Ryan

"Who was at the door?" Eleanor asked, her cheeks as flushed as Jeremy's.

We were sitting at the back porch table. Jeremy and Eleanor pouring hot chocolate down their throats like water.

"Billy. He's gone now," Barbara said, dunking a ginger cookie in a fresh cup of coffee.

Eleanor didn't comment, but I could see the need to curse on her face. I guess she didn't like Billy much either.

I smiled when Barbara bit the soggy cookie and dunked the rest of it again. "And you find my dunking fries in ice cream disgusting?"

She gave me a look. "That's a completely different matter. Cookies are supposed to be dunked in hot drinks. It enhances the flavors."

"May I try?" Jeremy said, chocolate smearing his left cheek.

I nodded, and Barbara moved her glass closer. Jeremy dunked a chocolate chip cookie in her cup of coffee.

"Wait until it's just the right texture," Barbara said, her. Head close to Jeremy's as they looked at the cookie in the coffee. "If you take it out too soon, it's like you did nothing, if you leave it in for too long, it'll be too soggy and fall into the coffee."

"When should I take it out?" Jeremy asked. "Now?"

"Wait a little longer."

"But it's going to break!" Jeremy said with a giggle.

Barbara smiled. "Okay now!"

Jeremy took out the cookie. It was too soggy. It almost broke.

"Quick, quick, quick!" Barbara said, grinning from ear to ear. Jeremy managed to bite it before it fell off. Jeremy tried to swallow past his laughter, making Barbara laugh. She wiped his cheek with her finger and brushed her hands off as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

I realized I was smiling. I caught Eleanor's eyes. She was looking at me, and it wasn't the hostile look she'd given me when I first showed up here. I raised my brow. She just looked away.

We had our snack of cookies, then Jeremy was off to play again.

"Is it okay if he dips his feet in the water?" Barbara asked, taking off her shoes then socks.

"Sure," I said.

She jumped to her feet and skipped down the steps to join Jeremy and the dogs on the beach. Pointing at us, she said something. Jeremy jumped in his spot, then settled down to take off his shoes and socks, and Barbara helped him roll his pants up, and off they went to the water.

I didn't know who looked more excited, Jeremy or the dogs.

Eleanor turned to me. "If you're not serious about Barbara, piss off."

Well, that didn't take long. I raised my hands in surrender. "I am serious about her. You think I'll let anyone spend time with my son?"

Her green eyes narrowed to slits. "What about your ex?"

"What about her?" I asked.

"Barbara might not go on social media much, but I do, and I see all your ex-wife's posts and hints about getting back together with you," Eleanor said. "What's going to happen once she's here again? Are you just going to push Barbara off to the side the way you did before?"

I sighed. "I can't control what Miranda says on her social media. And I frankly don't care as long as it doesn't affect Jeremy. Miranda is Jeremy's mother. Nothing more. Nothing less. We're not getting back together. I am serious about Barbara. I'd be lucky to have her in my life. I fucked up once, and I'm not planning to do it again."

"Hmph." She looked away, and I thought that was that.

Barbara's laughter mingled with Jeremy's. Today was the first time I'd heard her laugh so much. Probably because she was at her house, in her safe space. And it was all thanks to Jeremy.

"Why does Billy hate Barbara?" I asked, downing the last sip of my coffee.

Eleanor scoffed. "That spoiled trust fund baby."

I almost choked. I glanced at her, suddenly self-conscious, because I, too, was technically a trust-fund baby.

Eleanor continued, "he never liked her. Barbara moved in with her grandmother when she was about eleven, but she only met Billy a few years later.

"I don't know if he was just jealous because of Grandmother Agnes' attention to Barbara, or if his shrew of a mother told him bad things about Barbara, but he never liked her. He used to torture her whenever Agnes wasn't around. He hit her. He ripped off her clothes and books. Basically, he was a big bully."

I frowned. "Why didn't Barbara say anything to Agnes?"

"Do you know about Barbara's childhood?" Eleanor asked.

I nodded. "She told me."

"Imagine yourself in her position. She was just removed from an environment where abuse and violence was normal and perpetrated by adults. What Billy did to her? It was nothing compared to what she'd been through. Complaining to Agnes wasn't even in her radar. To her, her life then, even with Billy's bullying, was a hundred times better."

"I see," I mumbled, my heart hurting for the child Barbara had been, for everything she had gone through.

Eleanor heaved a deep sigh, and when she looked at me, there was no animosity in her eyes, just sadness. "Barbara might have told you about part of her childhood. But no matter how much you imagine, you can never picture the hell she'd been through. I was with her for parts of it, but what I suffered was nothing, absolutely nothing compared to what her mother put her through.

