Page 15 of Secret Love (The Single Dad Playbook #2)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ROUND AND ROUND

HENLEY

Once Tru has eaten and Audrey and Gracie have gone into the living room to play with Earl, Tru looks at me and Cassidy.

“For this initial session, I’d like to have both of you here, if that's okay with you,” she says to Cassidy.

Cassidy nods. “Okay.”

“I'd like your dad to see what we’ll be working on, and that way, when I'm not around, he can help you with anything you might have questions about, and you can also show your mom when you're with her.”

“That sounds good to me,” I add.

“Okay, great, let's get started.”

And for the next hour, I go through the full gamut of emotions as I watch Tru work with my daughter. It's alarming to see the things Cassidy is struggling with firsthand. Since she first started reading, I’ve heard her countless times, but it's been a while now. She's read stories she likes to the girls, but now I'm wondering if those were stories she mostly knew by heart. As Tru goes through exercises, it’s difficult to see how frustrating and painful this is for my little girl. She stumbles often to get the right word and is on the verge of tears. It’s hard not to get weighed down by that. But Tru is patient and thorough as she tells Cassidy fun ways to help her remember difficult words.

When Cassidy gets upset with herself, Tru reassures her that this will take time and that she's here for the long haul.

“We’re going to be working on this until you feel more comfortable reading,” Tru says emphatically.

Cassidy looks at her with something close to worship.

It's amazing to watch when Cassidy begins to grasp certain information with more understanding. It’s not a miraculous transformation in so little time, but it’s a step toward figuring out how to solve the problem when she can’t remember what a word is.

I couldn't be more grateful that Tru saw what Cassidy needed when she did, so we can know the steps to move forward now.

Of course, I beat myself up about it. I feel like the worst parent in the world. Because now that I'm seeing it, I don't know how I ever missed it…the way I tried to rationalize what I did see.

It’s devastating to realize that Cassidy has been doing this alone.

But even by the time the session is over, I can tell she's exhausted, but there's a spark of hope in her eyes that was missing before.

Tru starts gathering her things.

And I try to come up with reasons to make her stay.

“I can't get over this kitchen,” she says. “The cream cabinets with the little roofs on top. I’ve never seen anything like it. They are so pretty. And the woodwork in this house, it's so beautiful.”

“I’ve never been to Austria, but Bowie says this place is like stepping into his grandmother's house…only with major updates.” I laugh. “Would you like to see the rest of the house?”

“I’d love to,” she says.

Cassidy goes to find the girls and Earl, and I take Tru around the first floor of the house. She stops at each window, going on about the view of the lake. The sun is starting to set, so it's an exceptionally beautiful night. We step outside and she sighs when she sees the hot tub and pool.

“This the life,” she says, grinning. “Do you ever put this to use?”

“Oh yeah, we're in the pool all summer. And I'm in the hot tub after just about every game.”

“It's so great out here,” she says.

We go back inside and up the stairs. I take her around to the guest room that has a spiral staircase leading up to the attic room.

“Wow. The girls must love being here.”

“They do. Although they've got a pretty nice setup at their house as well.”

“How long have you lived in this house?”

“About three years.”

“Hmm.” She looks over at me shyly when we get to my bedroom, and we move in front of the window. “I’m very impressed, Mr. Ward. This doesn’t look like a bachelor pad at all.”

I chuckle and the longer we stare at each other, the more I want to kiss her. Electricity ripples between us, but I’m trying to gauge her mood. She seems comfortable and open, but I still feel some hesitation on her part…like she’s trying to be careful around me. I don’t want to scare her off, but I’d really love to get to know her better.

“You were incredible with Cassidy,” I say, leaning my back against the window and facing her.

“She’s the incredible one. I’m so impressed by her determination. The fact that she’s come as far as she has while struggling with this.”

“It’s going to take time for me to forgive myself,” I admit.

She frowns. “You can’t blame yourself. You’re an attentive father. Anyone can see that. And as someone who doesn’t have a father like that, I’m telling you…you’re doing a good job.”

“Thank you,” I say quietly. “What are your parents like? You said they’re in Australia?”

“If you met my dad today, you would be charmed and impressed. He's well-spoken and smart, funny and charismatic. At home, not so much. He just knows how to turn it on when he needs to and when he’s around me and my mom, he doesn’t feel that need…”

I frown. “But home is where he should be showing that amazing side of himself the most.”

“That's what a good dad thinks,” she says. “He shows his true self when he's home. The other is all show, all an act to get support behind whatever project he wants funding for at the time. It's nauseating, actually. Sorry, I don't want to just talk bad about my dad. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. You’re just easy to talk to. My dad and I are not close at all, as you can tell. But I love my mom. She's wonderful. She's everything he's not. And I wish she knew she was worth so much better than the way he treats her.”

“He’s not violent, is he?”

