Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

RYDER

I was disappointed that my date with Violet was derailed by Stacy. I had a feeling she'd done all this on purpose to show her power. She called the shots, and I couldn't argue with that. I just wanted to be there for Faith.

I hoped Violet was okay. Surely, she'd understand that Faith had to come first. That even if Stacy was difficult, I couldn't let Faith get hurt in all this.

At the same time, this back-and-forth couldn't be good for Faith. I should insist we stick to the schedule, but that meant seeing Faith less often. I didn't want that either. I wanted to be able to coparent, working together so that Faith saw both of us. It shouldn't be a big deal to help each other out.

But in this case, Stacy didn't really need my help. She could stay home on her weekends and spend them with Faith instead of being at Phil's house.

Stacy had been with Phil for months, and I had no plans to date outside of Violet. I'd met her in a transitional period of my life. It wasn't ideal, but I wasn't ready to let her go.

I wanted to make it work. But my declaration about dating Violet prompted Stacy to do what she did. She'd insisted on following the custody agreement, but then when Faith was upset about spending time with Phil, she'd called me.

Tension swirled in my gut as I got closer to Phil's house. I was annoyed that Stacy asked me to come here to get Faith.

I rang the doorbell, worried about meeting Phil for the first time.

Phil opened the door. He was tall and lanky, still wearing a button-down and slacks, which had to be his work clothes. "Thanks for coming. Faith was upset."

"I'm glad you called," I said as I stepped into his foyer.

Two boys ran past, chasing each other.

"No running in the house," Phil called after them, but it didn't even cause them to pause.

This was different from the house we'd shared together when we were married. With only one child, it wasn't as loud and crazy.

Phil shot me an apologetic look. "Sorry, the boys are hyped up because we have guests tonight."

I wasn't sure what I could say to that. Maybe our kids weren't ready for a blended family, and you should get a sitter when you wanted to see your girlfriend. But it wasn't my place.

Phil called out, "Stacy, Ryder's here for Faith."

"Daddy," Faith cried as she ran down the steps with her bag already over her shoulder. "You're here."

"What's going on?" I asked as she hugged me.

She pouted. "It's so loud here."

"You're not used to living with other kids." It was something she might have to get accustomed to though. Maybe it was Faith who was making the demands.

"I need to talk to your mother before we leave." I handed her the keys, and she slipped out of the house without another word to Phil or his boys.

I heard a commotion somewhere else in the house, like something fell and broke. "I better go see what they're up to. I'll tell Stacy you want to talk to her."

"Thanks."

A few seconds later, Stacy appeared, drying her hands with a dish towel. "You wanted to talk?"

"I want as much time with Faith as possible, but I'm wondering if she's the one who demanded I come get her?"

Stacy rolled her eyes. "She said she couldn't handle Phil's boys. I mean, they're a lot."

I skipped over the part where she could have eased this transition by moving slower. But I didn't know enough of the details to comment on it.

"I don't know what the situation is, but if you think Faith is making demands about visitation, maybe it would be better to stick to our custody agreement. Then she'll know she can't pull this stuff. Your weekend should be yours."

Stacy nodded. "That makes sense."

"I'll talk to her about it."

Stacy smiled regretfully. "Thanks, Ryder. I'm sure you had other plans tonight."

"Faith always comes first. You know that." My voice was gruff because I still felt badly about how this was affecting my relationship with Violet. She was understanding, but for how long?

Stacy smiled as I turned to go. In the truck, I backed out, assessing Faith's expression. She looked happy, and as good as that made me feel, I had to address how things were handled tonight. "Faith, when you're with your mother, you need to be with her. That's why we have a custody agreement, so you're seeing both of us on a predictable schedule."

Her lips twisted. "Even if she's with him?"

"That's something you can discuss with her and Phil. Maybe there's a way they can transition that would work better for you. But at the end of the day, this is Mom's weekend. I don't want to interfere."

Faith was quiet for a bit, and then she finally said softly, "I'm sorry."

"I love spending time with you, but I don't think it's fair for you to switch parents when it doesn't suit you." At first, I thought it was Stacy pulling strings to keep me in line, but when I thought about it, I suspected it was Faith.

"It sucks." Faith looked out the window.

"I know you didn't want us to break up, and it's hard with me living so far away. I wish I could make it better for you—" There was nothing about this situation that was great for a kid.

Faith sighed. "I know you weren't happy together."

"I hate how difficult this is on you. But I think we need to stick to the schedule."

She let out a breath. "Okay."

"I'll take you this weekend, but from here on out, you're with Mom on her weekends." Things could still come up, and I'd need to be flexible. But for now, consistency would be better for Faith.

"Are you hanging out with Violet tonight?" Faith asked hopefully.

"I was supposed to take her out to dinner. I had to cancel." The moment Stacy called me, I'd had a knot in my stomach about my plans for the evening.

Faith's expression fell. "You cancelled because of me?"

"Violet understands you come first."

Her shoulders lowered. "I didn't mean for you to cancel your plans though."

Faith hadn't thought any of it through beyond getting her immediate needs met. "We can ask Violet if she wants to join us tonight. Or it can just be the two us."

