Always Been Mine: A Single Mom Office Romance Read online

  I turned to my sister, who was standing by the coffee maker with her arms folded across her chest.

  “They love their uncle,” she said.

  “Yeah, they’re pretty great. You’re very lucky, you know? I can only dream of having it so nice.”

  “Nonsense. It’s time you start trying for this. It’s the best thing, and you’re going to make an amazing father and husband.”

  “Preferably not in that order.” I didn’t have much hope for something so wonderful, but it was nice to dream.

  “Yeah, well, you never know what life’s going to bring, but you deserve everything you want.”

  “Thanks, Miss. And what about Blaine? Does he deserve happiness, too?”

  “He deserves a swift kick in the ass, is what he deserves.” She let out a long breath and then rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’ll call him and check on him, but I’m not making any promises to see him. Just a quick call to make sure he’s healthy and let him think I’m thinking about him.”

  She pursed her lips, and I could tell she was having second thoughts about being so rough on the guy.

  “That’s all I’m asking. Let him know you don’t hate him.” I walked over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. If there was one thing I knew about my sister, it was that she had a forgiving heart.

  “Fine, but we need to go to the estate and finish up there tomorrow. Will you meet me over there?”

  I couldn’t refuse her, I’d already canceled on her once before. “I’ll be there.”

  She tilted her head and gave me a scolding glare. “Promise me this time you’ll show up.”

  “I promise.” I raised two fingers to make my vow.

  Chapter 4

  Allison

  If there was one thing I hated more than anything, it was someone who couldn’t be on time. Doug had not only called the night before to postpone getting Sierra for the weekend but when he said he’d arrive before ten, he meant whenever the hell he felt like it.

  Sierra didn’t care, and it wasn’t that I minded either, but it was hard enough to get her to go as it was and hard enough to get him to step up and be a father, too. I’d felt like I was the only one in my life having to be responsible, and I was at my wit’s end dealing with Doug.

  To kill time, I browsed through the job listings and searched for something better. I loved working with Katrina, and she’d done me a solid by getting me the position, but I couldn’t work there forever. The tips were shitty most days and not the real money I needed to be making if I wanted to send Sierra to a good college someday.

  I skimmed the listings, hoping to be a marketer or an advertiser, but most of the listings were nothing more than coffee fetchers, and I was doing that now. I thought of David’s family. His father had owned one of the largest advertising agencies in the city, and I wondered if there were any positions open at DeVant. It might be worth looking in to.

  And that was when I heard the asshole’s car pull into my driveway.

  “Come on, Sierra. Your father’s here. Grab your bag, and remember, it’s just one night. You’ll be back in no time.” I didn’t want her to pout in front of her dad.

  I opened the door and led her out.

  “Hey, kiddo!” Doug opened his arms, and she went over and gave him a big hug. “How’s my best girl?” He pulled her close and then carried her bag to the car. “Get buckled in, sweetheart.”

  He turned from the car and shut the door. As usual, his smile faded into a menacing grin that quickly morphed into a scowl.

  “Don’t you think that’s a bit much for her to bring for one night? Why are you always having her bring that much shit?”

  I looked over his shoulder to make sure she couldn’t hear him. “It’s one bag, Doug, and she’s a kid. She needs toys. If you kept some of those things at your place, then she wouldn’t have to lug them back and forth.”

  He turned and smiled at Sierra and then turned back to shake his head at me. “No way. Me and Cindy don’t want to be tripping over that bullshit all week. She can pack it with her, but just tell her to take it easy next time. That bag weighs a fucking ton. Speaking of, you put on a little weight?” He leaned in and looked me up and down before giving a little laugh.

  “Nope, I sure haven’t, Doug. You look a few pounds lighter, though. Oh, wait, that’s just your hair. I can see it’s getting thinner.”

