Marion Lennox - Misty and the Single Dad

‘You have a homestead full of old stuff?’

‘My place is practically two houses joined together. My grandparents threw nothing out. I have dust covers over two living rooms and five bedrooms. If you want, you can come out tomorrow morning to take a look.’

‘Your grandparents are no longer there?’

‘Grandpa died years ago and Gran’s in a nursing home. There’s only me and I’m trying to downsize. You’re settling as I’m trying to get myself unsettled.’

He shouldn’t ask. He shouldn’t be interested. It wasn’t in his new mantra- focus only on Bailey . But, despite his vow, she had him intrigued. ‘By getting a new dog? That doesn’t sound unsettled.’

‘There is that,’ she said, brightness fading a little. ‘I can’t help myself. But it’ll sort itself out. Who knows? Ketchup might not like living with me. He might prefer a younger owner. If I could talk you into a really big couch…’

‘No,’ Nick said, seeing where she was heading.

‘Worth a try,’ she said and grinned and stooped to talk to Bailey. Bailey had been watching them with some anxiety, clutching his teddy like a talisman. ‘Bailey, tomorrow I’m coming into town to pick up Ketchup. If I spend the morning settling him into his new home, would you and your dad like to come to my house in the afternoon to see if you can use some of my furniture?’

‘Yes,’ Bailey said. No hesitation. ‘Teddy will come, too.’

‘Excellent,’ Misty said and rose. ‘Teddy will be very welcome.’ She smiled at Nick then. It was a truly excellent smile. It was a smile that could…

That couldn’t. No.

‘Straight through the town, three miles along the coast, the big white place with the huge veranda,’ she was saying. ‘You can’t miss it. Any time after noon.’

‘I’m not sure…’

‘Oh, sorry.’ Her face fell. ‘You probably want all new furniture straight away. I got carried away. I’m very bossy.’

And at the look on her face-appalled at her assertiveness but still…hopeful?-he was lost.

Independence at all costs. He’d had enough emotion, enough commitment and drama to last a lifetime. There were reasons for his vows.

But this was his son’s schoolteacher. She was someone who’d be a stalwart in their lives. He could be friendly without getting close, he told himself, and the idea of getting furniture fast, getting this place looking like home for Bailey, was hugely appealing.

And visiting Misty tomorrow afternoon? Seeing her smile again?

He could bear it, he thought. Just.

‘We’ll be extremely grateful,’ he said, and Bailey smiled and then yawned, as big a yawn as he’d ever seen his son give.

‘Bedtime,’ he said, and Bailey looked through to the little camp bed and then looked at Misty and produced another of the smiles that had been far too rare in the last year.

‘Can Miss Lawrence read me a bedtime story? She reads really good stories.’

‘I’d love to,’ Misty said, smiling back at him. ‘If it’s okay with your dad.’

It was okay, he conceded, but…

Uh oh.

There were all sorts of gaps in their lives right now, and this was only a small one, but suddenly it seemed important-and he didn’t like to admit it. Not in front of a schoolteacher. In front of this schoolteacher.

‘We don’t have any story books,’ he conceded.

What sort of an admission was that? He’d be hauled away to be disciplined by…who knew? Was there a Bad Parents Board in Banksia Bay? He felt about six inches tall.

They did own books, but they’d been put in storage in England until he was sure he was settled. Containers took months to arrive. Meanwhile… ‘We’ll buy some tomorrow,’ he’d told Bailey.

‘I have story books,’ Misty said, seemingly unaware of his embarrassment.

‘We’ve been living in a hospital apartment. Story books were provided.’

‘You don’t need to explain,’ she said, cutting through his discomfort. ‘My car’s loaded with school work-there’ll be all sorts to choose from. If you would like me to read to Bailey…’

They both would.

Forget vows, he told himself. He watched Bailey’s face and he felt the tension that he hadn’t known he had ease from his shoulders.

For the last twelve months the responsibility for the care of his little son had been like a giant clamp around his heart. He’d failed him so dramatically… How could Bailey depend on him again?

Over the last year he’d been attempting to patch their lives back together and for most of that time he’d had professional help. But today they’d left behind the hospital and all it represented. This was day one of their new life together.

To admit that he needed help…to have Bailey want help and to have it offered… It should feel bad, but instead it made his world suddenly lighter; it made what lay ahead more bearable.

‘We’d love you to read to Bailey,’ he admitted, and it didn’t even feel wrong.

‘Then that’s settled,’ she said, beaming down at Bailey. ‘I’m so glad you started school today. All weekend I’ll know I have a new friend. Right, you get into your pyjamas and clean your teeth and I’ll fetch a story book. I have my favourite in the car. It’s about bears who live in a house just like this one, but every night they have adventures.’

‘Ooh, yes, please,’ Bailey said and the thing was settled.

So Nick sat on the front step, watched the sunset and listened to Misty telling his son a story about bears and adventures-and he found himself smiling. Unlike the bears, they’d come to the end of their adventures. The house was terrible but they could do something about it. This place was safe. This place could work.

He’d chosen Banksia Bay because it was a couple of hours drive to Sydney. It had a good harbour, a great boat building industry and it was quiet. He should have come and checked the house before he’d signed the lease but to leave Bailey for the four hours it’d take to get here and back, or explain what he was doing… He’d have had to come during office hours, and those hours he spent with his son.

Choosing this house was the price he’d paid, but even this wasn’t so bad.

He couldn’t see the sea from here but he could hear it. That was good. To be totally out of touch with the ocean would be unthinkable.

He’d set up his office over the weekend. On Monday Bailey would start regular school hours. He’d be able to get back to work.

Work the new way.

The bear story was drawing to its dramatic conclusion. He glanced in the open window and Bailey’s eyes were almost shut.

He’d sleep well in his new home-because of this woman.

She was so not his type of woman, he thought. She was a country mouse.

No. That was unjust and uncalled for. He accepted she was intelligent and she was kind. But her jeans were faded and her clothes were unpretentious. Her braid was now a ponytail. She’d changed since she’d cradled the dog this morning. She’d lost the bloodstains, but she must have changed at school because this shirt had paint on it already.

She was stooping now to give his son a kiss goodnight, and her ponytail looked sort of…perky? Actually, it was more sexy than perky, he thought, and he was aware of a stab of something as unexpected as it was unwanted.

The thought of those curls… He’d like to run his fingers through…

Whoa. How to complicate a life, he thought-have an affair with the local schoolteacher. He had no intention of having an affair with anyone. Let’s just keep the hormones out of this, he told himself savagely, so when Misty came outside he thanked her with just a touch too much formality.

And he saw her stiffen. Withdraw. She’d got his unspoken message, and more.