Flirt With Me by Kristen Proby

Chapter 13

~Hunter~

I’ve been sitting at the bar, brooding about the fact that Carla just waltzed in here and made a fool of herself, and decide that’s a bunch of bullshit. I’m not afraid of her. There’s absolutely nothing she can do to harm us. She signed over her rights as a mother the day after Rachel was born.

I’ve just always tried to be civil for my daughter’s sake.

I leave my place at the bar and walk outside, dialing Carla’s number.

“What?” she says as a greeting.

“What are you doing here, Carla?”

“I’m obviously here to see my daughter.”

“Don’t throw that shit at me. We both know that’s not the case. What are you trying to do?”

“I don’t know why you’re being so cruel.” Fake tears fill her voice, and I roll my eyes toward the heavens. “I just want to see Rachel. I’ve missed out on so much.”

“By choice,” I remind her.

“Are you telling me I’m not welcome in Rachel’s life? That you both just want me to leave?”

Yes. Yes, that’s what I’m fucking saying.

But it’s not entirely up to me. Rachel is old enough to make her own choices regarding who she wants to have relationships with, so long as it doesn’t harm her—especially when it comes to her biological mother.

“I don’t like that you decided to show up out of the blue, without any warning, and interrupted our lives. I don’t think you have innocent motives at all. I don’t want you here, and if push comes to shove, I can get a restraining order. But…I’ll let Rachel decide if she wants to spend time with you.”

“She will.” Carla sounds confident when she sniffs into the phone. “We have a lot of catching up to do. Maybe I should come to your place on the water for dinner tonight.”

I narrow my eyes. “You are not welcome in my home. I don’t want you anywhere near it. I’m not going to invite you over for a chummy meal. We’re not friends, Carla.”

“I gave you a baby.”

“And then you left her.”

Carla hangs up on me, and I let out a sigh.

I know her too well. She doesn’t want Rachel. She wants to mess with me, and she’s jealous of Maeve.

She’s jealous of everything.

Which I don’t understand because she’s been with Danny Kirkland for years. He’s not a particularly successful fighter in the industry, but he makes a shit ton of money and keeps Carla in the lifestyle she always wanted.

It doesn’t matter.

I want her gone.

“Areyou going to sleep at all?” Maeve reaches out and drags her hand up and down my arm in the darkness. I have the balcony door open so I can hear the waves crashing below, and the mattress is heated to keep us warm.

I usually sleep like a damn baby in this room.

But my brain won’t shut down.

“I’m fine,” I reply softly. “Go back to sleep.”

“You’re not fine.” Maeve sits up and scoots closer. Having her with me is soothing in and of itself. If I were alone, I’d be in the basement, punching the bag I hung down there last week.

I can’t wait for the gym to be finished.

“She just got home,” I inform her and push my hand through my hair. “Rachel walked through the door not even thirty minutes ago. It’s almost one in the goddamn morning. What in the hell could they have been doing this late?”

“Maybe they were just talking,” Maeve suggests. “Catching up, like Carla said earlier.”

“I don’t trust her,” I say, watching the white waves in the dark. “Like I said before, I don’t talk shit about Carla in front of Rachel because it’s up to my daughter to decide what she thinks of her mom. But Carla is a bad person, Maeve. She’s manipulative and selfish. And I’m worried that all she’s going to do here is hurt Rachel. All because she’s pissed that I’m doing well.”

“Why is she pissed about that?” Maeve asks. “I don’t get it. Why does she care?”

“Who knows? Because she’s unhappy, and she wants everyone else to be unhappy, too. Or she just wants me to be unhappy because I got what I wanted. I got Rachel.”

“I sincerely hope that you’re wrong, for Rachel’s sake,” she replies. “I hope that Carla has matured with age and realizes that she has an awesome daughter that she needs to get to know. And that she’s here for that reason only—because she’s missed out on a great kid.”

I turn to her and cup her cheek in the darkness.

“You’re such a good woman. You try to see the best in people and give them the benefit of the doubt, even when they don’t deserve it.”

“I don’t know her,” she says simply. “I don’t know if she deserves Rachel. From what you’ve told me, I’d say not. But, like I said, I hope she’s grown up and is here with good intentions. Because I promise you, if she hurts that sweet girl in any way, I’ll tear her fucking hair out.”

I grin and lean into her, kissing her neck. I need to be with her.

“Protective, aren’t you?”

