The Daddy Box Set

“Not anytime soon, though,” I said. My protective wall shot up for my daughter. She was only three, the only waves I wanted her one were

those shorter than her.

“Who knows?” Jess said. “Maybe she will be a pro at a young age. She could get sponsorships and the like.”

“Then she can take care of us for a change,” I said.

We laughed, and Jess wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me close to her.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Jess

The next morning, I woke to the bed jostling under me. My eyes sprung open, and I shielded them from the harsh sunlight coming in through the open windows. The curtains hadn’t arrived yet so each morning the sun was unyielding over the ocean.

But it wasn’t only the morning sun waking me up. Gina’s little feet bounced her body up and down on the bed. She managed to wedge herself between Noah and me.

I rolled over, and Noah stared up at his daughter with one eye open.

“Wake up!” Gina said.

“What time is it?” I asked.

“It’s seven,” Noah said, adjusting himself under the covers. Noah and I had settled into a more intimate routine. Part of that involved him wearing nothing to bed.

I pulled Gina down to me and tickled her. Her squeals of laughter filled the room.

“You said the waves were big in the morning,” Gina said after I was finished with her.

I tucked her against me. “The waves aren’t big at all around here. So we can go at any point today.”

“How about now?” she asked.

Noah kissed my shoulder. “We are up now.”

I groaned and dug my face into my pillow. My new bed was so comfortable. It was hard to get up on a regular day. But I did promise them. And if Gina was up, there was no way Noah or I would be able to get back to sleep. I hoped Noah would entertain an afternoon nap while Gina slept.

I sat up in bed, feeling the twinges and aches in my muscles. I hadn’t lifted anything particularly heavy yesterday, but I was still so sore from being on my feet all day and moving things around the house. Today was going to add to that.

“What’s for breakfast?” Gina asked.

I had no energy to do anything, let alone cook. “How about cereal?”

Noah rolled over and grabbed Gina from my side of the bed. She kicked her legs up. “Gina and I are going to make pancakes. Come down when you’re ready.”

“I’ll be right there,” I said.

“Take your time,” Noah called from the hallway. “Gina is cooking today.”

I expected a huge mess by the time I got down there, but I saw no reason to rush.

Noah really did take to being retired. And he wasn’t one to sit around and watch television. I suspected his willingness to help with chores around the house and sharing responsibility with Gina was him making up for lost time. In the brief period we were officially together, he had transformed into a better version of himself. And Gina was one lucky girl to have two people—three including Mom—to love her as much as we did.

It was something I always regretted not having. When I was younger, Mom never tried to be the maternal figure I needed. But with that experience, I was better equipped to be able to give someone—Gina—what she needed. I was never going to replace Wendy, but I could strive to be the best role model I could for the growing girl.

I rolled out of bed and walked over to the windows, peering across the ocean.

Living at Mom’s, we didn’t have this unobstructed view of the sea, so it was still a novelty for me since moving in with Noah.