I shook my head before I could form a word. A family? No fucking way. I vowed to never prevent Gwen from having a relationship with her mom if Simone ever changed hermind. Gwen deserved to know her mom, even if it made me nervous. But a family? No.
“You’re going to get back in your car and stay out of sight. Gwen is trying out a babysitter tonight, and once I get her set up, then I will meet you down at the park.” I jutted my chin toward the playground fifty yards away. “You will never show up to my house again. I will answer your calls, but my house is off-limits.”
She nodded, but the light left her eyes. “You’re being so cruel.”
“No, I’m not. You’re barging into my life, into Gwen’s, without a single thought about us. You’re only thinking about yourself, which is typical. So let me be a father, and I’ll talk to you in a bit.”
I went inside and shut the door. Holy shit.
“Daddy! Look at my house! Look!” Gwen cheered and wiggled her hand at me. “Come see!”
It took the strength of a legion of men, but I forced a smile. “That looks amazing, baby girl. You’re so creative.”
“I’m good.”
“Yes, you are.” I pulled her into me, smelling her fruity shampoo and trying not to break. She deserved the best, and if that meant hearing Simone out, I’d do it. “Frankie is gonna be here soon. Are you excited?”
“Yes!” She wiggled her hips. “We’re gonna play dinos!”
Frankie arrived, and I held it together as best I could. I wanted to call my parents and beg them to come back—but what could they do? This was a conversation for Simone and me. I was Gwen’s father. I could do this.
I sweat as I made the short walk toward the park. A white sedan was parked off to the side, and I knocked on the window. It was cold out, but I wasn’t getting in the car with her.
She got out and leaned against the side, her features showcasing Gwen’s best. Gwen had gotten her face shape, her eye shape, her hair, and cute nose. Simone was a short-term fling, not someone I ever would’ve had a relationship with. But when she showed up with Gwen, we tried to make it work but she lasted a week. She stayed at my house for a week, hating every second. I could see it on her face, in her eyes, and yeah, she was miserable. That Saturday morning, she made me a single parent.
That felt like a lifetime ago.
“Why are you here?” I barked out.
She pursed her lips, staring at the ground before the facade dropped. Her shoulders slumped, and when she met my gaze, her eyes glistened. “I’m not happy. I thought I wanted to live in Europe free to find acting jobs, but it didn’t work.” She gulped and stared out onto the playground.
“So you tried, and now you want to be a mom?” I gritted out. I didn’t want to be cruel, I really didn’t, but she abandoned my sweet girl. Me. The idea of a family. She missed out on a million wonderful moments, and I wasn’t sure I could forgive her for that. I swore that I could hear Charlotte’s voice in my head though, willing me to calm down.
This is Gwen’s mom, Hop. This is bigger than you.
I cleared my throat and forced a smile. “This is a shock to me, Simone. I hadn’t heard from you in years, and you show up without warning. At my house. It’s a lot to takein.” I moved toward a bench and sat down a few feet from her.
She swallowed, hard. “I’m not here to mess up her life. I just want to try again.”
“And you thought showing up at my house, with Gwen there, was the right choice?”
“I tried calling!” She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Look, I’m living with my parents in town, and you might see me around.”
“Wait.” I blinked. “Your parents live here in town?”
They had never once expressed interest in meeting Gwen. Instead of anger, a deep, painful sadness ached in my chest. They missed out on knowing Gwen, seeing her smile and play in the rain and show off her new dance moves. Even thinking about missing those moments made me ill.
“They just learned about her.” She barely spoke above a whisper.
“What?” I almost shouted. There was no way she could mean that. “You… Simone. You never told your parents they are grandparents.”
“Yeah, until last week.” She paled. “They—Look, you can judge me all you want—”
“I’m not judging, Simone.” Okay, maybe a little bit. I ran a finger over my brow, willing myself to stay calm. “This is so fucked up.”
“I know, Hayden. On my list of fuckups, this is at the top.” She covered her face with her hands, her shoulders slumping. “They are furious at me for keeping it from them, shaming me for leaving her, for all of it. They said I need to grow up and take responsibility, and if I’m goingto do that, I want to do that with you. You’re the best dad, Hayden. Our daughter deserves a chance at having a family. We had some good memories in our short time together. I just wasn’t ready.”
A flicker of what-if went through me. If Simone would’ve said this anytime from the day Gwen became mine until the resort, I would’ve tried. I owed it to Gwen to try to have a relationship with her mom. I dreamed of her coming back that first year. But now? I was in love with Charlotte.
