Page 7 of Summer Fling (The Kingston Brothers #5)

Chapter Five

Dalton

T he next morning, I went to the Kingston Construction office for a meeting. I waved at Kinsley who was on the phone, then proceeded into the conference room.

My brothers were all seated at the table, and it felt good to be here. I'd missed most of these meetings since Lilliana was born. Even though my family said it was fine, it made me feel like I was letting them down.

I was eager to get back into the swing of things. I wanted to be a good dad and a reliable employee again.

"We weren't expecting you," Dad said from his spot at the head of the table as I entered.

Our schedule for the next few months was projected onto the wall behind him.

I pulled out the chair and sat down. Since I was one of the younger brothers, I sat toward the doorway across from Brady. "I have a live-in nanny now."

"Everything's working out with Blake then?" Cooper asked.

"She's a lifesaver. I've been able to go to work on time and not worry about how I'm going to care for Lilliana," I said with pride in my voice.

It felt a lot like I was getting my life back.

I was finally navigating this single-dad thing with ease.

At least until Oakley came up with a way to shake-up my new arrangement.

"I'm glad she's working out," Dad said.

"I thought Blake was your nanny," Hudson said to Cooper.

Cooper inclined his head slightly. "We only need her part-time, so we're sharing her with Dalton."

"She needed a place to stay, and with the unpredictable visitation schedule, it made more sense for her to live in my house. She still watches Henry. I think it's easier when they play together," I added.

"Henry loves his cousin time." Cooper pulled out his phone to show everyone some pictures of them playing together. It looked like what Lilliana was wearing yesterday when I came home. I loved that Blake had thought to send pictures to Cooper and Ivy. She was a thoughtful person.

"I really hope that this arrangement with Blake is going to work out. I want to be more present at work and at home." I was already worried that Oakley would throw a fit and pressure me to get rid of my nanny.

"Does this mean you're finally going to do something official about custody and visitation?" Dad asked from his spot at the head of the table.

I felt a little ashamed that it had taken this long to do something. "I've been in contact with Ashton. I wanted to make it a few weeks with the nanny before we file, but that's where we're headed."

"Oakley isn't going to react well to a woman living in your house," Shep said shrewdly.

I shook my head, chuckling. "She didn't."

Dad frowned, and my brothers sat up straighter.

Shep’s forehead creased. "You're saying she already knows?"

"She showed up with Lilliana the night that Blake moved in with me.

To say she wasn't happy was an understatement.

But Blake quickly diffused the situation, taking Lilliana into the bathroom for her bath so she wouldn't overhear Oakley's raised voice. Right before she left, Oakley threatened to take me to court.”

Dad nodded approvingly. "It's about time you called her bluff and took control of this situation."

"The lack of a visitation schedule isn't workable. I can't have her showing up whenever she wants."

"What if she shows up with Lilliana at a jobsite? Not that I don't love to see my niece, but it isn't any place for a toddler," Cooper said.

"Plus, it's disruptive to the workplace and stressful for you," Hudson added.

Unease spread through my chest. "Oakley's been quiet the last few days. I hope she isn't planning anything."

"She thrives on drama and fear. You've been too afraid to challenge her, so you fall in line. But if you're serious about pursuing a formal custody agreement and a more consistent schedule, I wonder how she'll react," Hudson said.

"Not well," Shep murmured.

Cooper nodded in solidarity.

"I'm glad you're getting everything figured out. I have a feeling this will be good for Lilliana and you," Dad said.

I rested my elbows on the table. "I wanted to say that I intend to be more present at work. I want to be a good dad and a reliable worker. I'm sorry that I've been inconsistent the last eighteen months or so, but that's going to change."

Cooper rested a hand on my forearm. "We're all here for you while you figure this out, and we know that there might be days where you need flexibility. That's the life of a parent. We support you however you want to handle this situation."

Dad nodded. "Let us know if you need anything. We're behind you one hundred percent."

"Thanks," I said to everyone, my chest filling with emotion.

My family had always been there for me. I felt bad that I hadn't been as present as I would have liked, but they were understanding about it.

They had a front-row seat to the Oakley show, as they'd taken to calling it, and knew what I was dealing with.

Kinsley walked in and stood by the projector. "Sorry, I was talking to a potential new customer on the phone."

Dad threw a thumb over his shoulder at the projector. "We were discussing some family stuff. Now let's talk about the schedule for the next few months."

Kinsley walked us through the schedule, and we talked about any potential issues. We settled on the crew that would be on each of the projects.

When we were done, Kinsley turned off the projector and turned up the lights. Then she moved her laptop to the seat catty-corner to mine.

"Now, we have to talk about the fact that work has picked up considerably.

Ever since we were featured in the Island Times , and the social-media frenzy that followed, we've been getting more inquires than we can manage.

I think we should expand, hiring more contractors and crew.

" Dad looked around the table. "But this will be your business one day. What do you think?"

"I can see the value in that, but with a few of us, expanding our families, it might be difficult to take on more," Cooper said cautiously.

Shep leaned back in the chair, testing the limits of its construction. "Not all of us are expanding our families."

"I'm sure most of us want to start a family eventually. Is this the best time to expand?" Hudson asked.

I wondered if he was planning on starting a family with Elena soon. The thought made me feel better about having Lilliana now. The cousins would grow up together. She'd always feel like she was part of the Kingston family, no matter what was going on with her mother.

"If we're hiring additional contractors and a crew, it would be mainly a supervisory role we're taking on. Can we manage that on top of our regular job duties?" Brady asked.

"You have that second job," Dad said. "Are you sure you want to take on any more?"

Brady shrugged. "I have an interest in making both businesses successful. Hazel's been helping me with the videos. I'm starting to think that she's more popular than I am."

