Chapter 9

"No, I don't want to take a shower!"

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

Do not fold to the demands of a domestic terrorist.

Yes, I just called my daughter a terrorist because since she woke up this morning, she's been an absolute terror.

"Arianna, you have to. If you do it now, then you don't have to do it later."

"No."

"Arianna, I'm not asking. You will be getting in the shower. Get in there now," I say sternly.

My daughter huffs and turns her back toward me and starts marching down the hall.

"I don't want your help," she says as she closes the door in my face.

"That's fine, but I'm going to have to check your hair before you get out, and remember, you only need about a quarter-size of soap."

I slide down the wall until I'm sitting on the floor.

Finally, a moment of silence. I don't know what went wrong, but both Arianna and I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

Sometimes it sucks being an adult. You can't pitch a fit like a child. No, you actually have to keep calm and be rational.

I groan when I hear my phone ringing from the kitchen counter. Slowly, I get off the floor and make my way down the hall.

Maybe I'll get lucky, and whoever's calling will hang up before I can answer, I muse.

A smile takes over my face when I see Chloe's name on the screen.

"Hey stranger," I say after I pick up.

"Oh good, you're alive," she teases.

I groan. "I know, I suck."

Chloe laughs. "That's a lie, and we both know it."

"Must you turn everything sexual? Besides, I will, I'm just not a fan."

"Right…" she drawls. "Now tell me, how are my baby and baby momma?"

"We're fine."

Chloe hums. "I don't believe you."

"Ari is just being a nightmare today. It's fine."

"You know, they say being a parent is a walk in the park…Jurassic Park, but a park nonetheless."

"You've got jokes."

"Always. You know, though, that her attitude isn't personal, right?"

I walk back down the short hall and sit back down on the floor by the bathroom door.

"I do, but sometimes it's hard to remember that."

I smile to myself when I hear Ari singing a Trolls song in the shower.

"The storm will pass," Chloe says lightly.

"I know. Tell me, how have you been? I haven't seen you lately."

"Do you miss me as much as I miss you?"

"More," I tease.

Chloe laughs. "I've been alright. Just working and trying to stay out of your hair."

"Why?"

"I'm trying to give you and Mason time together without me breathing down your neck."

Guilt hits me in the stomach. "Chlo, you don't have to stay away."

"I know, but I don't want to talk about him. What are you doing this weekend?"

"I don't know. Why, what's up?"

"I was thinking we should have a girls' night?"

"You, Ari, and me…sounds like fun."

"I was actually thinking just you and me. Maybe a bottle of wine."

I shake my head even though she can't see me. "I don't have anyone to watch Ari. You know that."

"You have the sperm donor. Isn't he being all dad of the year now? Have him watch her."

I sigh. She's been trying to push me to give Mason more time with Ari without me. Even if she refuses to call him by name most of the time.

"I don't know if I trust him that much yet," I remind her.

"Okay, then she can hang out with us. Then, when she goes to bed, we can gossip," she concedes lightly.

"I'd like that," I tell her as I start picking at the seam of my jeans.

"Good. It's a date. Just let me know when. I have nothing going on, so either tonight or tomorrow works."

"Sounds good."

"Mommy!"

I sigh as I push off the floor to stand. "I have to go check Ari's hair to make sure she got the soap out. I'll text you later."

"Alright, tell my little girl I said to be good, and I'll see her soon."

"I will. Bye," I say as I slip into the bathroom.

"Later."

"You ready for me?" I ask as I slip my phone into my pocket.

"Yep."

Thankfully, Ari did a good job washing the shampoo and conditioner out of her hair.

"Be careful," I tell her as I watch her step out of the shower.

I bite my tongue when I see her roll her eyes at me while I wrap the towel around her.

"I don't want to wear that," Ari says as she hands me her towel.

"That's what you told me you wanted to wear this morning, last night," I remind her as I hang the towel to try over the shower pole that holds the curtain.

"Well, I changed my mind. I want my princess shirt."

I feel my eye twitch.

Parenting 101: Pick your fights.

"Fine."

Ari scrambles out of the bathroom and straight into the bedroom.

"Coming!" I holler when I hear a knock on the door.

"I wanna answer it!" Ari yells.

"No, you need to get dressed," I say over my shoulder as I make my way across the apartment.

I swing the door open and come face-to-face with Mason.

"Good morning," he rasps.

"It's morning, alright."

He raises a brow but doesn't say anything as our daughter throws herself into his arms.

"Daddy! You're here."

