Chasing I Do (The Eastons #1) (5 page)

Kylie wasn’t just her daughter. She was her everything.

They may be a small family, but their love was mighty. Darcy carried enough for two parents—enough to last a lifetime. The day she’d discovered she was pregnant, she’d made a promise, to herself and to her baby, that they would live a life built on happiness, honesty, and never-ending love.

Three things Darcy never had much of growing up.

She had sacrificed a lot to hold true to that promise, but when she heard her daughter’s joyous laughter float up into the night sky, she knew it was worth every hardship.

Sometimes, it seemed as if both of their lives had begun the day Kylie was born. Darcy, who had been on her own for most of her life, found herself alone once again after Kyle’s death. But then Kylie came along, and suddenly emotions and this tangible connection that Darcy had struggled for years to find came bubbling to the surface with such force they infused every corner of her life.

A life, she thought, taking in the small guest cottage they called home, that she was proud of.

“Let’s get washed up for bed,” Darcy said.

“But they’re playing the chicken dance. I do the chicken good. Look.” Kylie tucked her arms in, like wings, and flapped for her life.

“You do, but it’s way past bedtime.” Darcy set her daughter on her feet and led them to the porch. “Say goodnight to Auntie Jillian.”

“But they haven’t cut the cake.” Kylie’s lower lip quivered in a way that made saying no hard. “And it’s my favorite kind.”

“And what kind would that be?” Darcy asked, her eyes on Jillian in question, because she’d been so busy doing damage control, she wasn’t even sure what kind of cake the bride had ordered.

“The iced kind,” Jillian said, and Kylie’s head bobbled in agreement.

“Then I will bring you a slice for tomorrow.” Before her daughter could come up with yet another reason to prolong bedtime, Darcy added, “If you are a good girl and go to bed for me.”

Quivering stopped and Kylie gave Jillian a big smack to the lips. “Night, Auntie.”

“Night, sugar,” Jillian said. “Make sure Sam is getting ready too.”

“Sammy,” Kylie called, dragging out his name from two to nine syllables. “It’s bed time.”

Darcy waited until she heard heels clacking hard enough against the wood floors to leave marks, then let out a breath. “Thanks for staying the night. You’re a lifesaver.”

“My pleasure. Sam needed a playdate that didn’t involve videogames, plastic guns, or tackle.”

“Tackle football?”

“No, just tackle.” Jillian shrugged. “Boys, they’re a different breed.”

Didn’t she know it.

Darcy took a seat in the rocking chair next to her friend, and watched the people across the lake dance and hug and mingle, as if nothing could come between them. As if the only emotion in that moment was hopeful joy.

It was why Darcy loved weddings so much. They were the day when everything was perfect, and everyone was connected through love.

“I heard you had a problem with the aisle runner earlier,” Jillian said.

“I called the nursery and replaced the runner with a blanket of pink and cream petals.” It had cost her a small fortune, and she was sure to take a loss on the flowers, but the bride had been thrilled. “I found out who the celebrity wedding was for.”

“Oh. My God.” Jillian’s brows shot up. “Who is it?”

“I’m not supposed to say, the magazine swore me to confidentiality.”

“Only so that they could have one of their interns unintentionally spill the news at the right moment, so it will start a media frenzy to get everyone talking about the wedding of the year. A million readers anxiously awaiting the exclusive photos in their magazine.” Jillian motioned with her hand to bring it. “Let me be the insider who spills.”

“I can’t say.”

“It’s one of the Hemsworth brothers, isn’t it?” Darcy shook her head and Jillian squealed. “It’s Scott Eastwood. Please tell me it’s Scott Eastwood?”

“No.” Darcy bit her lower lip. “It’s Rhett Easton.”

Shock filled her friend’s face, followed by sympathy. “Oh, honey, Kyle’s brother? What are the odds of that happening?”

“One in a billion.” She slumped down in her chair. “I keep looking for the hidden cameras, because this has to be some cruel joke. There is no way that I finally get the opportunity to secure mine and Kylie’s future, and it all comes down to an Easton.” A bad taste formed in her mouth. “Karma can suck it.”

