Page 75 of Double Daddies
“Look!” she squealed when the lead float rounded the corner. Pirates in full costume threw beads and coins while performing mock sword fights. Each new float brought fresh delight. There were mermaids on waves of blue silk, treasure chests spilling fake gold, and even a massive kraken puppet that made her duck behind Drake with a playful shriek.
“Look! Blackbeard’s ship!” Elle pointed as the street performers began their show. She leaned forward, entranced by the theatrical sword fights and exaggerated deaths.
“You’re supposed to boo the villains, babygirl,” Damian whispered in her ear.
Elle immediately cupped her hands around her mouth. “Booo! Get him, Blackbeard!”
“Not like that. Blackbeard is the villain.” Drake’s shoulders shook with silent laughter. Not that she blamed him, she was rather surprised by her childlike enjoyment. “Our Little is certainly getting into the spirit.”
“I am not—” Elle started to protest, then got distracted by a particularly dramatic sword flourish. “Did you see that? He almost got him!”
This was dangerous, she realized. The ease with which she slipped into their world. The joy bubbling up inside her had surpassed pretense. The contract’s end date loomed like a shadow over her happiness.
Later, as they gathered for the swimming race, Elle grabbed Drake’s arm. “Please don’t go in. What if you get a cramp?”
Memories of one of her older cousin’s drowning flooded back. She would never forget the frantic calls from the beach and the lifeguards rushing into the waves. The haunting silence when they had finally pulled him out had given her nightmares for months. She had been twelve and stood helplessly watching as they tried to resuscitate him. His cramp had hit halfway back to shore, just like so many others who had underestimated the ocean’s power.
“Love, I’ve won this race for five years running.” He kissed her forehead. “Trust Daddy to know what he’s doing.”
Elle’s fingers dug into his arm. “Tommy was a strong swimmer, too.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She hadn’t spoken his name in nineteen years.
Drake’s expression softened with understanding. He cupped her face in his hands. “Is that what this is about? Your cousin?”
She nodded, not even realizing that he knew about him without her having told them. She hated the burn of tears in her eyes. “Everyone said he was the best swimmer in the family.”
“Look at me, princess.” Drake waited until she met his gaze. “I’m a certified lifeguard. I taught swimming throughout my college years, and Daddy Damian will be watching every second. Nothing’s going to happen to your Daddy.”
She chewed her thumbnail as the swimmers lined up, pressing against Damian’s side. The starting gun cracked, and they were off, disappearing into the waves. Elle watched with fear as she clutched Damian’s arm.
“Look how far ahead Daddy Drake is.” Damian pointed when the swimmers rounded the buoy and were heading back to shore.
Elle’s worry transformed into excitement. “Go, Daddy! Faster!” She jumped up and down, screaming encouragement until her voice went hoarse, not even realizing that in her excitement, she shouted out Daddy at the top of her voice for all to hear, but it didn’t matter. The pride swelling in her chest felt real… too real.
The moment Drake’s feet hit the sand, Elle launched herself at him. Water soaked through her dress as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You won! You’re the best swimmer ever!”
“Careful, babygirl,” Drake laughed as he spun her around. “You’ll get all wet.”
“Don’t care.” She peppered his face with kisses. “My Daddy is the Pirate Festival’s champion.”
“It warms my heart to witness how proud our Little is of her Daddy.” Damian’s smile threatened to circle his entire face.
Elle was too busy basking in Drake’s victory to acknowledge how naturally the role fit her now. Hugging him tight, one question kept swirling through her mind. How could she walk away from this? From them? But she had to. Didn’t she? Since this wasn’t the kind of life she could live until the end of time, there was only one answer. The contract would end, and, with it, this perfect fantasy of belonging.
The crowd began to move like a reverent wave toward Governor’s Beach. Elle could feel the anticipation in the air as she found herself wedged between her Daddies with their hands linked as they picked their way across the sand. They had barely found a spot when the crowd started to hum with excitement.
“Look!” she whispered as the first tiny head poked through the sand. The turtle hatchling emerged, no bigger than her palm, followed by dozens more. They scrambled toward the ocean as their instincts guided them home.
Elle watched, transfixed, as the tiny creatures raced toward freedom. Just like she would when the contract ended. But unlike her planned escape, theirs came with devastating odds. Most wouldn’t survive their first week in the vast ocean. They were too small, too vulnerable to predators lurking beneath the surface.
Her throat tightened. Wasn’t she doing the same thing? Running headlong toward freedom that might destroy her? These men had given her safety, security, and love, yet she was determined to abandon it all. For what? A solitary existence where she would never feel this complete again?
“They’re so tiny and yet so brave,” she murmured, leaning back against Drake’s chest as another wave of hatchlings made their dash.
“They are nature’s true warriors,” Damian agreed as he squeezed her hand.
Walking back to the hotel, Elle’s steps slowed. “Thank you,” she said softly. “Both of you. This... this was always my dream, but I never thought…” She swallowed hard. “Mom and Dad promised to bring me one year, but then the accident…”
Drake pulled her close. “They were here with you today, babygirl.”