"I don't mind if Violet's there. It's just Phil comes with three boys who wrestle all day long."

My lips twitched because that's what I did with my brothers at that age too. "You don't have anything in common with them?"

"The oldest one, McCoy, likes to read when he's not fighting with his brothers."

"There you go."

"Did you hear the part where they wrestle most of the time?"

"I know it's different from what you're used to but, maybe you'll like having someone to play with if you give them a chance."

Faith looked out the window. "I'll try."

"I'm proud of you." I didn't want her to feel bad about tonight. It was a learning experience for all of us. Unfortunately, Violet was the collateral damage.

At home, I helped Faith get her things in her room. Then I texted Violet.

You want to come over?

I'm at Cole and Daphne's. Leaving now but I'm beat.

Maybe we can get together later this weekend?

I have to work, but I can do something in the evenings.

I'll think of something we can do.

Maybe ice skating. Or something holiday related.

I watched a movie with Faith, then tucked her into bed. Even though it wasn't the best situation, I was grateful I got to spend time with her. I cherished these small moments. I'd missed so many tuck-ins and breakfasts.

I wondered if I was making the right decision when it came to visitation. But if I knew anything from work, it was that consistency was key.

When I settled on my bed, I wanted to talk to Violet.

You still up?

I didn't want to bother her if she was sleeping, but I needed to talk to someone about this who wasn't Stacy.

Just got in bed.

Can I call you?

Sure.

I video called her, and when her smiling face came into view, I relaxed for the first time all night. "I'm sorry about tonight."

"It's okay." But the way she looked away from me told me she was disappointed, and I couldn't blame her. I was too.

"It's not okay. I thought it was Stacy who wanted me to take Faith, but I think it was Faith making the demands."

Her forehead creased. "Oh?"

"I spoke to Stacy about how important it is for us to stick to the schedule to make this transition easier for Faith."

Violet's expression lightened. "What did she say?"

"She agreed with me. Faith doesn't like Phil's kids. But if she gave them a chance, she might like them. Either way, it's her new reality. She needs to expect that when it's her mother's weekend, she's with her."

"Sounds like you figured out a lot tonight."

"I hope I'm making the right decision. Because I'd love more time with Faith. It's not doing any good to give into her demands. I can't come running because she doesn't like her potential new stepdad's kids." I never thought those words would come out of my mouth.

"I think you made the right decision. Even though it means less time for you."

"I have her this weekend, then the next one because it's my regular weekend."

"Next week is the holiday festival at the farm," Violet said excitedly.

I smiled. "I'll bring Faith. She'll enjoy it. Although I'm not so sure Teddy will."

"What changed your dad's mind about Charlotte?" Violet propped her phone up on something and gathered her hair in a bun on top of her head. I watched transfixed as she wrapped a hair tie around it.

"I'm not that involved with the farm, even though I've been living here. I think my family doesn't trust that I won't pick up and go back to Virginia."

Something crossed Violet's expression. Was it hurt?

"Would you do that?" Violet asked quietly.

"If it would be good for Faith." Faith was my priority.

"Right," Violet said, but it didn't sound like she understood. It was more of a confirmation of something she already knew in her head.

I wanted to rewind a few seconds and say something different. But I couldn't. It was the truth. If Faith needed me, I'd be there for her. "I'd like to be more involved in the farm. Or at least be in the loop. Working there is almost impossible with my current schedule. I want to spend my weekends with Faith, and I have to work hard every other spare minute to make that happen."

"Your job isn't family friendly."

I laughed without any humor. "We're expected to transfer when the department decides it's necessary. We can choose our top three places to live, but there's no guarantees will get one. It's a tough job if you have kids. Not to say that people don't have them. But it means missing out on a lot of stuff, and you have to have some kind of help, whether it's a stay-at-home spouse, reliable sitter, or involved grandparents."

Violet's nose wrinkled. "That's unfortunate. I'm hoping I'll be able to hire more employees by the time I'm ready for kids."

That was a good reminder that Violet hadn't been married or had kids yet. She'd want them soon. The biological clock was ticking for her in a way it wasn't for me. I could have kids later, but she'd be limited.

I enjoyed her company, but it might not work out in the end. I should guard my heart, but I was a little worried it was too late for that.

T he next day, I spent the day on the farm, spending time with my family and getting an idea of how the business was doing.

Charlotte was a bright light, flitting from one station to another, rattling off facts about Douglas Firs and Frasier Firs to the customers with ease. She must have done her homework. Teddy had made himself scarce, and I wondered if that was intentional.

"Teddy has a water leak at the house," Dad said as way of explanation.

"Does he need any help?" I asked, pleased I was able to offer it for once.

"He said he didn't. You know him. He's got it handled," Dad said dryly.

Ever since Mom died, Teddy had been tightly wound. It was as if he let go, everything would unravel. I didn't blame him. He had to hold it together for us. But when was he going to ease up a bit, let someone in? He never let us help him. But if we needed something, he'd be there.

"Is he going to be around for the festival next weekend?" I asked Dad as we stood at the area where people brought their cut trees to be prepped for delivery.

