then says, “So, I stopped at Abner’s yesterday to pick up some coffee and some sweets for Rachel’s niece to add to her birthday gift for this weekend, and you won’t believe what I heard.”

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