Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six

Will

A s soon as Maya had walked through my door, I'd felt a sense of calm. Her surprise visit was just what I needed, especially as she'd messaged earlier to say she was busy and would call me when she could. I had no idea it was because she was on her way to see me. Maddy had stayed to chat for a few minutes, but soon disappeared up to her room to leave us alone.

"And he just walked in?" Maya asked, shaking her head, surprise written all over her face. "Told you he was your dad and that was it?"

"Yeah." I scrubbed a hand down my face. "It's a total mind fuck."

"How did he find you? Did he say?"

Shaking my head, I reached for her hand, stroking the soft skin of her palm. "I have no idea. He knew my name because my mum wrote to him when I was born. We didn't even live around here, so not sure how he tracked me down. There must be millions of William Newman's in this world."

"It probably only took an investigator to find your birth certificate."

When she kissed my cheek, more warmth and calm enveloped me. Quickly, she had become my anchor in a storm—not that I'd had many since we'd been together. It had been one steady, but exciting, incredible ride, so far. I was determined that the thing with my dad was going to be a gentle speed bump, a little pot hole. I wasn't going to let it make us veer off the road we were on, because I wouldn't be letting Maya go. It would never be my choice if it ended, I could feel it in my chest. She was my person, the one who I wanted to always be with, and I was sure she was feeling the same way. I hoped that she was feeling the same way.

"What now?" Maya dragged my attention back the one thing that I wasn't sure about.

"He left. I told him to leave, and he went." Maya's eyes filled with tears, and she drew in a breath. "Hey," I soothed, squeezing her fingers gently. "What's wrong? I'm fine you know."

Her green eyes looked uncertain as they scrutinised me. "Are you sure because this is a huge thing, Will. All your life without a dad and then he walks in and out of your life within a matter of minutes." She cleared her throat of emotion. "I can't envisage not having my dad in my life, and for you not to have one, well…" She blew out her breath. "I just can't comprehend how that must feel. Wouldn't ever want to. Then to see what a great dad you are to Maddy without a role model, it's just incredible."

I laughed softly. "Clearly not that good because she's lied to me about boys staying over at the weekend. I know she has."

"How do you know?" Maya raised a sceptical eyebrow.

"I know." Exhaling, I looked up at the ceiling to the floor of her bedroom. "I could smell them the moment I walked through the door."

A rich giggle sounded out as Maya dropped her head to our joined hands. Her shoulders were shaking as she found what I'd said amusing.

"What?" I asked. "What's so funny?"

Her eyes lifted to mine, humour replacing the tears of a few minutes before. "You could smell them?"

"Yeah! Don't tell me you don't know what teenage boys smell like. You've got brothers."

"Can't say that I recall a specific smell."

"It's distinctive," I cried. "How can you not know it? And it was in my bloody house when I got home from yours."

Cool fingers cupped my cheek. "Oh baby, don't stress about it."

"She's seventeen, Maya."

"I know and in a few months she'll be eighteen, an adult, possibly living away from home. You're not going to know what's she doing. If she doesn't go away, you can't keep her locked up in the house. Besides," she said with a shrug, "you're the one trying to persuade her to leave home."

"Don't remind me." I groaned, turning my head so that I could kiss her palm at the side of my face.

She tickled my stubble with her fingertips and giggled. "Poor baby."

"It is poor bloody baby, so don't make fun of me." Christ, my heart felt full, stinky teenage boys aside. Maddy was my world, and now Maya was joining it, and she'd done nothing but enhance it. She and my daughter seemed to like each other and that was a huge weight off my shoulders, but it was getting that I couldn't imagine how I'd traverse it if they didn't.

"Seriously, Will, she's a fantastic young woman and she's bright and sensible and she's happy and that's because of you. She would never want to upset or disappoint you, so whatever she does it will be with the best of intention, so trust her."

I let out a short breath. "How did you get so wise about teenagers?"

"Well, I was a teenage girl, and my mum and dad were pretty cool when I was."

I hadn't realised how hard it was being a single parent; I'd always just got on with things. Sam and Louise had always helped, but big decisions had always been down to me. Now with Maya in my life, I'd at least have someone to check in with. And the idea of that made me equal parts scared and excited. Was I going too fast? Thinking too far ahead? I had no idea, but it felt right.

"Can I let you into a little secret," Maya said, tilting her head on one side.

My heart squeezed involuntarily, scared because of the furrow of her brow. "What?"

Worry flashed over her beautiful features, and I gritted my teeth, waiting for something bad.

"Don't be angry with her, because she did a good thing."

"Fucking hell. Tell me." My pulse began to race. "What is it?"

"I called earlier, and Maddy answered your phone. She asked me to come over. She said that you'd had a bad day." Her shoulders heaved, like she was relieved to have got it out. "She did that for you because she loves you, Will. Because you're a good dad and she's an amazing young woman, so don't worry about her too much."

I wasn't sure my heart could get any fuller, but in that moment it did. There was nothing more I wanted or needed to feel fulfilled.

"She did?" I whispered.

Maya nodded. "She did."

"And you didn't mind coming over here? You didn't feel pressured?" They weren't really questions because I knew the answers. They were statements of fact.

"Not at all. In fact," she said with a giggle, "I was glad of the excuse."

"She certainly understands me." I let a smile hitch at the corner of my lips. "She knows exactly what I needed."

As we watched each other, an intense energy crackled, sending a shiver over my skin. Maya's eyes were bright, and when she licked her lips, need and want twisted together in my stomach.

"I don't know if you realise this," I said, quietly as my hand moved up her arm, "but I really, really , like you."

Maya's gasp was quiet, more like a small inhale but combined with the tremble of her hand, I knew what it meant. She was feeling it too. The connection we had so soon. The desire to be together. The need to share the same space.

"I know," she admitted. "I really, really like you, too."

Euphoria was probably the word to describe the emotion I had bubbling inside of me. Excitement and happiness were overpowering any sensible thoughts that I should have. Yet, I held back from saying the words that were on the tip of my tongue. They didn't scare me, but I didn't want Maya frightened into making a decision that might damage my heart.

"Are you staying all night?" I asked, taking a lock of her hair and winding it around my finger, my gaze intent on hers.

"If that's okay. Maddy won't mind, will she?"

I shook my head. "We've had a conversation about it and she's more than happy. Besides, she wouldn't have asked you if she was."

Maya's smile was beaming as she gave a contented sigh. "Then I'd love to stay."

I knew then that if she'd have added the word forever to the end of that sentence, I really wouldn't have minded. Not one little bit.