Belong (Seven Year Itch #3)(28)
Chad proceeded to tell me about her childhood and the things she’d endured at such a young age. I was in disbelief. I couldn’t begin to understand how any man would want to inappropriately put their hands on a child. It was disgusting. When he finished telling the story I felt like my dinner was going to come up. The things she’d been through were wretched. I suddenly began to understand why she was rough around the edges. I also knew exactly why Chad had been drawn to her.
He had a thing for women in need, and she was his perfect escape from me. Sure, she attracted him for different reasons, but he stuck around because she was a project he thought he could fix. Instead of things turning out with a perfect ending, they’d taken a turn in the opposite direction. Veronica had strayed, and Chad was finally understanding there wasn’t anything he could do about it. I think he was also finally coming to terms with the fact that they had nothing in common. She’d made it clear his money was more important than anything else.
I knew Chad well enough to know he didn’t live his life like a rich person. He was conservative and frugal. He liked being seen as equals and worked hard for his accomplishments. Where he’d expected her to be proud of him, she’d turned around and treated him like he’d been the one to betray her. I felt sorry for him, because I knew how much it must have affected him when he realized he’d failed.
After he was finished speaking, I watched the fire ignite, and him take the sofa across from the one I was sitting on. He leaned forward and let his hands dangle between his legs. “It’s nice being able to relax.”
“Charles loved this room. When I came for dinner he’d get out those old metal trays and we’d eat in here. He said the dining room was too formal.”
“He’s right. I prefer a small kitchen table you can see each other at. You can’t even pass the pepper without having to toss it.”
“You always were simple.” I thought back to his studio apartment he used to have in the city, and how we’d spent many nights there together.
“What’s the smile for?”
“Nothing. I was just remembering your place in town. I always liked it.”
“You spent enough time there. Remember that night we drank those two bottles of wine and screamed out the windows in the middle of the night to see if we could wake up the city? You said the President of the United States could hear us.”
“He might have,” I giggled. “That was a crazy night.” For more reasons than shouting out a window. We’d stayed up all night making love. I remembered not being able to move the next morning. From the look on Chad’s face he was recalling it the same way without sharing.
“Fun times. Back then it was easy. Now life is filled with responsibility. I have to put Harper first, and sometimes it’s hard to balance work and home life.”
“I’ve never had to raise a child so young before. I’m sure she relies on you heavily.”
He stood up. “Speaking of which, I need to get her in the bathtub. She’s been running around this place all day, and since I have a feeling she’s going to be sleeping next to me tonight, I’d like her to smell clean.”
I laughed to myself. “It’s nice to know you won’t be sleeping alone.”
“She’s the best bed partner anyone could ask for. She kicks and steals the covers. By morning I’ll be sleeping in a chair.”
“That bad, huh?”
“I like to watch her sleep. She’s peaceful, and there are no truths that can hurt her. She’s about to learn our family isn’t going to be together, and I’m afraid she’s going to blame me for it.”
“Why would you think that?”
He replied while walking out of the room. “Her mother will make sure of it.”
As I sat there taking in everything he’d said, I could hear carrying on coming from all the way up the stairs. I followed the sounds of laughter until I came to a bedroom, finding the two of them inside of the private bathroom. Harper was in a tub full of bubbles, while Chad sat on the outside. He was letting her shake the foam all around, and each time it flew into his hair she thought it was hysterical. I giggled when I watched it, alarming both of them of my presence. “I’m sorry,” I embarrassingly exclaimed. “I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on up here.”
“It’s okay. We were just playing.”
“I’ll see you both downstairs,” I said as I turned and started to leave.
“Rach, hang on. Can you give me a towel?”
I searched the room, finding he’d sat one on top of the sink. I handed it to him, realizing he’d taken my hand as I did it. “Why don’t you stick around? I have to read this little turkey a story, and it might take a while. You’re welcome to hang out with us, isn’t she?”
Harper nodded.
I felt like I was intruding, but didn’t want the child to feel as if I didn’t like her. Children were sensitive. “Okay.”
As I walked back into the bedroom and sat down on a chair to wait, I noticed whose room we were actually in. I could tell from the pictures on the wall, and the décor. The toss pillows matched the ones Chad once had on his bed, which belonged to his mother.
I peeked at the pictures, seeing a little boy in most of them. Much like his daughter, Chad had chubby cheeks and deep dimples. He was always full of smiles, probably from being spoiled beyond belief. Charles was in a few of them with another man, who I assumed was Chad’s biological father. They both looked so young and full of life. It was a shame both of them weren’t going to be around to see Harper grown up and help Chad go through his latest struggles.