  “Yeah, well, Cindy likes it. And that’s not all she likes if you know what I mean. Of course, you were always such a fucking dead lay, you probably don’t.” He stood closer, looking down his nose at me as if he wanted to hit me, but close enough to kiss me.

  I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me. It was what he was always trying to do. I’d learned to stop being scared of his tough talk a long time ago.

  He’d turn it off and on like a switch, but as long as he never treated my daughter the way he treated me, I’d let him live.

  “Have a nice time with our daughter, Doug.” I turned and walked away, not wanting to play his stupid games anymore. How he could think I really cared about his girlfriend, when I had been the one to leave his sorry ass, was beyond me, but it never failed that he acted like an immature asshole every time he came around. It was fucking exhausting.

  The only painful part was that I hated to see my baby have to go with him, which is why he insisted on getting her, even if it was an inconvenience for him.

  He had no paternal instincts whatsoever, and knowing she didn’t want to go with him just made it ten times worse. I went inside and stopped in the middle of my living room. It always felt so empty when she left, like all the air had been sucked out of it by Doug the asshole.

  I didn’t want to stay there alone, so I called my mother. She answered the phone with her usual enthusiasm. “How are my girls?” I could hear the smile in her voice.

  “Doug just left.”

  Mom cleared her throat. “Oh. What’s he doing dropping by on a Saturday?”

  “It’s Sierra’s weekend with her father, but he was unable to get her last night. I’m sure he and Cindy had something they wanted to do, but he claimed he was working late.” That was usually the reason. He was busy living the life he wanted, while I had to be the responsible one. It wasn’t fair, but I was glad it was that way and would see to it that it never changed. I’d lay my life down for my daughter if it killed me.

  “What did he find to bitch about this time?” It was really pathetic when even my mother knew how he acted.

  “He thought that Sierra’s bag was too heavy. Anything to have something to bitch about.” I let loose a long breath and raked my hand through my hair. “I was wondering—”

  “You don’t even have to ask, honey. You know you’re welcomed anytime.” She’d been letting me come home to spend the night with her and my father since the divorce when things got too lonely, and we’d spend the night watching old classic movies.

  “Thanks, Mom. I’ll bring some popcorn. Is there anything else I need to pick up?”

  “Not that I can think of.”

  “I’ll be on my way, shortly.”

  I got off the phone and went to get myself freshened up. I had laid around most of the day and hadn’t bothered to dress up for the asshole’s arrival. I brushed out my long, blond hair, pulled it up in a ponytail, and swiped on some mascara and gloss so I would feel made up enough to stop at the store on my way to my parents’ house. I pulled on some faded, holey jeans and a Foo Fighters concert tee I’d had since college.

  I was about to walk out of the house when I realized I’d left my computer open to the classified ads. I sat down in front of the screen. I had been thinking about David DeVant, and before I closed it, I decided to look him up. It had been years, and I still got giddy just thinking about him.

  The search engine pulled up his pictures. David was rarely shown with a woman on his arm, but I knew he had to be dating someone. He was so gorgeous, and as I took in every single pixel of his hotness, my body warmed thinking of the last time we’d see
n each other.

  I tried to push the memory away. Missing Sierra, I felt miserable enough. I didn’t want to sit and think about what could have been with David. If only I’d kept in touch with him instead of going back with that asshole Doug. But David had a life in the military and big dreams that I would never be a part of.

  I shut the computer down and grabbed my bag before heading out to my parents’ house.

  Before I even got to the store, Doug was calling with a complaint. “Hey, I just remembered. Cindy’s parents asked us to come by tomorrow, so I’ll be bringing Sierra home about ten in the morning.”

  “Dammit, Doug, why even take her at all? And not only that, but I’m not even home. If you want to ditch her that early, you’ll have to bring her to my parents’ house. I’m staying the night with them.”

  “Whatever, I can do that. I don’t need your fucking mouth about it, either. I get her on my weekends, and it shouldn’t mean dick to you how I do it.”

  “You’re supposed to follow the court’s instructions.”