“Of the people I love? Hell, yes. I know you’re strong, but so am I. And I don’t stand for anyone hurting those I care about.”

“I’m so happy that you love her.”

She takes my cheeks in her hands, and with the moonlight dancing on her face, she smiles softly. “I love both of you, Hunter. Haven’t you figured that out?”

I slide her down onto the bed and quietly make love to her with soft touches and breathless sighs. I moan at the tenderness of her touch and feel my heartbeat quicken when I’m inside her, pushing us both toward the ecstasy of climax.

And when it’s calm again, when Maeve sleeps soundly, and I lie awake listening to the water, I’m at peace in the knowledge that we can face whatever chaos Carla brings our way.

Together.

“I didn’t knowwhat to expect,” Rachel says to Maeve and me the next morning over bagels and cream cheese. “I don’t honestly know Carla all that well. I don’t see her often, you know? I mean, she’s always been nice to me, she just doesn’t come around much. Oh, and there was the embarrassing thing that happened at school. That was awful.”

Rachel spreads cream cheese on her garlic bagel, and Maeve and I share a look.

“But we stayed up super late, just talking and catching up. She’s so nice, you know? She really wanted to know all about everything that’s going on, and she’s happy for me, that I like it here and everything.”

“That’s great,” Maeve says with a big smile. “I’m glad you had a good time. We were a little worried, though. You didn’t text your dad.”

“Oh, it’s okay. I was just with Mom.”

Now she’s calling her mom?

“Dad,” Rachel continues, happy as can be. “Can I have a car?”

“A what?” I stare at her as if she’s lost her mind. “You can’t even drive, Rach.”

“But I’m almost sixteen,” she reminds me. “It’s legal for me to get a permit. It didn’t really matter when we lived in Seattle because we had the public transpo, but there isn’t any here on the island. I’d like to be able to get around without always asking for a ride.”

“I’m not even going to entertain the idea of getting you your own car until you’ve been through driver’s ed. We’ll look into it this fall. I don’t have a problem with you driving, but let’s not get carried away. First thing’s first.”

“I don’t have to take driver’s ed to test for the license. Mom said so.”

I narrow my eyes and want to punch the wall.

Carla isn’t the fucking driver’s ed police.

“My rule says you do have to take driver’s ed,” I reply. “You’ve never been behind the wheel, Rach. You’re nowhere near ready to take a driving test. But we’ll get the ball rolling.”

“Okay.” She sighs in disappointment and takes a bite of her bagel. “I think I’ll go walk on the beach for a while.”

“Be careful,” Maeve calls out to Rachel as the girl leaves the room, then she turns to me. “So, this is fun.”

“I’m canceling the Vegas gig. There’s no way that I can leave here in two days with Carla in town. I don’t fucking trust her.”

“I know you don’t trust her, but you do trust me. And I’m telling you that we’ll be okay. It’s twenty-four hours. I can handle things for that long.”

I pace the kitchen in frustration. “It’s not you I’m worried about.”

“Does Carla have a history of kidnapping or child endangerment?”

“No.”

“Has she ever put Rachel in a dangerous situation?”

“No.”

“I know she’s not a great person, but I don’t think she means Rachel harm. You should go. Do the job and then come back. It’ll be fine.”

I was looking forward to going to the fight. To seeing everyone again, hearing the crowd, and submerging myself in the life once more, even if only for a few hours.

“I’ll go,” I say at last. “But if there are any issues, I want you to call me right away. I can be home in a few hours.”

“Don’t worry,” she says and pats me on the shoulder. “We’ve got this. Rachel won’t do anything to hurt me. I’m confident in that.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“Dad,you’re going to build a gym this big?” Rachel asks the following day. We’re standing out in the field that’s just to the right of the house. It’s close enough to walk to in any weather, without being right on top of the house and garage.

“That’s right,” I reply. “I need it to be big because I plan to put a ring inside.”

“Who are you going to fight?” Maeve asks with a laugh. “It’s not like we have a huge MMA population on the island.”

“I’ll have visitors, and I have friends from Seattle who’ll come visit. It won’t go unused. Besides, I have the space and the money, so why not?”

“Can’t argue with that,” Maeve says as she walks around the foundation that’s already been poured. “What else will it have?”

“The usual weights and cardio machines. And I think I’ll put an office upstairs. Mostly, it’ll be a place to display trophies and memorabilia.”

“You should display those things in the house,” Maeve says.