"She should start her own show," Shep teased.

Brady nodded seriously. "That's what viewers are asking her to do."

Brady recorded himself playing video games and streamed them live to a popular kids' service. I hadn't had any time to check it out.

Shep let his chair fall back to all four legs.

"We all have things that we're doing on the side, whether it's a family, volunteer work, or even a second job, but I think we're all on board with expanding the business.

We want to build something that will sustain our family for generations to come," Shep said, surprising us.

Usually, he was more interested in having a good time out of work and didn't pay much attention to the business side of things. But maybe he'd changed since I had to take a step back from work.

"Does this mean you've given the idea of a home-improvement show more thought?" Hudson asked him.

"I don't know if I want someone videotaping my renovation. We all know I'm not exactly efficient," Shep said, referencing the fact that he tended to be a little scatterbrained. We suspected it was ADHD or something similar, but he'd never been officially diagnosed. He'd refused any sort of testing.

Kinsley looked up from her laptop. "What if that's the appeal though? You're not perfect. You have flaws, and people can identify with you."

The table was quiet for a few seconds, and then Hudson leaned forward. "I think she's onto something."

Shep gripped his neck, his expression incredulous. "You're saying that people will want to watch me. That somehow I'll be entertaining."

"It's entirely possible that there're a lot of people out there that can identify with the way you do things, and if not, they'd find your personality entertaining," Kinsley said thoughtfully.

"You've always enjoyed the limelight. Why aren't you interested in this?" Hudson asked him seriously.

"I guess it feels like highlighting all my shortcomings for the world to see." Shep sounded less confident than usual.

I suspected he was self-conscious about his work and laughed it off, because he wasn't sure how else to react. He wasn't as put together as Marshall or Hudson.

"We can film some things and see how it goes," Kinsley suggested

Brady leaned forward with his elbows on the table. "We can post it on our social-media pages and see if people are interested."

"You're the expert on these things," Kinsley said to Brady.

"I'm happy to help in any way I can. I usually film a video game and talk through it. That's a little different from filming a renovation. I would think it's just reality TV. You go about your work, explaining what you're doing as you go," Brady said.

"I'll think about it," Shep said tightly, and I was wondering if he felt like we'd put him on the spot. He usually covered his ADHD tendencies, not wanting anyone to comment on them, but this would be putting him in the spotlight.

Dad clapped his hands together. "So we're interested in the expansion.

We can start the hiring process and see how it goes.

Shepard is going to think about filming his renovation.

Kinsley's on board to help with filming.

And Dalton's going to be at work more consistently.

I'd say we're off to a good start this quarter.

There are a lot of good things to look forward to. "

"As long as I have Blake in my life, watching Lilliana, things should settle down for me."

Shep whistled. "I believe you just stirred up a hornet's nest inviting a woman to live with you. Oakley will not let this go."

His observation hit me hard in the chest. There was no other solution but to pretend Blake was mine. It would stop Oakley in her tracks. Surely, she'd see there was no hope for a relationship between us anymore and leave me alone.

I hoped I wasn't being naive about this situation, but I desperately wanted to move forward with a solid parenting time plan. I was done with her pushing me around. It was time to tell her how it was going to be.

We wrapped up the meeting and walked outside. Shep stopped to talk to Kinsley at the counter. Right before I opened the door to my truck, Hudson appeared next to me. "I'm proud of you."

"For standing up to Oakley?" I asked, certain that was what he was referring to.

"Yeah, and hiring a nanny. You've been trying to do it all on your own, and that's commendable, but you need to work too. I think having a nanny will give you the support you need to get a work-life balance that's more sustainable.

"You act like I lost myself," I said, his words making me feel a little unsettled.

"Didn't you? You were all posed to break up with Oakley, and then she announced she was pregnant, and you were sucked into her world. You're finally removing yourself from her orbit, and things have calmed down for you."

I nodded. "Things have been more manageable lately."

"I wanted to let you know that we're all here for you. Whatever you need."

"You've already done more than enough. You helped me renovate my house and supported me at work when I wasn't able to be present."

Hudson clasped my shoulder. "That's what family is for. We're here for each other, no matter what."

"Thanks, but I hope I won't need you anymore. I want to stand on my own two feet and be someone you can count on again.

"I have no doubt," Hudson said with a smile.

I got into my truck and headed to my jobsite. I used to work alone, but lately I'd been paired with Cooper because I wasn't reliable. I hoped my next project would be a solo one again. I was ready for the added responsibilities.

I felt empowered, as if I could do anything. I could raise a daughter and be a business owner. I could do it all. And it was all because of Blake. I just hoped that she didn't quit and move away when she graduated.

I wasn't sure what I'd do without her, and it had only been a few days.

Throughout the day, she sent me pictures of what she was doing with Lilliana and gave me updates on whether Lil ate or took a nap. It was nice to hear what was going on with their day. It also felt intimate, as if she was Lilliana's mother.

The idea of not being a single parent was enticing. But that wasn't fair to Blake.

She was my nanny and possibly my fake girlfriend. I'd told the attorney to hold off on the paperwork for a few weeks while we transitioned to a pretend relationship.

Blake had been in my life for a while now, so we could say that it had been going on and only accelerated when she moved in with me. It could work.

When I arrived home, Blake greeted me at the door, holding Lilliana, who leaned toward me until I caught her. "It's nice coming home to my girls."

I cuddled Lilliana against my chest and wondered why I'd said girls instead of girl. Maybe it was the messages and images that Blake had shared with me throughout the day or just my overwhelming gratitude for how Blake helped me get my life back.

Things were feeling good, steady even. On some level, it felt too good to be true. Oakley had been too quiet, and Shep was right; she wasn't going to like the fact that Blake was living in my home. She'd strike out. It was just a matter of time.