“What did he say? Did he smell like wall-banging sex? I heard he’s into wall sex. Which makes sense, the man is too sexy to want to do it someplace ordinary like a bed. Oh!” Jillian clapped. “Please tell me be brought his fiancée? I always wondered if her boobs were real.” Jillian looked down at her own boobs and cupped them. “They have to be fake, they defy gravity.”

“Rhett didn’t come. He sent his brother Gage.”

“Oh no,” Jillian said, placing a hand over Darcy’s, because she knew the whole story, knew that getting sucker punched by Gage would hurt the most.

“He seemed as surprised to find me here as I was him. So at least being blindsided wasn’t some sick joke,” she said in a voice that she hoped came off as nonchalant. She left out the part that she’d flirted with him a little before she’d realized who it was. “Needless to say, it didn’t go well.”

“He canceled the wedding?” Jillian said fiercely. “What a jerk.”

“No, I canceled it.” And
yes
, he’d been a jerk.

“What? Why? He’s marrying Stephanie Stone. The exposure alone would be amazing for you.” Jillian’s voice became velvet steel. “Don’t let Kyle ruin this moment for you, not when that income could make all the difference in your career. You’ve built something amazing here that deserves to host amazing weddings.”

That was the only reason Darcy had even considered calling him back. This wasn’t just about her and Kylie anymore, she now had fifteen employees and small business owners counting on her to make this venue a success. Not to mention a loan from the bank that needed to be paid back.

“I can’t do an Easton wedding here. It would be uncomfortable and awkward, and just thinking about seeing Margo makes me nauseous.” The throbbing in her head returned. “I’ve worked so hard to give Kylie a happy and safe place to grow up. I won’t risk that for just one wedding.”

“What if you are risking something even bigger?” Jillian asked gently. “Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone else to count on? Someone else who loves Kylie as much as you do? Jerry might be a cheating jerk with a bad case of slippery dick syndrome, but Sam lights up every time his dad picks him up for their weekends.”

Darcy swallowed hard. She knew what it was like to grow up in a single parent household. Her earliest memories were of having dry cereal for dinner because it was all that was in the house, and tucking herself in at night because her mom was working—or out at the bars spending her paycheck.

Between holding down two jobs and looking for the next man to latch onto, Darcy’s mom was usually so tired, something had to take a back seat. Sadly, it was often Darcy.

Which was why Darcy went into parenthood determined to be an amazing mom. Having a family was what she’d always wanted. More than anything. She couldn’t imagine a life without Kylie.

But did Kylie wonder what a life with a dad might be like? Darcy had. Not having a father had left a giant hole in her childhood, and she was determined that Kylie would always have enough.

Enough food. Enough clothes. Enough love.

“They don’t want me,” she admitted, hating how bad it still burned. “They want to bring in an outside planner, and you know how temperamental the house is. You have to bang the AC just to get it started, and if someone doesn’t jiggle the upstairs toilet handle, it will fill up the septic tank.”

Dead silence. “The AC and a toilet is the reason you turned down a wedding that could get you close to breaking even on this place?”

“Yes,” Darcy lied.

Jillian shot her a skeptical look, but played along. “Well, then if that is your only concern, counter their offer. Tell Gage you need a bigger deposit, or that you are a non-negotiable part of the deal. Belle Mont House isn’t the magic ingredient to captivating romance, you are, so let them know that. This is your house and your dream. Don’t miss out because of something some guy from your past did. He’s taken enough from you and Kylie.”

“Thanks,” Darcy said, wiping the emotion forming in the corner of her eyes away. “I needed to hear that.”

“Mom-my,” Kylie’s voice came from down the hall. “I’m rea-dy.”

Darcy gave her friend a long hug. Drying her eyes, she walked into the house and into Kylie’s bedroom. Painted a light blue with green grass, a dog mural, and paw print trim, it was the only room that had been remodeled in the cottage. And sitting on the bed with a doghouse bedframe was her daughter, cuddled up with her favorite stuffed animal.

“Lights out time.” Darcy reached for the switch.

