Page 6 of Summer Fling (The Kingston Brothers #5)

Chapter Four

Blake

T oday, I'd watched Henry and Lilliana for most of the afternoon which made everything easier.

They entertained each other, and I could relax.

When Dalton came home, he seemed wound up about his meeting with Ashton.

When he suggested I take some time for myself after dinner, I tried to lose myself in a book, but I couldn't concentrate.

I couldn't stop thinking about the look on Dalton's face when he saw my wet shirt. He could see my bra and my very hard nipples. I think there was desire in his eyes, but I couldn't be sure.

As far as I knew, he was a dad first and wasn't even thinking about being attracted to another woman. I was making it bigger in my head.

When the soft knock on my door came at eight, I got up to open it.

Dalton sat in the only chair in my room, looking large and out of place. "Did everything go okay today?"

"It was great. I had a lot of fun with Lilliana." I'd even folded laundry during her nap and cleaned the kitchen. I was used to doing extra tasks at the other houses where I worked.

"I have to talk to you about something." He wiped his hands on his jeans.

"What did the attorney say?" I was worried he'd say it was a bad idea for me to live in the house. That Oakley would make me move out.

"He thinks it would be better if we were seeing each other."

I blinked, thinking I'd heard him wrong. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"Ashton wants us to date or, at least, to pretend to."

I shook my head. "Why would he think this is necessary?"

"That way, Oakley can't argue that it's inappropriate for you to be here."

I chewed my lip. "I guess I could see that."

"I know it's a crazy thing to ask of you, but I've had some time to think about it, and I believe it could work." His voice was hopeful.

"What happens when the court case is over?"

"We break up. I think we can manage it. We're both adults."

I laughed because I thought I might be going crazy. "You just talked about us dating and then breaking up."

"I know it sounds a little nuts, but it's not much different from how we're living now. We just have to pretend to be a couple in public a few times. Hopefully, the mediation goes quickly, and we're able to negotiate a schedule without going to court."

"So you're really going to do it? You're going to file for custody?"

"It's something I should have done a long time ago, but we were waiting for Oakley to allow me more time with Lilliana so I could prove that I was a good dad."

"You want to be viewed as the primary parent or, at least, a good option for half the time?"

"That's right. He thought it might help if we were engaged by the time the custody case goes to court, if we can't settle things in mediation."

I shifted on the bed very much aware that we were in an intimate setting—my bedroom—and talking about getting engaged. "Are you asking if I'm okay with being your fake fiancée for a few months?"

He shrugged. "It might not even be that long."

"I don't know?—"

He seemed so relaxed about the prospect. He'd had more time to think about it, but I wasn't so sure it was a good idea.

"I'm hoping that this will make Oakley back off. She won't give us any trouble, and you'd be helping me get some stability for Lilliana."

Now that got to me. I didn't like how Oakley was acting. It wasn't good for Lilliana's well-being or her father's. I could sympathize with what he was trying to do. "Okay. I'll do it."

"Yeah?" he asked as if he was surprised that I'd acquiesced so easily.

"I don't like how Oakley is giving you the runaround. It's not healthy for anyone. I'm not saying she shouldn't see Lilliana at all, but this isn't sustainable. She can do whatever she wants and threaten you whenever you get out of line."

He hung his head slightly, and I was worried I'd insulted him.

"I'm proud of you for going forward with the mediation. You're calling her bluff."

"If you pretend to be my fiancée, it will make me look more stable. I'm creating a family, whereas Oakley just likes to create drama," he said.

"I'm not from here, so I don't have to worry about what people will think. Aren't you worried about your family?"

"They don't like how Oakley is acting. I'm sure they'd understand if I explained it to them. But it's important for people to think it's real. The less people who know the truth, the better."

"What would the breakup look like?"

"They won't have to find out. As far as they know, the relationship came to a natural end. You're obviously out of my league anyway. It will be believable."

That threw me. "Why would you think that?"

He leveled me with an exasperated look. "You're studying for your doctorate, and I'm a construction worker."

"You went to college like I did. And just because I have an advanced degree doesn't mean I'm better than you."

Dalton shrugged. "I'm fairly sure it does. You have your life together in a way that I don't. I got my ex-girlfriend pregnant, and I can't be upset about Lilliana, but I could have chosen a better parent for her."

"Yeah, but you didn't choose her necessarily.

You said you were planning on breaking up with her, so you'd already decided that she wasn't the one for you.

Her getting pregnant was an accident." The more I learned about Oakley, the more I was inclined to believe it was possible she'd manipulated that situation too.

It gave her an excuse to keep Dalton in her life.

"I'm hoping Oakley will back off if she thinks we're together."

"That's a big if. It might make her more determined to get to you," I said.

"My attorney was confident this was the smartest move."

"I'm happy to help you in any way I can. You're doing me a favor by letting me stay here. And I want the best for Lilliana."

"I really appreciate this. I owe you big time. If you ever need anything?—"

"You're already doing more than enough: a job with an amazing little girl and a place to stay. You don't owe me anything."

He shook his head. "We'll have to disagree on that."

Dalton was impressing me as a man who was trying to do the best for his little girl. He put up with a lot from Oakley because he was afraid. I was proud of him for standing up for himself.

"How was your day?" Dalton asked, and I was glad to change the subject.

"It was great. We had fun with Henry and spent a lot of time playing and getting to know each other."

Dalton stood. "Let me know if there's anything you need."

