Page 2 of Finding Forever

He didn’t even spare me a glance before brushing me off. “I’ve seen all of you, in case you’ve forgotten.”

Like I could forget. Sometimes I wished I could, but Mycah was a shining reminder of just how much of me he’d seen.

“I’m going to be out for a few hours.”

Of course, he was leaving. It wasn’t enough that he had to work while we were here on a vacation thatheplanned, but now he was going to be physically absent as well. Fantastic.

“Fine. Just get out.” I waved my hand towards the door.

This time, he did look at me. His eyebrows quirked and an annoyingly cocky smirk played about his thick lips before he shook his head and turned to leave.

“Later.”

∞∞∞

“Ooh, honey. Look at this shell!” I sang excitedly, bending to pick up the seashell in question.

Ever since we got to the beach, I’d been pulling out all the stops trying to keep my child entertained and from the pout on his face, it wasn’t working. Not even a little. Mycah had done a good job of masking his emotions until his dad walked out of the cottage earlier. It was as if he’d learned to hold it together until he was allowed to be vulnerable and that had hurt to witness. He was a child. There was no reason for him to know how to turn it on and off.

“Do you want to take a break from collecting shells and have a snack?” I asked, feeling deflated. I didn’t have a backup plan in place. I’d exhausted all my options. We swam. We picked up shells. We named the seagulls. Nothing put that smile I adored so much back on his face.

I was starting to feel like all hope was lost until a high-pitched squeal broke through our bubble and a little girl that I could only assume was Penny came charging towards us. In awe, I observed Mycah come back to life. His cheeks inched up towards his eyes and every tooth in his mouth was on full display as he watched her gleeful approach.

Because we were walking along the shoreline, water splashed all over me when Penny jumped up and down in front of Mycah to celebrate her arrival. I was too enthralled by their interaction to notice anything else. That was, until a tall figure clouded my peripheral vision, pulling my eyes away from the kids and in his direction.

Oh, wow, he isgorgeous.

Though I couldn’t see his eyes behind the shades he wore, what I could see told me he was less than thrilled at having to chase down a small child on the beach. He was out of breath and annoyed, if the rigid set of his jaw or the straight line of his beautiful mouth had anything to say about it. Beautifully tanned and sinfully muscled, the man was something great to look at when he swooped down and scooped up the little girl in one swift motion.

Missing the slightly annoyed look on his face, the girl squealed like she’d just got on her favorite amusement park ride.

“Apologize for getting water all over this nice lady,” he demanded in a voice drenched in effortless authority. I didn’t know why the deep timbre of his voice shocked me. It perfectly matched his authoritative air. The man was clad in ankle length trousers and a white long-sleeved button-up shirt on the beach, though he was barefoot. I never believed I had a thing for toes until I saw his perfect set. They formed a very symmetrical ladder.

The little girl looked more delighted than reprimanded and burst out into giggles after sending me a shaky apology. The whole scene only made my smile grow wider. The man placed the girl back on her feet and looked as though he was about to speak, but his ringing phone interrupted whatever it was he was about to say. He shot me what I assumed was an apologetic look before pulling the device from his back pocket.

Mycah came to stand in front of me and tugged on my coverup.

“Mom, this is Penny!”

Maverick

This was supposed to be a breath of fresh air. But it was only day one and this vacation already felt like a mistake. During my divorce proceedings, I’d been the one who insisted on maintaining a yearly tradition of family vacations. It was one of the conditions I’d set in exchange for me continuing to pay higher alimony payments. And my ex-wife, a lover of anything that resulted in her financial gain, readily agreed.

Hence, the reason I was here on the beach chasing after my daughter and strongly reconsidering the entire clause. Of course, I’d insisted on bringing a nanny on this trip, only for Victoria to shut it down, claiming there would be no need because she would be on the beach with Penny daily.

I took the blame for believing that one. After being married to Victoria, I should have known better than to accept her word as fact. Now I felt like the asshole for stressing over the business meetings I had lined up. I knew it was our vacation, but I couldn’t afford to be fully absent from work. My clients depended on me. More importantly, so did my daughter.

This would be the last time I allowed us to leave for a trip without the proper arrangements in place. The weight of my decision suffocated me daily, particularly on days like this one. The usual dose of guilt I feel about choosing the wrong woman to impregnate came crashing down on me harder than the waves against the shore.

Speaking of the shore, I wondered who Penny was so happy to see. The little boy looked to be about her age and was just as ecstatic about their reunion. Before I could inquire just who these people were, my phone rang and pulled me away from the happy scene in front of me. Even as I talked through a deal on the phone, my gaze never wavered from the trio just yards away from me.

The children were busy building a sandcastle, but it was the woman who caught my eye. Her pink one-piece number was the perfect color against her medium caramel skin. It left a lot to the imagination, which made me more curious about her. Her thick hair was pulled up on her head while the curls remained loose. This made it easier to fully appreciate her pretty face and slender neck. I wished I could get a better look at her eyes and lips.

She had a gentle yet commanding presence over the children. She wasn’t hovering over them like a helicopter but maintained a close enough orbit to help them or answer their questions. And apparently, she was hilarious. I watched as both children shrieked in laughter after she responded to something they said. The kids were now rolling in the sand, giggling.

The sight of it almost compelled me to end my call prematurely and go figure out what was so hilarious.

Finally, the call ended, and I began my journey through the sand back to them. As I approached, I realized my earlier estimation of her wasn’t quite right. Her face wasn’t simply pretty, it was stunning. High cheek bones and dark eyes that hinted of warmth and awareness. Her brown skin was blemish free and glowing under the sun’s rays.

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