Daddy’s Law by K.C. Crowne

Chapter 27

Ava

Imoved as if wading through a thick fog. Preparing for bed had never been such a hard task before. I didn’t want to slip beneath the covers and lay down because I knew I’d wake up the next morning and have to leave. I wanted to stave off the seconds and remain here with Theo and Cory, not be whisked off to an unknown location surrounded by people I didn’t know.

I’m a little too old to have another kid, you know?

His words echoed inside my skull. It was clear to me now where we stood. We were on two entirely different pages. No, different chapters. Even if I’d been foolish enough to entertain the idea of being in a relationship with Theo —even after all this madness— that we’d stand a chance of working out.

He’d already settled down and had a family of his own, whereas I was still looking to build one. That alone was enough to give me pause. We wanted different things. To top it all off, I was sure that neither of us wanted to inadvertently drag Cory into our confusing little dance. The logical thing to do was to accept things for what they were: a passionate, but brief affair.

That didn’t explain why I was so disappointed.

Somewhere deep down, the naive part of me was still holding out hope. This couldn’t be how we said goodbye, could it?

I sat on the edge of the bed —his bed— and tried not to be overwhelmed by his scent lingering on the sheets, the pillowcase, the very air I was breathing. I felt a tightness in my chest, a buzz thrumming through my veins. To think I didn’t even want a bodyguard to begin with, and now I was dreading the thought of waking up tomorrow and not having Theo by my side.

I was going to miss him. Far more than I ever thought I would. I think what hurt the most was knowing this was always how things were going to be. We were, at the end of the day, too different.

Different ages. Different priorities. Different worlds.

I was only ever going to be his son’s teacher, and he was only ever going to be my bodyguard. Trying to think up a scenario where we could have been together seemed like an impossibility. I had to make my peace with it, no matter how difficult it was for my heart to accept. No matter how much I wanted for us to be more.

There was a soft knock at the door. My heart shot up into my throat and stayed there. I’d never answered more quickly, pulling the door open so fast a rush of wind swept past me. Much to my disappointment, there was no one at eye-level. I looked down and found Cory.

“Hey, sweetie. What are you doing up?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” he murmured. “Dad’s downstairs doing work, so I didn’t want to bother him. Would you please read some of my book with me?”

No way in the world I was going to say no. “Of course,” I said, taking his hand to lead him back to his bedroom. “I wouldn’t mind a bedtime story, myself.”

Cory crawled back into bed and pulled the covers up to his chest. I pulled his desk chair over, using the dim light of his bedside lamp to pour over the book he’d picked. It was a thick leather-bound tome about times long ago. The book wasn’t exactly filled with brightness and cheer, but instead with ogres and knights and damsels in need of saving.

I closed the book with a huff. “Who wrote this?” I scanned the cover and found no author’s name. “That was the worst story I’ve ever read.”

“It’s some German fairytale,” Cory explained sleepily.

“The moral must have been lost in translation.”

“I liked it,” he said. “Reminds me of you and Dad.”

I set the book on my lap. “It does?”

“Yeah. I pictured you as the princess and him as the knight.”

“Well, I won’t argue if you’re going to call me a princess,” I teased.

“Miss Cruise?” he asked behind a wide yawn.

“Yes?”

“Do you like Dad?”

My heart skipped a beat. “Yes, I like him. He’s my friend.”

“No. I mean do you like him, like him?”

I attempted to laugh the question off. “Don’t be silly.”

Cory rolled over onto his side, snuggling against his pillow. “Oh. That’s weird.”

“What is?”

“It’s just… he looks at you like he likes you. I thought maybe you liked him too.”

I sighed. This boy really had my heart. “Go to sleep, Cory. Have sweet dreams.”

By the time I flicked off his lamp, he was already snoring softly, lulled into a peaceful slumber.

I padded back to Theo’s room and shut the door, shivering against the nighttime chill. I glanced out the big window facing the yard, admiring the trimmed lawn and idyllic white picket fence around the perimeter. A tall oak tree stood out back, a treehouse nestled between its strongest branches. It looked like it hadn’t been used in a while since fuzzy green moss grew atop its roof. I smiled, picturing Cory and Theo playing in the backyard.

I tried to think of happy things before bedtime. The day had shaken me, and I knew I’d be facing nightmares if I went to sleep with this level of unease brewing in my stomach. Knowing that whoever was after my father got within just a few yards of me… I shivered. I was lucky Theo had arrived when he did. There was no telling what could have happened if he’d been held up in traffic and got to me a minute too late.

No matter what I did, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being watched. I was suddenly hyper aware that someone was out there lurking in the shadows trying to get to me. I teased Theo about it before, saying that it was highly unlikely anyone would bother coming after me.

Boy, how the tables have turned.

I contemplated going downstairs to say good night to Theo but decided against it. I told myself it was best if I left him be, even if every fiber of my being wanted to hug him. Kiss him. Be near him.

As if summoned, there was a knock at my door. I wondered if it was Cory again. I opened the door and froze, suddenly hit with the strong scent of pine and earth.

“Theo?” I breathed.

“Ava.”

There was a long tense pause where neither of us made a move.