“Sure, baby. We’ll find out when signups are, okay?” Now that I’ve found my voice, I turn my attention back to Rod and Isabelle. “What can I do for you two?”
“Miss Daisy, I left my picture here. Can I take it home to show my mommy?”
“Yes, you sure can, sweetheart. I’ll get it for you.” I robotically move to the back to the room where I put her painting away for safekeeping, feeling Rod’s eyes burning holes in the back of my head the entire way.
“Color me surprised and speechless. You’re my niece’s new teacher?” His eyes narrow, his lips are parted, and he tilts his head to the side as I hand the drawing to Isa.
A fleeting memory of a Caribbean conversation about family comes back to me. He mentioned his affection for his sister and niece. Now he’s here with her.
“Apparently so.”
His eyes cut over to Landen, then back to me. I know what he’s thinking without him saying a single word. Today holds more than one unexpected surprise for him.
I may have neglected to mention I have a son, who was staying with my parents while I ran off to a tropical island with my best friend.
My bad.
“Come on, Uncle Rod. Let’s go see Mommy now.” Isa tugs on his hand, but his eyes never leave mine.
“To be continued.”
That felt like an ominous warning. He was the one who deserted me on a tropical island, not the other way around. If he thinks I owe him any kind of explanation, he can think again, but on his own time and far away from me.
There’s nothing between us that needs to be continued. My only connection to him now is I’m Isabelle’s teacher, nothing more, nothing less.
“Sure. We can talk during the next parent-teacher meeting.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Rod
When I left Daisy in Punta Cana two weeks ago, I accepted the notion I’d never see her again, that what we had was only a vacation fling, and my mind would return to normal once I was home. Over the last couple of weeks since returning home, I’d convinced myself those lies were true. That when I hurt her, it was for her own good, so she’d see the real Rod Stone before it was too late to save her from me. So she could turn her back on me and walk away now rather than later.
Then I walked in Isa’s classroom, and there she was, long blonde hair, big blue eyes, smoking hot body, prompting every possible meaning of hot for teacher to float through my mind. The odds of the sexy siren I met in the Caribbean being my niece’s teacher are astronomical. There’s no way this was all because of chance. But, in that first second when I laid eyes on her, it didn’t matter who, how, or what was behind our reunion.
She was there, and the living, breathing connection between us was still thriving.
“I can’t wait to show Mommy my drawing. Miss Daisy said it was beautiful. Do you think it is, Uncle Rod?” Isa looks up at me, hope blooming in her eyes.
“Miss Daisy was right. You drew a beautiful picture for your mom. She will love it.”
Speaking of mommy, it would seem there’s something rather significant Daisy failed to mention when we were getting to know each other better. Even after we bared our souls and decided to try a genuine relationship, before I fucked it up at the water park. She has a child with someone else. He’s older than Isa, but not by much.
Was she married before? Is her ex still in her life? Does she have any other children? So many questions present, one after the other, until I question everything I thought I knew about her. Having a son is a more than a minor detail from her past that she may or may not have wanted to share. A ready-made family is an enormous responsibility for a career bachelor like me to consider.
Even though I can’t deny how my blood pressure spiked when I saw her, my focus is on getting Juliana well and ensuring Isabelle feels safe and secure while her world is upside down. Now that I’ve put some distance between us and can think straight again, I remind myself of one thing, wrong time, wrong place, wrong man. There’s no chance of picking back up where we left off before she abruptly moved out of my suite, regardless of how often she’s on my mind.
Or how many times per week I’ll have to see Daisy now that I’m helping Juliana by taking Isa to school or picking her up.
Isa and I walk into the hospital to see Juliana. The treatments—chemotherapy medications and radiation therapy—have taken a toll on her body, and her immune system can’t fight off even the most basic infections. For her safety, the doctor put her in isolation. Since children are walking petri dishes of germs, Isabella can only talk to her mom on the phone and see her through the window. It’s hell on both of them to be apart, but we’ll get through it for the short term. This pain will be worth it in the end.
The nurses have been extra accommodating to Isa, including her in everything except going into Juliana’s room with them. When we arrive on the floor, Isa takes off running to the nurse on duty. We’ve gotten to know everyone who works in this area over the last week.
“Lexi, look what I brought Mommy!” Isa holds up her artwork and beams with pride.
“You did so good, sweetheart. Let me grab the tape and you can hang it up for her, okay?”
“Yes!” Isa nods enthusiastically, still wearing the innocent smile of a loved child. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep that smile intact.
Juliana
