Time and Time Again (Maybe #2.5)(10)

My entire life was a lie. The foundations that made me me were all based on falsehood.

I know I should be angrier at my father, and I am, but I am also disappointed in my mum. I just wanted to be away from that whole situation, so I left and haven’t been back since. I call my mum on her birthday and on holidays, and that’s it.

“You okay?” Tag asks as he walks into the house, pulling me away from my thoughts.

“I’m fine,” I say, smiling widely when I see who is standing next to him. “Bella, don’t you look pretty.”

She was wearing a pink dress with black shoes and holding a tiny handbag.

“Hi Clara,” she says, dimples showing. “Daddy said I can come play.”

“What are you going to play?” I ask her, lifting onto my lap as she comes in front of me and tugs on my pajama pants.

“With you!” she says.

I look at Tag who shrugs. “I thought we could go to the zoo or something. If you don’t have any plans?”

He was using his daughter as a weapon. I was planning on avoiding him as much as I could, and he knew it. “I was actually going to call Summer and…”

“Please Clara,” Bella begs, sticking out her bottom lip. I can see Tag trying to fight a grin, and failing.

“Okay,” I tell her. How could I say no to such a face? “Let me have a shower and get ready first.”

“Yay!” she yells, wiggling happily in my lap. Her enthusiasm contagious, I giggle and put her down.

“Give me ten minutes, Bella,” I say then look at Tag. “We’re still not talking about it.”

“Fine,” he replies, lip twitching. “Just a nice day out with my daughter.”

I nod. “Deal,” I say, heading to the bathroom to get ready.

*****

“We better go. We start work in an hour and a half,” Tag says, popping a grape into his mouth. We were sitting on the grass at the zoo, having a snack. Bella was exhausted after walking around and seeing all of the animals.

“Do we have to, Daddy?” she asks, her eyes fluttering. Yep—she was definitely going to pass out in the car.

He leans forward and kisses her forehead. “Clara and I have to work, so yes.”

“Okay,” she pouts.

“This is my first time at the Perth zoo,” I say, eating a fry. “It was pretty awesome.”

Tag grins. “Bella loves coming here. It’s one of her favourite places.”

I could see why. “Saturday night. It’s going to be packed tonight.”

“Definitely. Luckily we have loads of staff on, so it won’t be too bad,” he replies.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“Why did you go out of your way to get me the job?” I ask, our eyes connected. He chews on his bottom lip, hesitating. “Be honest,” I add.

“Well, for one, I wanted to make it up to you for knocking into you and spilling your drink all over your white shirt, especially since it went see through and I could see your black bra and your nipples poking through,” he says casually.

My jaw drops open, my gaze quickly darting to Bella who was already asleep, her head resting on Tag’s thigh. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

He chuckles, not sorry at all. “You were beautiful, Clara, and you needed help. I’m a man.”

“And?”

“And,” he replies, smiling at me. “That’s just how I’m wired. I wanted to help you, and it was in my power to do so, so I did. It’s not a big deal. You’re a hard worker, and everyone loves you.”

I look down, smiling shyly. “Well, thank you. If you didn’t offer me the job, I don’t know where I’d be right now.”

“You would have sorted something out,” he says, a gentle look on his face.

“That much faith in me, huh?”

He shrugs. “I don’t think you’re the sort to give up so easily.”

“I don’t know,” I reply slowly. “If I was rejected, I don’t think I’d be volunteering for a second dose of that.”

Fuck.

Now I was the one bringing it up.

“I didn’t reject you,” he says, sounding exasperated. “Have you seen you? No man would f*ckin’ reject you!”

My eyes widen at the compliment, but it doesn’t change the facts. “You did.”

“I was trying to do the right thing,” he says, running his fingers over Bella’s hair. “Now stop being angry at me and trying to avoid me because it isn’t going to work.”

“Bossy.”

“Stubborn.”

We share a moment, watching each other in silence.

“We should get going,” he finally says. “Or we will be late.”

We both stand up, he with Bella in his arms.

“Clara?”

“Yeah?”

“Any man would be lucky to have you. Any man.”

Yeah, just not the one that I want.

*****

I was drunk.

Summer let me finish my shift early just so I could drink with her and her brother, Xander. Xander is a handsome man with shoulder-length brown hair and deep hazel eyes. He is covered in tattoos and is also one of Tag’s best friends.