  “You know, if you want to be a bitch about it, then do something about it if you don’t like it. Take me to court again, see if I give fuck all about it.” He hung up the phone, and I wanted to scream, but I pulled into the store parking lot and went inside for my father’s favorite popcorn.

  I pulled up at my childhood home and felt a huge weight as I walked into the house and hugged my mother.

  “What’s got you down, honey?”

  “Nothing. Doug’s being an ass. He called to tell me he’s dropping Sierra off in the morning, but I told him to come here. I hope that’s okay.”

  “Of course, it is. We’ll get to see our granddaughter, too.” Mom and Dad exchanged a smile.

  My father was making himself a PB and J. “Twice the lovin’.” He licked the knife and tossed it into the sink.

  “I brought popcorn, so don’t spoil your appetite.” I shook the box, and he smiled before taking a big bite of the sandwich.

  “Your father doesn’t know how to spoil an appetite, honey. Only feed it.”

  Dad wrapped his sandwich in a napkin. “There’s a great classic movie coming on tonight. I’m not sure you’ve seen this one.” He always said that, but it usually turned out I’d seen it.

  “I’m just going to step out and call Katrina, and then we can get it started.”

  “Okay, cupcake.” Dad headed to his chair, and Mom took the box of popcorn and threw a bag in the microwave as I stepped out on the front stoop and dialed her number.

  Katrina didn’t answer, but I left a message and turned to look up at the house across the street. Mr. DeVant had been dead nearly a year, and the huge house had stood empty since. The place was still perfectly manicured, with the gardeners still performing their duties to keep the place looking alive, but I could tell the place was empty and had been for a while. I remembered the way it had been when we were kids, with David’s car in the driveway, Missy’s purple curtains in the window, and Blaine’s toys scattered on the front lawn.

  My heart missed the times when life was so much easier, but for all the trouble Doug caused me, I wouldn’t trade my daughter for the world.

  Chapter 5

  David

  It had been well over a year since my father had passed, yet we kids had not wanted to deal with the bulk of his belongings. Being grown, each of us had our own houses and lives, and finding time to come and go through his personal items wasn’t easy. Missy had been asking me to meet her here for two months now, and each time, I had found better things to do.

  But this time, I’d promised, and I knew if I backed out again, she’d chew me out. I showed up at the house and found she’d already gone inside. I walked in and found my nieces running around the sofa in the front room.

  “You can’t have both of those! Mom said you have to share!” Tiffany was chasing her sister Macy who had two of Missy’s pom-poms and one of her pageant crowns.

  Macy dropped one of the pom-poms and rushed to hide behind me. “Hi, Uncle David. Look, I’m a princess!”

  She spun around, and Tiffany came over and hugged my waist.

  “She’s an evil princess who won’t share her crown.” Tiffany rolled her eyes and took my hand. “Will you buy me a crown, Uncle David?”

  “Tiff, don’t ask your uncle to buy you things, it’s not polite,” Missy said from the bottom of the stairs. She held up another crown. “See, I told you I had more.”

  “Sorry, Uncle David.” Tiffany took off to the stairs after her mother, who handed her one of her crowns.

  I smiled at her. “Don’t worry about it, kiddo. I’ll keep that in mind for your birthdays.”

  Missy shook her head as Tiff put the crown on hers and spun around in a circle. I’d nearly forgotten she’d once been on the pageant circuit.

  “Bring back memories?”

  “Yeah, but I’m not sure they’re healthy ones. I hated being in pageants. I only did it to please Mom, and then when she died, they were only a source of guilt. I remember telling Daddy that I’d do all the pageants without crying if he could just bring her back. I thought she’d gone away somewhere. I couldn’t understand that she was dead.”

  “I’m sorry, Miss.”

  “Eh, I knew going through this shit wouldn’t be easy. It not only brings back memories of Dad but Mom, too. It opens a lot of old wounds. I just really want to get it done.”

