Merry with a Brewmaster (The Love Beach Holiday Collection)

5. Wells

5

WELLS

V ienna and I left the Book & Barrel with a basic agreement in place. Things like no walking around naked had been my addition, and she’d snickered like that wasn’t something she’d do just to mess with me.

Because it absolutely was.

She’d been a dream strolling into the bar—a fantasy—and now one that I couldn’t act on. But more than that, I wanted to bend her over the bar and fuck her one last time. Make her beg until she submitted to me—until the power dynamic wasn’t so heavily shifted in her favor.

Bending her over the bar wasn’t really an option, but I’d had half a mind to take her out to my car and fuck her in the backseat like teenagers. Unfortunately, I’d had to settle for jerking off in the shower and acknowledging that would most likely be my life for the undetermined future.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I grunt as I pull it out and stare down at the message.

VIENNA: What if she doesn’t like me?

Blowing out a breath, I smile, because this side of Vienna is the one I only ever got post orgasm. The one where she was content with a dreamy expression and let me cuddle and caress her.

WELLS: She’ll love you.

VIENNA: How do you know?

WELLS: You’re way more fun than I am.

VIENNA: That’s a given.

WELLS: So then don’t worry about it

VIENNA: Easy for you to say

WELLS: We’ll see you at the playground in a couple minutes

“Ready, kiddo?” I ask Haven as she comes bounding into the kitchen. Her hair is in a loose ponytail and she’s wearing a tank top, biking shorts, and two different socks.

“Yup!”

“Okay, get your sneakers on. We’re meeting her at the elementary school.”

Skipping toward the door, she slides on her shoes, and I grab the backpack I take everywhere that holds a change of clothes, snacks, water, sunscreen, and an assortment of other things that have been shoved into the pouches.

We’re silent as we make our way out to the car. Haven buckles herself into her booster seat as I climb into the front and start the car. The directions say we’re about a block from the school when Haven’s voice startles me from the back.

“Do you think she’ll like me?”

Wringing her hands in her seat, she stares out her window, and my heart breaks a little in my chest.

“She’s going to love you.”

“But do you think she likes unicorns and soccer and things like that?”

Pulling into a spot, I put the car in park and unbuckle my seatbelt so I can turn and look at my daughter, her eyes so full of hope and wariness it guts me to my core. And I know in this moment, I’ll do everything I can to keep things between Vienna and me strictly professional.

Because I have to.

For Haven.

“Vienna is going to be excited to learn about all the things you’re excited about. I know she loves flowers and you know what else?”

“What?”

“That’s the most fun thing about meeting new people, isn’t it?” I ask. “Learning what they like and seeing what you have in common? I bet you two will have a lot in common,” I say confidently and she nods, her expression matching mine as she unbuckles and waits for me to open her door.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah?”

“Will you fix my ponytail? I don’t want it to fall out.”

“Of course.”

Taking my time, I run my fingers through the cinnamon-colored strands, gathering them higher and making sure to get all the bumps out before tying the elastic tightly.

She beams when I give it a quick tug, the ritual less about her needing me to fix her hair and more about her knowing I’m here and we’re in this together.

Taking her hand, I lead her around the side of the building to the back where the playground is located. Vienna stands and smiles, a bouquet of pink gerbera daisies in her hand.

“You must be Haven,” she says sweetly as she bends down to look my daughter in the eye. “Your dad told me you like pink. I totally do too, and these are some of my favorites because they last a lot longer than other flowers, and I just think they look happy.”

Vienna blushes like she didn’t mean to ramble on, but Haven’s smile is wide and toothy as she takes the offered flowers and holds them against her chest.

“I love them,” she says before studying them. “They’re very happy.”

“Haven,” I gently remind her as she hands me the bouquet.

“Thank you,” she says, turning back to Vienna. “Do you like the monkey bars?”

“Definitely.”

I drop onto the bench that Vienna had vacated and watch as they run around the playground, giggling and just being silly. It’s a side of Vienna I hadn’t expected, but the longer I watch them, the more I know that she’s the perfect fit for Haven.

For us.

I ignore the little voice whispering sweet nothings in my mind because right now my daughter’s happiness is all that matters.

I let them play for a while before interrupting their fun and offering Haven her water bottle.

“Kiddo, I need to talk to Vienna for a couple minutes, all right?”

“Okay, but after that, can we go on the swings?”

“Definitely,” Vienna answers as she follows me back to the bench. “She’s amazing.” The awe in her voice has me turning my head to look at her.

“She’s the best,” I agree. “She loves having Saige so close, but she hasn’t had a lot of female influence since Kim left. My ex-wife is a fucking nightmare when it comes to keeping her word, so Haven craves that feminine stability. I can make all the voices in the story and paint her nails, braid her hair, and make cookies, but she needs more.”

“I kind of want to throttle your ex-wife,” she says casually, her gaze sliding to mine, gauging my reaction.

I shrug because same.

“You won’t get any arguments from me on that.” Vienna’s lips twitch.

“Does she know you’re hiring a nanny?”

I nod. “She had some comments , but I reminded her that if she’s not present, she doesn’t get an opinion.”

“How’d she take that?” Vienna asks, sounding impressed.

Lifting one shoulder and letting it drop, I give her the truth. “She told me to go fuck myself.”

She laughs, and I’d forgotten how much I love the sound. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Should I add don’t get arrested to our agreement?”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

I chuckle and then sober as I say, “Haven needs someone who’s not me all the time to tell her that her dress looks pretty and to play dress-up or hell, do that play makeup shit that took me six different cleaners to get out of her favorite blanket.”

“I didn’t think I’d be this excited,” she says honestly, her expression unguarded as she searches my gaze.

“I’m glad you are.”

“Vienna, can you come swing now?” Haven yells, and I nod.

“Thank you,” Vienna says.

“For what?”

“For not giving up on me. I know this isn’t what either of us thought would happen after that last night, but it feels right.”

I swallow hard and try not to let myself read too much into that statement.

“Me too.”

“This is gonna be fun, Wells,” Vienna calls over her shoulder as she jogs toward the swings, and I send up a silent prayer because I’m pretty sure her version of fun and mine are a little different these days.