“But we haven’t played High-Low yet,” Kylie said, referring to the game they played every night at the dinner table. “And we always play High-Low.”

Darcy looked at her watch and sighed. She needed to get back to the wedding. She’d already been gone longer than expected. But her daughter needed a few more minutes of her attention, and Darcy needed one more hug, so she sat on the corner of the mattress. “Okay, high first.”

“Auntie Jillian took us to the harbor to see the sea lion babies, and after she bought us an ice cream,” Kylie said with a sneaky smile. “A double scoop too, for big girls. And it had gumballs in it that turned my tongue colors.” Her tongue peeked out, and even though it was back to pink, Darcy covered her heart with her hand, and gasped.

“I can see that. It matches your pajamas,” Darcy said, and Kylie beamed. “Now low?”

“She made broccoli with dinner and I had to eat the whole plate full.” Kylie’s face puckered like she’d sucked on lemon, then tugged her stuffed dog toward her.

“A whole plate full, huh?” Darcy teased, knowing Jillian put four pieces of broccoli on her plate—one for every year old Kylie was. “That is pretty awful.”

“Your turn.”

“Easy. Watching you twirl.” She tapped Kylie’s nose, which crinkled at the touch. “The worst part? That’s harder. Hmmmm…”

The whom was easy. Gage. Their meeting had been so disappointing she still felt the ache in her chest. Now, deciding which part of the impromptu meet was the most disappointing was the part that had Darcy waffling.

The cold way he’d looked at her earlier had reminded her of how she felt right after Kyle died. Scared, alone, unwanted. And just when she though it couldn’t get any worse, he’d dropped that threat on her in a calculated move that was so reminiscent of Kyle in their last few months together, she felt as if she were reliving the heartache all over.

It made her question if she’d gotten everything wrong. If her judgement was so incredibly bad when it came to men that she’d, once again, made a hero out of a self-centered jerk. Not that she would tell Kylie that, but she wouldn’t lie either.

“I ran into an old friend and it left me feeling sad,” Darcy finally said.

“Oh,” Kylie said, her little face soft with concern. “Because you miss them?”

“Yeah, honey.” She did miss Gage. Missed their talks, their inside jokes, the way he’d tell her everything would work out.

Nothing had turned out the way they’d expected. But it had turned out exactly how it was supposed to. And even though Darcy had gone through hell to get to where she was, she wouldn’t trade one second of her life with Kylie.

“I miss how things used to be,” she said. “But I love how things are now. I love you, honey.”

“Love you too, Mommy.”

Kylie laid back and immediately closed her eyes, feigning sleep. She was so in character, she even let Darcy pull the blankets taut and tuck them snuggly around Kylie’s petite frame.

The stuffed dog cuddled beside her daughter caught Darcy’s eye, and she looked at the smug little face and smiled. Between all of the drama with Gage and the wedding, she’d completely forgotten about Fancy. “Guess who crashed the wedding today?”

The only answer she got was a fake snore.

“Oh my, she’s already asleep,” Darcy said to no one in particular. Kylie cracked a smile, but didn’t open her eyes.

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to tell her tomorrow about the dog that visited Belle Mont House.” Darcy stood and clicked off the bedside lamp. Kylie still didn’t move. “It was a miniature white Pomeranian named Fancy.”

“A Pomeranian?” Kylie bolted straight up and clicked back on the light. “Like Sassy?”

“Yup. Fancy had on pink bows and collar. And you know what else?” Darcy leaned down to whisper, “Fancy was a boy.”

Fingers over her mouth, eyes bulging like she’d just learned a national secret, Kylie released a breathy giggle. “But he’s got a girl name.”

“I know. Isn’t that weird?”

Kylie thought about that, then shook her head. “You’re taking me to the daddy daughter picnic and that’s not weird. Unless.” She sucked in a horrified breath. “Are you gonna dress like a boy?”

“Only if I can pretend to be Mr. Sims down at the post office.” Darcy furrowed her brow and formed her lips into a stern look of disapproval, then in a Mr. Sims-esque voice, said, “Little girls who don’t go to sleep don’t get cake.”