“Not physically. He is verbally abusive, though. And that does a number on her, even though she won’t admit it. She’s said it’s not like he hits her or anything, which makes me wonder whether she would leave if he did. Since he never has, she thinks it's not that bad to endure insults.”

God, I hate this. I’ve never understood men who need to reduce everyone around them to feel better about themselves.

I clear my throat and hold my tongue about the rage I’m feeling about her dad.

“That must be really hard to watch her go through that,” I say instead.

Her eyes soften when she looks at me. “It is. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish that she’d leave. I’d do whatever I could to help her start over.”

“How soon can she visit?”

She laughs. “Do you have a plan in mind?”

I grin. Her laugh is impossible to resist. “We could show her how great Silver Hills is, introduce her to Clara and Lane, and the guys and Sadie…”

“And you and the girls…” she says, smiling.

“Me and the girls,” I echo.

“I’ll have to work on that. I think she’d love it here, I really do. She’d definitely like your house.”

I pretend to be hurt, clutching my heart. “Just my house?”

She laughs. “And your pepperoni bites.”

“I’m wounded. Wait until you taste my lemon chicken or my burgers or…shrimp fettuccini.” I keep throwing out food to see which makes her perk up the most. “My pizza?”

“Wow. You can make all that? I’m impressed.”

I reach out and take her pinky in mine. She looks away, her lips quirking up higher.

“What were you going to say earlier? When you said you’d been thinking about the kiss too…” I say.

Her cheeks tinge with pink. She glances at me, eyes wide, and it makes my stomach freefall into the ground.

“Yeah. Definitely been thinking about it,” she whispers.

I move in front of her, one hand on the window frame near her head and the other on her waist. She stares up at me, and I drown in her green eyes.

“You can't possibly have been thinking about it as much as I have,” I tell her.

She smirks. “I assure you, probably more.” She bites her lip. “But I’m not sure we should ever do it again.”

I run my thumb over her lower lip. “Oh, we should definitely do it again.” I lean in and kiss her and it is even better than I remembered. She kisses me back, lifting to her tiptoes to get closer and the eagerness in her sets a fiery need inside of me. Things quickly going from zero to one thousand.

“Dad!” Gracie yells from downstairs, but Tru jumps and sidesteps me like one of the kids is seconds from running into the room. “Never mind,” Gracie yells again.

Tru laughs shakily. “Sorry. That was a dramatic reaction for…just...yeah…ugh, you’ve got me all tongue-tied.” She laughs again and I do too, even though when her expression sobers, I can tell I’m not going to like what she’s about to say.

“It just makes me nervous to get involved with…a parent,” she says. “I don't want to do anything to jeopardize my job…or Cassidy’s education.”

“We wouldn’t let it. Would we? Or maybe…it’s the age difference too?” I ask.

She bites her lip. “It doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t bother you.”

“It concerned me when I first found out, but more because I thought I should be bothered…and that it would bother you.”

We laugh at the way this conversation is going round and round.

“What if…we keep getting to know each other,” I say.

She drops her hand from my chest and I lift it back up to my lips, kissing her knuckles softly. Her mouth parts.

“This is just for us. Whatever happens,” I say. “And we won’t let anything stand in the way of your job or Cassidy’s education.”

“In theory, that sounds?—”

“Dad—” Gracie rounds the corner and now Tru does bolt to the side and away from me.

I scrub my hand down my face. “What’s up, peanut?”

“Can we get a kitten?”

I give Tru a long-suffering look. “I knew this would happen. Now I’ll never hear the end of it. The request for a pet is already happening on the daily.”

Tru giggles and lifts a shoulder. “They are awfully fun.”

“So, can we get one, please ?” Gracie presses her hands together. “Audrey and Cassidy want one too.”

I snort. “You think this is news to me?”

I tug on one of her braids. “Your mom would have to be agreeable to it, since the cat would be at her house.”

Gracie pokes out her lower lip. “She’s already said no. Why can’t we have one at your house since we’re here lots too?”

“Because then I’ll have to take care of it, and I’m gone a lot, remember?”

She sighs pitifully, shoulders drooping. “We would help.”

“It’s almost time for me to take you home. Let’s not spend it being sad, okay?” I rub her shoulder and tuck her chin up so she meets my eyes. “Wanna help me with dinner?”

“Pepperoni bites wasn’t dinner?” Tru says. Her eyes widen when we turn to look at her. “Sorry, forget I’m here.”

I chuckle. “Wanna stay and eat with us? We’re having steak kabobs, veggies, and salad…I just need to get the grill started.”

“Uh—” Tru hesitates.

“Stay!” Gracie claps her hands. “Say yes! Audrey’s making cookies right now!”

“Oh, there will be cookies?” Tru takes Gracie’s outstretched hand and lets her lead her out of the room. She looks at me over her shoulder, her eyes questioning if I’m okay with this.

I try to give her an understated, sexy grin instead of the cheese I’m feeling inside.

I am more than okay with this.