Joanna Wayne - Riding Shotgun

“I bet.”

“How come you went away for so long? Joey’s daddy comes home every night and they go to the park and play. Sometimes they take me with them.”

“I had an important job to do that was too far away to come home every night, but I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere. How about you show me that park after lunch?”

For a half second he thought she was going to smile, but the curve to her lip turned downward as quickly as it had appeared.

“Lunch is ready.”

Pierce looked up. Leslie was standing in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest, her expression troubled.

Leslie crossed the room and put a hand on Jaci’s shoulder. “Go wash up, sweetie. Your dad and I will meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes.”

Jaci marched off. The tension in the room soared. Pierce figured the moment of truth had come, but he stayed silent. Always better to know the enemy’s position before you sprang into action.

“I thought this could wait until after lunch,” Leslie said, “but I’m not good at these games.”

“I’m not too keen on them myself.” Especially when he didn’t know the rules of engagement. “Don’t spare my feelings. I’m a big boy. Hit me with it.”

“I’m planning to remarry in the spring. I felt you should know.”

“Is the groom anyone I know?”

“Does it matter?”

“Probably not.”

He waited for the sting of betrayal. Or rejection. Or whatever a guy was supposed to feel when his wife of six years told him she’d replaced him with someone new. It didn’t come.

He’d known it was over for months, would have been even if there wasn’t another man in the picture.

They’d tried the last couple of times they were together—at least he’d given it a halfhearted shot. Things had gone fine in bed from his standpoint. Leslie was a beautiful, sexy woman.

The problem was there was just no connection anywhere else. He’d actually been glad when his leave was over.

Except for leaving Jaci. It always hurt like hell to say goodbye to Jaci.

She was three months old when he saw her for the first time. He’d been anxious, afraid he wouldn’t bond, nervous that he’d be expected to hold her or even tend her alone.

And then he’d peeked into the crib and she’d kicked her tiny feet, waved her pudgy arms and smiled up at him. His heart had melted like a slab of butter in a hot skillet.

The sting he’d expected a few seconds earlier finally hit. Struck everywhere at once, pain scalding his skin and burning his insides, the way it had on that pitch-black night when he and his team members had crawled through the mud into a bed of huge fire ants.

Leslie was welcome to a new life with anyone she chose, but he would not just turn over his parental rights like Jaci was a prize in a competition. Might as well get that straight right now.

“I’m good with you remarrying, but I left the navy SEALs to come home and be a father to Jaci. I am going to be in her life, and not just as a bystander who gets to show up a couple times a year at your convenience.”

“I didn’t expect that you would, though you missed the first five years by choice.”

“That’s not fair. I served my country. I was with you and Jaci every opportunity I had.”

“That’s a moot point now, but you should know that Dan and I will be moving to Cuba next week.”

“Cuba? You’re moving to Cuba?”

“Temporarily. Dan works for a wealthy developer and is researching possible business opportunities now that the two countries have reopened ties.”

The impact of her words hit with dizzying force. His muscles tensed.

“You can’t take Jaci to Cuba without my permission. I’m her father. I have rights.”

“I haven’t threatened your rights, at least not yet.”

“If you try to leave the country with her, you better be ready for the fight of your life.”

“Keep your voice down. You’ll upset Jaci.” Leslie closed the bedroom door. “If all goes as planned, Dan will finish the assignment and we’ll be back in the States within six months.”

“So you worked out all the details before you even ran this by me?”

“It’s come up suddenly. I haven’t even mentioned this to Jaci yet.”

Pierce stabbed his hands deep into the front pockets of his jeans. He was angry, frustrated. And now he was confused. “When do you plan to spring it on her, when you’re boarding the plane?”

Leslie sighed and shook her head. “If you’d just let me explain.”

“Go right ahead.”

“Of course, I had planned to take her with me. I had no other choice, since you were never around.”

“I’m here now.”

“Yes, and Dan and I have talked about that at length. If you’re willing to care for Jaci until I’m back in the States, we can work out a temporary custody arrangement that puts you in charge of Jaci’s care.”

He couldn’t have heard that right. “You’ll give me custody of Jaci?”

“Shared custody, actually. But she can live with you, that is, if you think you can be a reliable full-time parent. It is time she gets to know her father.”

Jaci would live with him. Full-time for the next six months. He’d be responsible for her. When she was sick. When she cried. When she had nightmares. When she was hungry.

She was only five. She probably still needed help with even the little things like her bath and getting dressed. And with brushing her hair. He’d never brushed anyone’s hair in his life. He wouldn’t know how to start.

“If you don’t want her—”

“No,” he interrupted quickly. “It’s not that.” His head was spinning. “Jaci barely knows me. She clearly doesn’t like or trust me. How will it affect her if she thinks I took her away from you?”

“She won’t think that. We’ll tell her of the decision together, convince her this will be a great adventure for the two of you to share. I need this, Pierce. Dan wants me with him. I want to be with him.”

Her voice had taken on a desperate edge. Obviously, new man Dan wielded a powerful influence over her.

“I’ve raised Jaci practically by myself, Pierce. It’s your turn to take some of the responsibility for our child.”

He couldn’t argue with that and deep inside he didn’t want to. He’d come home to bond with his daughter, to be a real father like his father had been before death had claimed him years before his time.

Jaci would live with him. He would be solely responsible for her care, her health, her happiness. It was the scariest challenge he’d ever faced in his life, and that was saying a lot.

He might no longer technically be a SEAL, but he was in his heart. Now it was time to put that same energy and commitment into being a full-time father.

Failure was not an option.

Bring it on.

Chapter Three

“You have got to be kidding. Your wife, who barely let you speak to your daughter on Skype, much less on the phone for the past six months, is suddenly going to toss her to you like a deflated football?”

“Poor analogy, but that’s about the size of it,” Pierce said as his brother Riley questioned the current scenario. He changed his phone to his left hand, picked up his half-finished beer with his right and took a swig.

“But I can’t say much against Leslie. I know she loves Jaci and I think she really wants our daughter not to be traumatized by the divorce.”

“I hope that works out for all of you. When did this custody offer come down?” Riley asked.

“Two days ago when I arrived in Chicago.”

“You’ve been back in the good old USA two days and you’re just now getting in touch with me?”

“No. I texted you two days ago and again yesterday. Do you ever check your messages?”