“I think it would be cool to have it all in the gym,” Rachel says, thinking it over. “Like, this is where it all started and came from, and if it’s part of the décor, that would be awesome.”

“You know what?” Maeve says, nodding. “You’re right. I like that, too. Where do you have that stuff now?”

“In boxes,” I reply.

“In boxes,” Maeve echoes and then laughs. “Of course, you do. Well, I’m glad you plan to put them on display. You should. You earned them.”

I grin and shove my hands into my pockets. “Damn right, I did.”

“I’m hungry,” Rachel announces.

“You’re always hungry,” Maeve says and loops her arm around my daughter’s shoulders. “You must be growing. That’s what my mom used to say when we were growing up. What can I fix you? Tuna sandwich? Flatbread pizza?”

“The pizza sounds good,” Rachel says with a grin. “Do we have pepperoni?”

“What else do you put on pizza?” Maeve asks. “Oh, Hunter, I was going to ask you a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Do you mind if I have my sisters and a couple of the cousins from Seattle over tomorrow night while you’re gone for a little girls’ night? We’ve been trying to arrange it since you and I went to LA, but something always comes up. Tomorrow night works for the others. There will be some alcohol, but we’re never crazy with it, and we’ll be responsible with Rachel here.”

“They’re almost all mothers,” Rachel reminds us both. “Of course, they’re not going to get wild and crazy. They’re old.”

Maeve and I blink at each other and then bust up laughing.

“Thanks,” Maeve says and pulls Rach down in a chokehold, rubbing her knuckles in Rachel’s hair. “You little jerk.”

“I meant it in a nice way!” Rachel giggles and pulls out of Maeve’s hold. “You look really good for your age and everything.”

“I’m only thirty-four, you toddler,” Maeve retaliates and starts to chase Rachel through the field.

“Of course, I don’t care if you have a little party,” I say when the two quit chasing each other and stop to catch their breath. “This is your home, too.”

Suddenly, I hear the light honk of a horn.

We all turn to see a brand-new blue MINI Cooper convertible pull into the driveway.

“Who’s that?” Rachel asks.

“No idea,” I reply. “Let’s go see.”

As we approach, the driver puts the top down and waves over the top of the windshield.

“It’s Mom,” Rachel says and picks up the pace. “This is a sweet car, Mom.”

“Well, I’m so happy to hear that you think so because I bought it for you, sweet girl.”

No.

Oh, hell fucking no.

“What? Are you kidding?” Rachel runs over and hugs Carla as her mother steps out of the car.

“I’m not kidding at all. You mentioned that you wanted a car, and I saw this one for sale. It’s adorable and fun, just like my daughter.”

“Holy crap! Dad, look! It’s my very own car!”

I don’t smile. I don’t even look at Rachel. I just glare at the woman who gave birth to her and take a long, deep breath.

“It’s cute,” Maeve says, breaking the silence.

“It’s a convertible,” Rachel gushes. “I’ve literally always wanted a convertible. This is the best, Mom. Thank you so, so much.”

“You deserve it,” Carla says. “You work hard, and you’re a good girl. Come on, let’s go for a ride. You drive.”

“No, absolutely not.” I step forward, having heard enough. “Rachel doesn’t even have a learner’s permit, and I told her yesterday that she couldn’t have a car until she went through driver’s ed.”

“That’s silly,” Carla says, waving me off. “She doesn’t need driver’s ed. She just needs someone to spend some time teaching her. I’m here, I can do it.”

“I said, no,” I repeat and earn a glare from my daughter. I don’t give a rat’s ass. “Rachel, go inside.”

“But, Dad—”

“Go. Inside.”

“Let’s go make that lunch,” Maeve says and goes in with my daughter.

“Why do you have to be such a killjoy?” Carla demands and glares at me.

“Why would you buy my kid a car without consulting me?”

“She’s my kid, too,” she replies.

“Only when it suits you. And according to the law, she’s not yours. You gave up your parental rights the day after she was born. You don’t get to make these kinds of decisions for her, Carla. I don’t know why you’re here, or what you’re trying to prove, but all you’re doing is creating chaos.”

“I’m just trying to get to know her,” Carla counters. “And spoil her a bit. I’m entitled.”

“You’re not entitled to anything. This car is inappropriate, and you know it. You just don’t give a shit.”

She smirks. “So, put it in the garage for safekeeping until you decide she can have it. What’s the harm? I won’t take her driving if it makes you that crazy.”

“Go away, Carla.” I back up toward the house. “Just…go away.”