First Love Only Love (The Life 2)

“Where’d you go?”

“Oh, hi Pop, I took Gia to walk the mutt and feed the swans.” Geez, my kid is growing up. Look at how he looks at her, the way he stands protectively beside her, something I doubt she even notices. Not many would unless they have someone they feel strongly for they wouldn’t recognize the signs. Maybe there is a chance after all that this girl who looked like a miniature doll and was almost as wounded as his mother, who’d wrapped herself around my heart and insides all those years ago, would do the same for my son.

“Did you need me for something, Pop?”

“No, actually, I was looking for Gia.” There it is, that shift in the air, he’d protect her even from the father he loves. I hid my smile and held out the envelope with the card to Gia. “Here’s your pay for the tutoring job.” She looked at the envelope like it held a snake.

“Sir, I didn’t tutor the twins; they already knew everything; I can’t take that. I’m sorry.” Honest, honorable, good. Along with everything else I’d learned from watching her this weekend, it was a good start.

“You can call me Draco.” I smiled kindly at her.

“No, you may call him Pop.”

She looked up at him as if for assurance, and he nodded his head. I wonder if she knows what she gave away with that look. And hell, if I didn’t feel all warm and fuzzy inside as memories of my own beginnings with his mom hit me hard.

That’s who they remind me of, Sophia and I. I could wish for my son that his woman didn’t come with any baggage, only because I know the torment he’d feel each time she relives something from her past, each time she gets that look of sorrow in her eyes, and there isn’t a damn thing he can do about it. But it’s not the girl’s fault no more than it had been my wife’s what was done to her.

“Well, since you refuse to take it as payment, you can see it as an allowance. My son tells me you’re staying here with us for a little while; you’ll need an allowance; all my children get one.” That’s a bit of a white lie. My kids have their own bank accounts that were started at birth and given over to them at sixteen.

The twins don’t have complete control of theirs just yet, not for another few weeks, but they’re allowed to spend the interest as they please. Gabe has had control of his going on two years, and I add money to all three each month because they’re still my kids, and it’s my job.

Gabe nudged her as if to say it was okay, and she took it with uncertainty. “I guess I’ll see you two in the morning for breakfast, get some rest.” I hugged and kissed my son’s cheek but didn’t dare go near the girl; I’ll wait for his signal that it’s okay somewhere down the line. For now, it’s enough that he feels enough for her to want to take care of her.

I looked back as he walked her towards his and his sisters’ side of the house and grinned softly at the way he hulked over her as they walked like a big protective bear. When the hell did my son become a man? It might be putting too much on her, but I’ll wait and see. If she’s what he wants, then I’ll find a way to get her to keep him out of the trouble he’s headed for.

GABRIEL

“It’s just plastic; it’s not going to harm you.” She kept turning the prepaid Visa card over and over in her hand like she expected it to bite.

“I don’t understand why he gave it to me, though.”

“He already explained, it’s your allowance, same as the twins and I get.”

“But I’m not one of you.”

“As long as he says you are, then you are. Come on, let’s go to your room; you look dead on your feet.”

“My room? I’m not staying with you?” Don’t look so hopeful; it does strange things to me.

“Did you want to stay with me?” She hung her head shyly for an answer. If I wasn’t doing this for her sake, getting her a separate room, I would’ve caved. “You can stay with me whenever you want to, but you’ll have your own space all the same.”

Was that right? I’m not sure. In all my planning, I never gave much thought to the romance side of things, if there even is one. Since I’d never been in a relationship and had no plans of ever being in one, there are a few steps I’m not sure of. Whatever! I’m just going to go with my own gut instinct when it comes to doing what’s best for her.