He picks her up and gives her a hug. "Of course I am. Where else would I be?"

Ari's little shoulder shrugs.

"We need to brush your hair," I remind her.

"Seems like I just missed bathtime, huh?"

"I take showers. Baths are for little girls," Ari tells him seriously before turning to me. "I don't want to brush my hair."

I start shaking my head before she can even finish the sentence. "Nope, hair brushing is nonnegotiable. Go grab your brush so we can get it done," I remind her.

Mason sets her down, and Ari stomps down the hall.

He turns to me and raises a brow.

"It's been a morning," I tell him as he flips the lock on the front door.

"Has it?"

"Unfortunately. Hopefully, now that you're here, she won't keep acting out."

Mason steps forward and pulls me into a hug. "You know it's not personal, right? I'm just new and shiny compared to you."

"Gee, thanks. Every woman wants to hear they aren't new and shiny," I deadpan as I rest my forehead against his chest.

Mason squeezes me tight, and I hear him rumble. "That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"Say what you want to say."

"How do you know I want to say something?"

I pull away slightly to look at him. "I can feel it in your body language."

Ever so slightly, Mason shifts as he looks over my shoulder, down the hallway, before looking back at me. "You haven't gotten to hang out with your best friend since I found out about Ari."

"I haven't." I shake my head.

I feel Mason lightly run his hand through the back of my hair. "What if you leave Ari with me for a few hours and go get some girl time?"

"That's sweet, but you don't have to." I move to pull out of his hold, but Mason doesn't let me go."

"I know I don't have to, but I want to. You deserve the break."

I bite my lip as I think about it. It's what Chloe said. That I should be giving him more parental responsibility. The little voice in the back of my head keeps telling me to keep her close, though.

"What is holding you back?" he asks.

"It's hard for me to trust. There's still a lot of hurt here." I rub over my chest.

"What if we stay here for the night? We won't leave at all, even to get ice cream. I will have everything delivered. You can check in by phone anytime you want."

My nerves start to recede as he says what I need to hear. That he is willing to do this at my pace and on my terms. Those weren't even terms I would consider, but now that he has said them, I realize that is what I needed.

"Are you sure?" I ask reluctantly.

"Positive."

"Chloe did mention she wanted to get together tonight or tomorrow night."

"Call her back and set it up," Mason encourages me.

"Are you positive?"

"Absolutely."

I step out of his hold and grab my phone from my back pocket. I shoot Chloe a text asking her if she still wants to get together.

"Thank you," I tell Mason as I wait for her to respond.

"You don't have to thank me for doing the bare minimum, Livvy," he says gently.

I nod as Ari comes back into the room with her brush in hand.

* * *

As soon as Olivia answered the door, I could see the defeat on her face. Then, when Arianna sassed back, I knew it had been a morning. I wanted to scold her for talking to her mother like that, but I kept my mouth shut.

I don't know how Olivia would take me stepping in on her behalf and reprimanding our little girl.

"How about I brush her hair and you take a minute for yourself?" I offer.

"You really want to tackle all that sass?"

"Yes."

Olivia's shoulders sag, and she whispers, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

I watch her as she walks down the hall. Her shutting the bedroom door quietly has me moving across the room to Ari.

"Are you ready for me to help you with your hair?"

Ari looks up at me and frowns. "I thought Mommy was going to do my hair."

"I told her I could do it," I tell her as I sit down next to her.

"But you're a boy."

"And…"

"Boys don't know how to do hair."

I bite back my chuckle. "Some boys do. Besides, all I'm going to do is brush it, and I do that to mine every day."

Reluctantly, she hands me her hairbrush. "If you're sure."

"Turn."

Ari turns her back to me, and I start working the brush through her ends before making my way higher up. "How did you sleep last night?"

Her little shoulder shrugs. "Fine."

"Only fine? Did you have a bad dream or something?"

"You weren't here," she admits softly.

Guilt hits me full force as I squeeze my eyes shut.

Shit.

I always want to be here. It only took this little girl reaching for me that first day, and I knew I was a goner. I would do anything for my little girl.

The only problem is she comes with a mom. One that I would love to reconnect with. Maybe we will progress to being a real couple one day. Only she's not ready for that yet. She needs more time to process and learn to trust me again.

Even though it was my mother who made the decision to keep them from me, Olivia still has the trauma of hearing I didn't want them. That I wanted her to get rid of Ari.

I rub my chest at the thought. It's the one that I've been struggling with most. Knowing my mother, a woman I love, told Olivia to end my child's life. I still haven't fully come to grips with all of it.