I bit my lip, wondering if I should tell him. "I was wondering if you would mind if I painted with her. I have all the supplies: an easel, paint, and brushes. I'll clean everything up when I'm done."

His forehead wrinkled. "You want to paint with her?"

"If that's okay. Not everyone wants me to set up the paints because it's messy."

Dalton shrugged. "I don't see why it would be an issue."

"It would be easier if we could set up an easel, but it's kind of big."

"Where is it?"

"It's in that box." I pointed to the one leaning against the wall.

"Where do you want it?"

"Maybe in the living room. We can move it outside when we're ready to paint. I'll put down drop cloths," I rushed to add, worried that he'd think it was too much.

"I'll set it up now."

He opened the box and pulled the easel out, moving toward the living room before I could say anything.

He opened the easel, and I rushed to help him set it on the wood floor correctly so it wouldn't fall over.

Excited to see my easel up again, I said, "Do you mind if I set up the supplies? I have a little cart to organize everything."

"You want me to grab the box for you?" he asked as he moved toward my bedroom.

I was more than a little surprised that he was okay with me getting out my art supplies and leaving them in the living room.

I showed him the box, and he carried it to the living room, dropping to his knees to rip off the tape.

I grabbed the aqua cart where I liked to store the brushes and paint.

When I returned, he was already stacking the canvases on the shelf at the bottom of the easel. I pulled out the paint and brushes, placing them on the cart. "You don't mind that this is taking up your living room?"

Dalton frowned. "Why would I?"

"A lot of the families I lived with didn't like the clutter, and a few didn't want me to paint with their kids."

He scoffed. "Why not?"

I carefully arranged the brushes in the small colored buckets on the top shelf of the cart. "They didn't want the kids to get dirty or their clothes to be ruined."

"You can wash her hands, and I can always buy new clothes if I have to."

I shrugged. "I'm used to people not being quite so accepting of my little hobby."

"I'm fairly sure Lilliana is going to love painting, so I don't mind. And if it's something you enjoy, why not?"

My heart warmed a little more to him. I never anticipated that he'd be fully on board with my painting.

We finished stocking the supplies, and I sat back on my heels. "It's nice to have my things out. I'm so used to having them stashed away, and when I want to paint, it's a hassle to get everything out. But this is so nice. I can paint whenever I want."

"I'll grab you some drop cloths from the garage to use."

Dalton made a move to stand, and I stopped him with a hand on his forearm.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it." It was hard for me to explain how important painting was to me.

It had been an outlet since my parents' divorce.

Around that time, I'd had a pivotal art class at school with an amazing teacher, and I'd started painting.

It was an outlet for my feelings then, and I used it with my kids to relax them.

It was such a great way to spend a morning or an afternoon.

I couldn't wait to share my love of art with Lilliana.

"I want you to be happy here. I know this isn't exactly what we planned when I hired you to be the live-in nanny."

Now that he'd accepted my hobby, I wanted to help him even more. "What are your plans for our pretend relationship? Do we need to be seen around the island?"

"I would think so. Public displays of affection wouldn't hurt."

I tried not to think about what that would be like. Would we kiss? Hold hands? Would I be able to compartmentalize this attraction to him, or would it meld together and confuse me? "What about Lilliana?"

"I think she's too young to understand what's going on."

"I hope you’re right about that.”

"I'll grab those drop cloths," Dalton said as he headed through the door to the garage.

I loved seeing my easel set up in front of the windows facing the water. I'd never had this kind of inspiration before. I could stand here for hours, painting the water, the palm trees, the beach, and the sky. Then there were the sunsets. I was so excited to get started.

When Dalton returned, he placed the drop cloths on the floor next to the easel. "You haven't moved."

"I was just thinking about what I can paint with this view."

"Maybe you can fill the house with artwork. I haven't bothered to decorate."

The walls were bare except in Lilliana's room, which had several images of moons and stars and some sweet sayings. "I doubt my paintings are good enough to hang."

Dalton arched a brow. "I'll be the judge of that."

Now that my easel was set up, I wanted to clarify a few things about our new arrangement. "Should we talk about which public displays of affection are okay?"

Dalton frowned. "We might need to revisit things as we go, but I would think handholding, maybe some kissing, my arm around your shoulders. That kind of thing."

He seemed to be unaffected by the thought of pretending to be with me. He obviously wasn't attracted to me, and why would he be? I was here to do a job, not lust after my new boss.

"Is that okay?" Dalton asked, his tone laced with concern.

"Of course. I just wanted to know what I was getting into."

"We'll need to go to family get-togethers. That will be the real test. My family hasn't seen me with anyone since Oakley. I think they assume we'll eventually get back together."

"Sharing a child isn't a reason to be with someone. In the practices I interned at, I've seen many couples stay together for the sake of their children when they would have been better off apart."

"At first, I thought I should try, but it became clear she enjoyed the drama of an on-again, off-again relationship more than working a real connection."

"You shouldn't have to work at a connection. That should come naturally."

"And maybe that was my mistake. I got caught up in the idea of a relationship."

"I wouldn't beat yourself up over your failings. We all have them," I said.

"I intend to be single until Lilliana's eighteen. She needs to be my focus," he said seriously.

As a clinician, I could say that was something he couldn't promise with any confidence now. But I wasn't treating him, and it was a good warning. This fake relationship was temporary. I wouldn't get any ideas of it becoming something more.

Dalton wasn't looking for anything real, and neither was I. I'd seen what a breakup did to a family. I wouldn't do anything that could hurt Lilliana.