CHAPTER ONE
SIMON
I poured a cup of coffee and walked outside, staring at the vista in front of me. I would never get tired of it. Coming from Ontario and the busy city we lived in, the openness of Nova Scotia was a delight to the eyes. This small town was the opposite of the noisy, bustling place we had left behind. From my porch, I could see the water, hear the waves as they crashed against the rocks. Watch the ever-changing colors in the depths. See storms as they approached. Mia and I loved to sit in the family room on the second floor and watch them roll in. We were fascinated by the way the clouds moved, the ocean joined with the skies to produce and echo the ferocity building in the air before the storm would strike. Mia would snuggle close, and I treasured those times with her.
My daughter—the nucleus of my world.
I ran a hand over my face, thinking of the letter my lawyer had given me yesterday. It was from my ex-wife Kelsey, Mia’s mother. She was like the proverbial bad penny and kept turning up. Subtlety and grace had never been her strong suits. Give me what I want was more up her alley.
I wasn’t shocked when I read it, but still, anger and disappointment raged in me as I scanned the words.
There was no query about Mia. No second thoughts about wanting a relationship with her daughter. Instead, it was a woe is me, life isn’t good, and you still owe me letter. She wanted more money. If I was honest with myself, it was all she ever wanted from me. I had been blind to her when I met her. I fell for her beauty and the façade she showed to the world. Even after we were married and the screaming voices in my head told me it had been a mistake, I tried. I gave in to her tantrums, telling myself she was settling into our marriage. I ignored her jibes and constant cruel actions, allowing leeway for her age. When she told me she was pregnant, I was thrilled. I was certain being a mother would soften her, make her less shallow and more the person I had believed her to be.
It only got worse. It became obvious to me what a mistake I had made. She had married me for one reason and one reason only. My money. The breaking point came when I saw her true colors during the holiday season the first year Mia was born. Her brother showed up unexpectedly, and I was shocked not only to learn of his existence, but to witness the way he was treated. He didn’t fit into the mold of the rest of her family. He sought neither money nor power, but simply to live his life and be happy. He was made so unwelcome, he left before I got a chance to know him. Shortly after, Kelsey and I separated. I paid a great deal of money to get rid of her, and she gave me the only thing I wanted from our marriage. My daughter.
Becoming a single father wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. I concentrated on Mia and my work. My two main focuses. Our first Christmas alone, a small package arrived from Kelsey’s brother Evan and his wife Holly with a gift in it for Mia. Every year after, a package would appear, and when Mia was old enough, she became curious about her uncle. She begged me to take her to visit, and once we arrived—and he got over the shock of our appearance—the relationship between them flourished. The added bonus was that my relationship with Evan, his wife, and family did as well. What started as a holiday became permanent, and we moved here. Surrounded by the beautiful scenery and the warm people, I knew I’d made the right decision. Mia blossomed the past while and was excited to start school. Settling into the new house and getting her ready had been my main focus until the letter arrived yesterday.
I sat down on the swing Evan had made and helped me hang on the porch. I sipped my coffee, letting the tranquility around me settle my anger.
Kelsey was a piece of work, and while part of me wished I had figured that out before I married her, I wouldn’t give Mia up for anything. But my ex wasn’t getting another penny out of me. She could find someone else to bleed. My lawyer assured me she had zero chance of getting any rights back to Mia, so her subtle threats didn’t sway me. And I owed her nothing. I’d given her a healthy settlement, bought her a new house, and paid off her debts to get rid of her. I had no feelings left for her aside from contempt. The truth was I had never truly loved her—I had loved the thought of her, of what we could be. When I saw the real person I married, I was horrified and had zero guilt about walking away. Mia and I were both better off without her.
Moving here to Cliff’s Edge had been exactly what we needed. A fresh start. Mia was thriving, loving the dynamics of a small town, the family we had found, and the new house. I loved the peacefulness and the chance to watch her grow surrounded by love.
The front door opened, and she rushed out, her dark hair a mass of tangles. Her feet were shoved into slippers, and her pajamas were covered in unicorns. Her face broke into a wide smile.
“Hi, Daddy!”
Laughing, I braced myself as she launched into my arms, the swing moving wildly. I pressed a kiss to her head.
“Hey, Sweet Pea. How’d you sleep?”
“So good. I love it here.”
I kissed her again, enjoying her weight on my lap. “Me too.”
“Are we going shopping?”
I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “You are going shopping with Auntie Holly and your cousins. I’m working.”
She grinned, not at all bothered. She loved Holly.
“You don’t like shopping, do you, Daddy?”
“Only in small doses. Holly can help you with clothes and supplies better than I can.”
“What about groceries?”
“We only need a few things. I have to pick up a package at UPS, so I’ll grab what we need while I’m in town. Holly is taking you into Halifax so there’s a better selection.” I glanced at my watch. “You have about an hour until she gets here.”
“Will you do my hair?”
Of all the things I’d had to learn about being a single dad, that had been the most challenging. Hair. All I did with mine was wash it and let it dry. Let the barber trim it. Mia’s long, thick locks were a challenge, but she refused to let me have it cut. So, I studied YouTube videos, asked the women at Mia’s day care, and experimented over and over until I was proficient. I could French braid, twist, and upsweep with the best of them. Mia often did her own hair now, but I still liked it when she asked me.
“How do you want it?”
“Two braids.”
“Sure. Go have breakfast and get dressed, and I’ll do it.”
She kissed my cheek and scampered away. “Love you, Daddy!” she called as she headed inside.
I smiled at her words, my heart warm. I drained my cup and stood. I would instruct my lawyer to write Kelsey a refusal and tell him to include a paragraph about no further contact. Hopefully she would get the message and move on. I was sure there was someone out there as detached as she was that she could sink her claws into. I was done.
Then I headed inside.
I had braids to weave.
CHAPTER TWO
SIMON
I looked at the cart in front of me with a wry smile. So much for only needing a few things. I may have aced the hair thing over the years, but my meal planning and grocery shopping hadn’t improved that much. At least Mia had grown beyond chicken nuggets and fries. I swore that was all she ate for about three years. I kept our meals pretty simple. Grilled meat, salad, and whatever vegetables I could get into her was our usual. Luckily, she liked salad. That I could do. Mac and cheese was a staple too. Thank God for Holly. We went to their house a lot, and Mia ate well there. Holly often sent home leftovers, which was a godsend. And she was an awesome cook.