Still, that damage she did created scars. Because of her, I missed out on watching Olivia's body change, on her giving birth, and on being a part of Ari's life until now. Even now, I can't be with my child all the time. I have to go home because Olivia feels it is moving too fast. She's hesitant, and as much as I hate it, I can't blame her. She's doing what she has to do to protect our daughter. I respect the hell out of it. Even if it sucks.

"I'm sorry. I stayed at my place last night," I tell Ari, not wanting to tell her I would have been here, but her mom needed space.

I would never throw Olivia under the bus like that.

"I know. Mommy told me that you can't stay here all the time because you have your own house." She sounds sad now.

I raise my brow. "Did she now?"

Ari hums as I keep brushing through her hair even though I'm done.

"She's right, you know. There will be nights that I can't stay here because I'm at my place or because I'm out of town for work. Know that even on those nights, I wish I was here with you."

Ari turns and looks at me over her shoulder with a crease between her eyebrows. "You work?"

I toss my head back and laugh.

This fucking kid.

"Yes, I work."

"Huh, I didn't know that. What do you do?"

"I run several businesses."

"That sounds boring."

"I'm sure it does, but I like it." I chuckle.

"Do you get to go to cool places?"

I think about it for a moment as I set down her hairbrush.

"Yeah, sometimes I do," I say as I think about some of the places I've been.

"I've never been anywhere." Ari pouts.

I tap her nose with my finger. "Maybe someday you and Mommy can come with me and we can go explore."

Ari's eyes light up. "Really? You mean it?"

I nod. "I do."

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of having them with me.

They could hang out and do whatever they wanted during the day while I work, and then when I'm done, I could meet up with them.

We could make memories together as a family.

An image of Ari and Livvy bundled up playing in the snow outside of a chalet comes to mind.

Pulling up, I get out of the vehicle right as both of my girls look my way.

"Daddy!" Ari screams before waddling toward me.

I bite back a chuckle as I pick up my little girl who's decked out in cold-weather gear.

"Hey, Daddy," Livvy teases as she approaches.

"Hey, Mommy." I smirk as I pull her into my arms and kiss her on the lips.

"Ew!" Ari moans, making Livvy and me chuckle.

"Have you two had a good day?" I ask.

"It's better now that you're here," Livvy says as she falls into my side.

I close my eyes as I hold both of my girls in my arms.

This. This is what it's all about.

"Can we go ski now, Daddy?"

"Of course. Just let me change real quick, and we can go."

"Daddy, are you okay?"

I shake my head and see Ari staring at me with worry.

"I'm fine. Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Did it hurt?"

I bite back my smile. "Not at all. In fact, I have a question."

"What?"

I pull her into my lap and hold her close. "Tell me, how do you feel about the snow?"

Ari's eyes light up. "I love the snow, but Mommy says I can't stay out very long or I might get sick."

I hum as the idea takes root. Someday I'll take them both to Switzerland or somewhere else and experience a European winter. Spend the day hanging out with both of them, and then the nights will be just for Livvy and me.

"Your mommy is very smart."

Ari nods. "She is."

"What are you two talking about?"

I look over my shoulder and feel my heartbeat kick up.

Even in a pair of leggings with an oversized graphic T-shirt and a sweater over top, Olivia looks amazing. I can tell she added some makeup, and she took the time to throw her hair up and put in some hoop earrings.

She's effortlessly beautiful and mine.

Even if she doesn't want to admit it yet.

"Daddy asked me if I like snow."

Olivia's eyes move to mine. "Ari loves the snow, me, not so much. I'm not a fan of the cold."

"I'll keep you warm," I quip back.

Livvy rolls her eyes. "You're ridiculous."

"And you're beautiful."

Livvy fights off a smile. "We need to schedule you an eye appointment. Clearly, you need to get your eyes checked."

"My eyesight is just fine, promise."

"Chloe is free to hang out tonight if your offer still stands," Olivia says, changing the subject.

"It is."

"Cool. Then I'll only be gone a few hours, and if you need me, I'll come right home."

I roll my eyes. "We'll be fine. All you need to do is worry about having a good time, and when you're ready to come home, I'll have my driver grab you."

Livvy shakes her head. "That won't be necessary. I can take a taxi or something."

"It's either my driver or Ari and me. You choose, but I'm not letting you get in a cab at night."

Livvy sighs. "Fine."

I smile. "Great, now that we have that figured out, what do you two want to do today?"