  “Well, it would go a lot quicker if we had more hands. Did you happen to call our baby brother?”

  She let loose deep breaths and shook her head. “I tried, but he hung up on me. I’m done. Seriously, I can’t deal with that kid. If you want to invite him, fine, but he’s only going to look for shit to sell since you control his cash flow.”

  “I need to check on him, but if you don’t want him around, I’ll tell him I’ll come back over with him next week. He’s got shit here, too, and he’s entitled to some of Dad’s things. If he sells them, it’s just stuff, Miss.”

  “Fine, but please, not today. I can’t deal with his shit, and I don’t want him around the girls.”

  I hated to know my family wasn’t getting along. “You act like he did something to them. That’s not fair. He’s not going to hurt the girls, and they should know who their uncle is. He hasn’t seen them since they were three. How long are you going to punish him?”

  “Don’t start with me, David. I can’t deal with it and all this other shit, too.” She snapped at me so loudly the girls stopped twirling and glanced back and forth between us. “Girls, go grab the shoes out of my closet and toss them in the donation bin.”

  “Fair enough, Miss.” I shrugged.

  “Fair enough? Look, I tried to call him, okay?” She threw a few old hats into the box in front of her. “What are we going to do with Dad’s suits? He’s got some nice ones, so I hate to just donate them to the thrift shops. I know of this charity that takes suits and donates them to men who are looking for employment. Maybe that would be best.”

  “That sounds good to me. Make sure you check the pockets, though. I know Dad liked to keep cash in every pocket.”

  “Yeah, cash in every pocket and change in his socks.” She rolled her eyes. “He was really crazy, wasn’t he?” She laughed.

  “Yeah, when he wasn’t being a hard ass.”

  “He had to be hard. When Mom died, he was left with three kids to raise all by himself. You know Mom was the one who looked after us. He was busy building his fortune.”

  “Yeah, but she left us with a two-million-dollar life insurance policy. You’d think that was enough. That he could have spent more time with us and been a little less stressed.”

  “I know. But he took that money and invested it, and now, none of us will ever have to work. Not our children, or our children’s children. That’s pretty amazing if you ask me. Besides, I didn’t mind raising you boys. Cooking your dinners, washing your clothes, taking you to school all those years.”

  “You earned your inheritance.” Being th
e oldest, she’d done more than me and Blaine put together. “You know, I always wondered why after making all the money, Dad didn’t sell this house for something more upscale, but now I get it. You know, now that I’m older and want a family.”

  “He wanted us to be close to our memories of Mom. And it was a good home.” My sister gave me a strange smile. “I’ve got something if I can just figure out where I put it. I’ll be right back.”

  She ran upstairs, and I took the opportunity to call Blaine.

  He picked up on the first ring. “What’s happenin’, brother?” Blaine sounded a bit too peppy for a Sunday morning, but at least he hadn’t called me from jail.

  “I’m at the house. I was wondering how you are, and if you’d like to meet me some time to come down and go through Dad’s stuff.”

  “Maybe. Is there anything left, or did Missy take it all?”

  “There’s plenty left, and don’t be that way. We’re going to have to learn to get along. We’re all we have.” I knew my pleas were falling on deaf ears.

  “She called me. Can you believe she wanted to know how I was? After avoiding me for four years.”

  “She’s worried about you.” I turned my back on the stairs and lowered my voice. I didn’t want her to hear me and flip out.

  “Whatever. If you want to get together some time, that’s fine. Do me a favor, will you? Call me if you come across anything important. You know, before it’s all gone?” He was worried we’d pick through everything and he wouldn’t have anything left.

  “I promise. I’ll be in touch.” With that, the phone went silent, and Missy came down the stairs holding a big box.

  Missy sat on the couch and patted the place next to her. “Remember the year I got that camera I’d begged Dad to buy me?” She’d wanted a professional camera for years, but our dad had thought it was a waste of money with things going digital.