"He said he would be."

"But he's not happy about it," I said without any question in my tone.

Dad's eyes held a tinge of amusement. "How'd you guess?"

"He's not happy about much these days." I wondered if he got worse the more of our siblings paired off with their significant others. "How did you break the news to him?"

Dad rocked back on his heels. "I was hoping to talk to him before Charlotte moved into the cottage, but time got away from me. He apparently ran into her moving her things, and from what it sounded like, they had an unpleasant confrontation."

I ran a hand through my hair. "I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that."

"Tell me about it. But I have a feeling Charlotte can handle herself." Dad gestured in her direction.

Her hair was braided into several complicated looking braids that should have made her look younger but on her, lent an air of sophistication. Teddy would say the style was fussy, and she was high maintenance.

I knew better. All women deserved to be treated a certain way. They shouldn't feel guilty for taking care of themselves, whether that was going to a spa or joining a health club.

Charlotte saw us talking, and her eyes lit up. She crossed the grass to talk to us. "Mr. Calloway."

"It's Al. I feel old when you call me that." His voice was gruff.

"You are old," I teased.

Charlotte's lips twitched, but she didn't let out a laugh. "You're Ryder, right? Faith's dad?"

"That's right." I shook her hand.

"Will you be helping out around the farm for the festival next week?" Charlotte asked hopefully.

"I was hoping to spend time with Faith. But I can help out if you need it."

"Teddy said he's got a water leak at his place." Dad's tone indicated that it might be an excuse.

Her expression turned to concerned. "That's too bad. Should I check on him later?"

I coughed to cover my surprise. Charlotte was a genuinely nice person who didn't care that Teddy would hate that, or maybe she just enjoyed getting to him.

"I'm sure he's got it covered. I wouldn't worry about him," Dad said.

Everyone knew Teddy wasn't happy about Charlotte working here. She couldn't be in the dark about that.

"Let us know what we need to do," Dad said.

"We'll have the vendors set up in front of the barn, almost like a farmer's market with tents. We'll leave space between each one for people to meander and puruse the wares available. The food vendors will all be down at this end. She pointed toward the barn. I'm hoping to move some picnic tables over here so people have a place to sit and eat."

"Violet's planning on offering holiday flavors, like peppermint stick and hot chocolate."

Charlotte clapped her hands together. "That will be perfect. I'm hoping all the vendors will dress for the holiday, and I've got Santa hats for everyone."

I wasn't sure I could see Dad or Teddy in a Santa hat. I wasn't going to miss this.

"Teddy will help you get the tables from the barn."

The only indication that Charlotte heard him was a slight wrinkle to her forehead. "Inside the barn we'll do the Santa pictures. I'll set up a chair for Santa, and we'll hand out candy canes afterward to the kids."

"Who's going to be Santa?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"I was thinking Teddy could do it, and I'll be the elf assistant," Charlotte said proudly.

I covered my smile with my hand. Charlotte was either the sweetest person alive or clueless when it came to Teddy. I had a feeling it was a bit of both. Or maybe she knew what she was doing and didn't care what Teddy thought about her.

Everyone avoided Teddy or catered to his demands. Dad had stood up to his for the first time by hiring Charlotte, and she obviously wasn't going to bow down to him.

"How are you going to get him to agree to be Santa?" I asked.

Charlotte smiled. "He's the only one that can do it. Everyone else is busy with their families or businesses. And I think he'd be perfect. He's big and burly."

I could do it, but I wanted to spend time with Faith and Violet. I wanted to enjoy the farm as a bystander, not from the owner side. "Don't let him hear you say that."

Charlotte waved a hand in my direction. "I've already told him he'd make the perfect Santa."

"Except for his grumpy countenance," Dad said.

"Mmm. I don't think he's that bad." Charlotte grinned at a customer she must have known and went over to speak to her.

I blanched.

"She's something, isn't she?" Dad said with a smile.

I grunted. Teddy was going to hate her if he didn't already. She had a sunny personality that seemed to resonate with most people, and she was confident in her ideas. He didn't stand a chance against her. And I wanted to be around to see the fallout.

"I, for one, can't wait for the festival. I think it's going to drum up a lot of interest."

"All you have to do is advertise that Teddy Calloway is going to be playing Santa. That will bring people in droves."

Dad raised a brow. "Are you talking about women?"

"They can't get enough of grumpy assholes."

Dad made a strangled sound deep in his throat.

"You know he's grumpy, and he can be an ass. I'm not telling you anything you didn't already know."

Dad's gaze settled on me. "You constantly trash-talk each other. I was hoping you would grow up to be friends."

"I think we are." Although I hadn't seen much of him since I'd been back.

"I'm happy you're finally home. You're welcome to help out in any way you can with your schedule. I'm glad we can see Faith more often." Dad's expression softened as Faith bounded up to us.

She wrapped her arms around my middle and hugging me. "Thanks for coming here today."

I wasn't sure how many hugs I would get from my little girl, but I'd cherish every one of them. For now, living near my family made sense. But if it didn't work out for Faith, I'd have to be willing to do what was best for her.