Page 26 of Dragon Daddy's Second Chance

CHAPTER 15

***BLAKE***

Blake watched Wren set the sail on the small sailboat, a big smile on her face, then looked down at Theo, who was staring at his mother, a look of concern on his face. “Don’t worry, she’ll be fine,” he said. “Your mom is a better sailor than anyone I know, well, except for Montgomery. How would you like to meet my friend Max?”

“He’s the guy that owns this place, right?” Theo asked. “He must be super rich. I bet he has a big house and a swimming pool.”

“I don’t know about super rich, but Max does own the resort,” he said. “He has a cabin just like the one we’re staying in, and his swimming pool is the ocean, but he wants to meet you.”

Theo looked disappointed. “Oh, okay,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “I hope there’s something fun to do there.”

“I’m sure we can find something to entertain you, and I won’t be long,” he said, smiling down at his son. “Can you keep a secret?”

“Sure, I’m really good at it,” Theo said proudly. “I nevertold anyone that Tommy was the one who broke the window.”

Theo slapped his hand over his mouth. “That’s okay. Wherever Tommy is, he’s safe from me,” he said, trying not to laugh. “How would you feel if I asked your mom to marry me? I want to make sure it’s okay with you before I do. A lot of things are changing really fast.”

Theo was silent as they walked along the path, then he looked up at Blake, his little face as serious as any five-year-old could be. “I’ve never seen my mom so happy, I think that you’re good for her, and that means you’ll be good for me too,” he said. “Besides, you’re my dad, you’re supposed to be married to my mom. It’s just the way things are done. I don’t know why you didn’t do it before.”

“That’s a story for when you’re older,” he said, crouching down next to Theo. “Will you be my best man? It’s a lot of responsibility, but I think you can handle it.”

Theo perked up. “Do I get to eat as much cake as I want?” he asked. “I like wedding cake, it always has frosting flowers on it. I like to stick the whole thing in my mouth at once.”

“You bet, that’s one of the perks,” he said. “Now we just have to talk your mom into it.”

“She won’t say no,” Theo said. “She likes you a lot.”

“Well, I need to ask for Max’s help. I can’t propose without a ring,” he said, standing up and taking Theo’s hand. “I’m going to run over to the big island this afternoon. I need you to keep your mom busy while I’m gone. Do you think you can do that?”

“Hmm…” Theo’s face scrunched up as he thought about it. “She promised to take me fishing. Will that work?”

“That’s perfect,” he said, beaming at his son. “Just remember, this is a secret, I want to surprise her with the ring.”

Theo mimicked zipping his lips shut. “I won’t say a word, Dad,” he said. “I promise.”

It was the first time Theo had called him Dad, and he had to hold back tears. “Thanks, Son,” he said. “You’re a great kid, I’m proud to be your father.”

Lisa flopped down in the shade under a palm tree and stared at the ocean, a scowl on her face, frustrated and angry that her plan wasn’t going as well as she’d hoped. It had all seemed so simple when she’d come up with it a year ago. She’d been so sure that Wren would play right into her hands, she always had in the past. But she’d made the mistake of under estimating her sister, assuming that she’d be so desperate to get out of Dublin and the pathetic life she lived there that she’d jump at the chance to come home.

It had never occurred to her that Wren might not want to make up with their parents. She hadn’t realized how much her sister had changed, hadn’t really listened when they talked. Now that she understood that the old way of getting what she wanted clearly wasn’t going to work on Wren, she’d have to come up with a new angle. Marrying Bruce was all she wanted in life, and her sister was the only thing standing in her way. She had to get her to come home and behave like a good daughter.

The way things stood now, that was never going to happen and she had to find a way to turn the tide, to get her sister to agree to help clear their name in town. Her entire future depended on it. Feeling like everything was hopeless, she sat staring out at the ocean, her perfect future going up in flames, sure that her life was over, that she’d end up single and alone. It wasn’t fair, she was the pretty one, she was the smart one. Wren shouldn’t get everything she wanted, she didn’t deserve it. She’d humiliated them all by getting pregnant.

Anger and frustration building inside her, the urge to hit something growing stronger. She started to get up but spotted Blake and Wren coming down the beach, Theobetween them. Scooting back deeper into the shade, she watched them, smiling and happy with a plan beginning to form in her mind. Blake was her sister’s biggest weakness. Without him, she would be devastated, willing to listen to reason and come home. The world suddenly didn’t look like such a bad place when Lisa realized how easy it would be to bring her sister down, and a smile slowly spread across her face.

Biding her time, she watched Blake help Wren set up beach chairs and fishing poles, then kiss her sister goodbye before slipping out of her hiding place and hurrying up the beach. She found a good place to watch for Blake, then followed him down to the docks, a bit surprised he was leaving the island, then prepared herself for the biggest seduction of her life. Men were all alike, and she was sure a man like Blake wouldn’t be able to resist the gifts God had given her. All it would take was one kiss, and her sister’s heart would be broken.

***Wren***

Wren reeled in her line and stepped back from the shore. “I think it’s time for something cold to drink,” she said, wiping the sweat from her face. “Maybe we should give the fishing a rest for a while, I don’t think they’re biting right now.”

“I’m not ready to quit. I want to keep practicing,” Theo said, then shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t care if I don’t catch anything, this is fun.”

“Okay, but stay back from the water, no going in for any reason,” she said. “I’ll just be sitting right over there, call if you get into any trouble.”

“Mom, I’m not a baby, I’ll be fine,” Theo said with a huff. “I’m just fishing, nothing bad is going to happen, and I’m wearing my life jacket.”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry, but I’m your mother, and it’s my job to worry about you,” she said, walking over and giving him a hug. “That’s never going to change, so you might as well get used to it.”

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