Four hours after seeing Tenille in the car park outside her work, I made my way up the path towards the front door of her house. This wasn’t the home we’d lived in. I hadn’t seen the inside of it yet, but if the outside was anything to go by, this house was much nicer than the one we’d rented. The well-maintained garden with colour everywhere was only the first clue. The recently painted wood was another. On top of that, the neighbourhood was respectable. I’d been relieved when Sully had told me Tenille had chosen to raise our daughter here. I may not have been around to help her do that, but at least the money I’d left her ensured she could afford to give Charlie a good start in life.
As my boot landed on Tenille’s front porch, I slowed and took a moment to get my head together. Not something I was used to doing. My usual method for getting what I wanted was to charge in and do whatever it took, regardless of the consequences, because they meant very little to me. But in this situation, the consequences were everything. They would never be anything less than that when they involved my daughter.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door and waited. Raised voices coming from inside told me that Tenille and Craig were most likely arguing again. The way Craig ripped open the front door a couple of minutes later, confirmed that.
He scowled as our eyes met. “What the fuck are you doing back here? I thought we made it clear last night that you aren’t welcome.”
Not waiting for an invitation, I forced my way into their home. “I obviously didn’t make it clear enough that I don’t give a fuck.”
I didn’t wait for his reply. Instead, I walked the length of the hallway until I found Tenille in their kitchen. The smell of roast filled my nostrils in much the same way the homely feel of their house filled every cold part of me. Family photos, plants, warm light, books, the television running in the background, a cat that rubbed up against my legs, and Tenille chopping potatoes in the kitchen—it was all there.
She’d done it.
Tenille had created the family we always wanted.
I’d always known it, but now I fucking felt it.
The ache in my chest came out of nowhere as I watched her. Really, it was so much more than an ache, but that was all I would acknowledge it as. I’d spent years figuring out ways to avoid this kind of pain; I wasn’t going to let it in now. I just needed to get through this conversation and then I’d drown that fucking pain at the nearest pub.
Tenille stopped chopping and placed her knife down. “You just don’t give up, do you?”
Before I could answer, Craig stormed into the kitchen. He’d been yelling at me as I walked down the hall, but I’d shut him out. “Motherfucker! You can’t fucking come into our house and—”
“Craig,” Tenille hissed. “Charlotte can hear everything you’re saying.”
I faced him, doing my best to ignore the way my chest tightened knowing that my daughter was so close. I hadn’t been sure if she’d be home. Figured she might have been out with friends or at the ice skating rink where I knew she spent a lot of time.
Fury riddled his body, and I wondered how close he was to punching me again. “You need to get used to the idea that I’m back in Tenille’s life now. And Charlie’s.”
His nostrils flared. “Tenille told me you cornered her after work today. And that you want to play Good fucking Samaritan and fix our problems. We don’t need you, Aiden. We’re already working on our own shit.”
“I’m here for a lot fucking more than that.”
Tenille’s sharp intake of breath filled the room. “I knew it. You want Charlie.”
Fear laced her words, and that fear sliced into my heart. I never wanted her to fear me. Fuck, me being back was supposed to do the opposite.
My gaze found hers. “I’m not here to take Charlie, Tee. But she is mine, and I would like to get to know her.”
She paled. “Do you realise the impact that might have on her, Aiden? She thinks you’re dead. All these years, you’ve let her think that. And now you want to come back, when she’s sixteen and already going through so much shit in her life with school and friends. She doesn’t need you to add to the stress she’s already under.” Her voice trembled as her anxiety increased.
I moved closer to her, surprised that Craig hadn’t. His wife was visibly upset, but he made no move to console her. “We can go slowly. I don’t expect to just come back and to suddenly be deep in your lives. She and I can find our way to each other over time.”
Her eyes narrowed at me. “Have you had anything to do with teenage girls in the last fourteen years?”
I frowned, not understanding where she was going with this. “No.”
Shaking her head, she muttered, “Fuck, I didn’t think so. Let me tell you, sixteen-year-old girls are a handful. And while they slap on a mask for the world, underneath that bullshit they’re vulnerable and sensitive. This kind of news will confuse the hell out of Charlie, and I don’t want to put her through that at the moment.”
“So when do you propose, Tee?” My question was genuine, but I couldn’t hide my impatience.
“Never!”
Craig finally manned up and stepped around me to pull Tenille into his arms. In a hushed voice, he said, “Can we at least agree to make a time to meet to discuss this? I don’t want Charlie to come out and meet you without us preparing her first.”
His use of Charlie grated again, but I bit my tongue in order to keep the peace. “Agreed.”
Craig and I may have come to an agreement, however forced, but Tenille didn’t appear to want any part of it. “I’ll meet you to discuss this, but I’m not promising anything will happen soon. I want to make sure Charlie is more settled at school before we do this. She’s been having problems so far this year.”
Charlie had just started her second last year of high school. It was an important year, so it concerned me to hear she was experiencing difficulties. “Okay, we’ll meet tomorrow and talk more about this. The last thing I want is to cause more issues. You’ll guide me on this.”
Her eyes widened at my acceptance of what she said. When they softened a little, I knew I’d made the right step. “Thank you.”
I held her gaze for a moment as I gave her a nod, before looking at Craig again. “I also want to discuss the money that’s missing from your bank account.”
“Jesus, you’re a fucking asshole, aren’t you? I’m beginning to wonder what Tenille ever saw in you. For the fucking record, that money is sorted, and I’m not fucking discussing it with you.”
His voice grew louder as he spoke, and Tenille placed her palm against his chest as she said, “He’s right, Aiden. The money is back in our account and all sorted out, so you don’t need to worry about that anymore.”
I lifted a brow as I glanced between the two of them. “You miraculously found fifty grand?”
Craig stiffened as he continued to glare at me. “Because I know you’re not gonna fucking let this go, I’m doing some extra work for Gibson. He’s paid me in advance.”
I whistled low as I crossed my arms over my chest and planted my feet wide. “Must be some hard-core work, Craig. Tell me, what kind of work does Gibson ask for these days to pay someone that amount of money?” I knew from Sully that Gibson had hired Craig about a year ago to drive trucks for him after Craig lost his job. Driving trucks, however, didn’t earn you fifty grand fast.