what are you going to do when this certain female finds out it’s not your car?”
“I’m trying to fuck the girl, Ransom, not marry her!”
“I hope you’re as clear about that with her as you are with me.”
“Look, don’t try to school me in lessons of love. I could teach an advanced study course on the subject, know what I’m sayin’?”
No, and probably neither does your ex-wife.
“Daddy, Daddy!”
Ransom looked up as his daughter ran toward him. His heart burst with joy, as it always did at the sight of his princess. “Look, man, I gotta go.”
“Okay, then. But can I use the ride?”
“Sure, Adam. You can keep it until I get back from Vegas. I’m leaving in a few days and will be gone about a week.”
“Perfect! Thanks, bro.”
Ransom’s daughter, Isis, ran to the edge of the pool. “Look, Daddy. Miss Carol bought us all bracelets. Aren’t they cute, Daddy?” She showed off a colorful plastic bangle jangling on her tiny wrist.
“Beautiful, baby girl. Almost as beautiful as you.”
Isis beamed, even as she covered her face. “Daddy!”
“I hope you don’t mind, Ransom. They were on sale so I bought one for all the girls. Umm, that looks inviting.”
Ransom looked up at his daughter’s playmate’s mom, Carol Connors, and wondered if she were talking about the pool or the person in it.
“I don’t have my swimsuit but if you don’t mind skinny-dipping…”
He had his answer. “Thanks again, Carol,” he said as he eased himself out of the water and reached for the towel that was draped on the lounge chair. “I really appreciate your help with Isis, especially with me going out of town.”
“It’s no problem. She and Kari are like sisters.” Carol dropped her voice an octave. “Now there’s an idea.”
Ransom thought Carol couldn’t be more obvious if she tattooed “available” on her forehead. But he couldn’t blame her for trying: an educated, single mother, in a town where women outnumbered men. A woman had to do what she had to do.
“I’ll call you in a couple days when I need to drop off Isis.”
“Hey, I’ve got steaks if you want to fire up the—”
“Thanks, Carol, but I’m going to pass tonight. It’s been a long day and I’m beat.” Ransom reached for Isis’s hand and they headed for the back door of his three-bedroom, contemporized ranch-style home. “I’ll see you in a few days.”
It was a couple hours before Ransom stretched out again, this time across his king-sized, four-poster mahogany bed. But first he’d fixed Isis a simple supper of fish sticks, fries, and cole slaw; washed her long, curly hair; cleaned the kitchen; put in a load of clothes; and read her a bedtime story. Being the single father of a rambunctious, energetic six-year-old was hard work, but it was worth it.
Ransom turned on his back and stared at the ceiling. This is not how he imagined his life looking at twenty-six. He thought he’d be running the streets of LA, nursing his dreams of modeling, and living in the fast lane. But those thoughts and that life came to an abrupt halt three years ago, when Isis’s mother dropped off their daughter and called a week later saying she had moved to New York. That she couldn’t make it as a model with a child in tow, and at twenty-two, was too young to be a mother anyway.
Ransom had been furious. He’d flown out to New York to try and make Brea see reason. But there was no getting through to her—partly because a strapping six-foot-tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed Viking was in the way.
“He’s just my roommate,” she’d said.
Her roommate’s eyes and protective stance had said otherwise. Ransom flew back to California and, at his father’s suggestion, hired a lawyer and had papers drawn up the following month. Brea gave him full custody. That’s when his life changed.
He got serious about school and, having already received an associate’s degree, graduated eighteen months later with a bachelor of science degree in Construction Engineering Management from Cal State. He dropped his partying friends and moved back to the small town he felt was better suited to raising a child. Promiscuous sex was out: he loved Isis but had learned the hard way where irresponsibility could lead. A chance conversation with a teacher and mentor, the one who’d nurtured his desire to build things, had given him a place to invest some of the money he’d gotten from an automobile accident with a grocery chain semi. A year later he’d become sole owner of the then fledgling construction company. That’s how the security of his daughter’s future was born, and life had been good ever since.
Ransom was a man who didn’t hide or deny his sensitive side. So he didn’t try and stop the tears that formed as he thought about the immense joy his daughter had brought to his life. He’d do anything in the world for the little girl in the next room. But he couldn’t help thinking too, as he drifted off to sleep, that his wonderful life wouldn’t be quite complete until there was a queen in the castle along with him and his princess.
3
Gwen cast a critical eye at the full-length mirror. No matter what Chantay said, this skirt is too tight! But she had to admit, it did give definition to her slender booty, while the suit’s flared jacket added the illusion of curves to her boyish frame. As for the rest of the makeover that had taken place the previous Saturday, Gwen was pleased. She’d never plucked her brows, but liked the depth the thick yet curved arches gave her almond-shaped eyes. Having worn her hair in its naturally curly state most of her life, she felt the straightened bob that rested just beneath her shoulders was not only a welcome change that drew attention to her pouty lips, but also gave her a more sophisticated look. The hairstylist’s suggestion to lighten her black tresses was also spot on: the dark auburn highlights complemented her mocha complexion, and brought out the red tones in her skin.
Gwen’s eyes widened as she looked at her watch. Where had the time gone? Had she really spent forty-five minutes getting dressed, an act that usually took fifteen minutes at most? Remembering the objective, however, she forgave herself right away. She’d easily aced the online application process and Adam had assured her that because of an effort to increase minority teachers in the district, and his power of persuasion, her position was assured. Still, she wanted her education, experience, and merits to be what impressed the personnel committee at Sienna Elementary. Her mother’s savings would cover expenses for the assisted living facility, but Gwen still needed to support herself. And if the conversation with Joe she had last night was any indication, she couldn’t count on big bucks from the condo sale. She wanted to wait until the housing market stabilized and make a higher profit. Joe wanted to sell to the first buyer who bid. He’d made it clear that all he wanted was for their life together to be in his rearview mirror.
Gwen exited her bedroom and was taken aback at the sight of her mother sitting on the living room sofa reading a magazine. Lorraine Andrews’s appearance had changed drastically in the year since Gwen had last seen her. Her hair was almost white now, and the faint lines around her eyes had deepened, joining new ones on her forehead and cheeks. She’d lost weight, which gave her a frail appearance. Once bright brown eyes were now