"You know, Barbara will forgive you, she probably has already. Maybe it's because of her guilt, but she could never stay angry for too long at people she cared about, even if they wrong her."

I went through everything Barbara had told me of her childhood, but I just couldn't figure it out. So I asked, "what guilt are you talking about?"

Eleanor pursed her lips. "That's not my thing to tell. Barbara is the kindest person I know, but she's also the most viciously protective. If you threaten her family or her animals or her things, she will go after you like a wild cat. Graham doesn't know that. He didn't know that Agnes, and later the company Agnes gave Barbara, was all it stood between them and Barbara's wrath."

Eleanor stood up. I didn't want her to go. I wanted to hear more about Barbara. She obviously knew her well, better than I possibly could. And I was beginning to realize I didn't know Barbara as much as I should.

"You're being very forthcoming with information," I said.

Eleanor looked at me and smiled. "You're good for her. I think. So I'm going to give you another chance. But let me just say one more thing. Do you know who called Barbara the Ice Queen?"

"Wasn't it because of all the radical changes and dismissals she had to do within the company when she first took over?"

"It was before that. Grandmother Agnes was the one who first called her that, and it stuck. It was after I visited her once at her grandmother's place when we were still teens. Billy tried to grope me, and Barbara broke his nose and gave him a concussion and a scar in his temple when she hit his head against the wall. That brat still has the scar.

"During it all, Barbara didn't flinch once, and when Meryl demanded that Barbara be punished or apologize for it, Barbara didn't utter a word, just looked at Meryl without a hint of emotion until Meryl lost it and tried to attack Barbara. That's when Agnes told her she wouldn't get anything out of the Ice Queen. Barbara was never punished for attacking Billy, and she never apologized for it."

Eleanor chuckled. "That's one of my favorite memories."

I smiled and looked down the beach. I've always known there's fire in those icy eyes. I'd glimpsed it before, but knowing how deep it was made me fall in love with her a little bit more.

In love.

That wasn't exactly the moment I'd expected to come to such a conclusion. I was over thirty, and this was the first time I could truly admit to myself that I was absolutely in love with a woman.

Eleanor left to join the fun in the shallow waves, and I watched them play like that for what felt like an eternity, trying to come to terms with my feelings for this incredible woman who adored my son and protected her loved ones with a fierceness no one would expect.

Pie jumped on the table and sniffed at the plate of cookies. I pulled it away. "I don't think you're supposed to have that."

She blinked her orange eyes and meowed, as if she understood what I said. I took the plate and mugs into the kitchen, removed my own shoes and socks, and waded through the sand towards them.

The sand was unexpectedly warm. The sun had broken through the clouds and cast its heat and glow over the world. The water glimmered, reflecting in Barbara's eyes like jewels.

"Dad!" Jeremy squealed when he saw me, trying to duck the splashes of Lady's paws as she ran past him to race Pirate for the ball Barbara threw.

Jeremy's face glowed, his smile brighter than the sun. I grinned and scooped him up, carrying him like a football. Barbara and Eleanor splashed us with water, and we didn't get out of the ocean until most of our clothes were damp.

Once back inside, Jeremy and I used the bathroom to change. Fortunately, I always kept a change of Jeremy's clothes in my car. Children are unpredictable, and I'd learned to be ready.

Barbara gave me a change of John's clothes that he kept in her house for whenever he and Eleanor spent the night here.

The bathroom had a glass wall that overlooked the beach, right next to it was a freestanding bath. The cabinets were a pale blue green color, a shade lighter than the wave patterns on the white walls. The house was so open and cheerful and warm. Certainly not what outsiders would expect of the Ice Queen.

Jeremy was sitting on the counter while I put on John's sweatshirt. My phone flashed on the counter. Miranda.

"Jeremy?"

"Yeah?" he asked, his eyes bright and still very far from tired.

"Did you tell your Mom we're coming to see Barbara today?"

"Uh-huh."

As expected. I stifled a sigh and lowered my son from the counter, pushing Miranda to the back of my mind.

Pirate and Lady were napping on the sunny back porch. Eleanor and Barbara looked busy in the kitchen when we joined them.

Barbara put a bowl of cut fruits on the island and said, "Jeremy."

Jeremy climbed on a stool and dug into the fruits.

"What do we say?" I asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He swallowed and beamed. "Thank you, Barbara!"

"You're welcome." Barbara smiled.

"Can I help with anything?"

Barbara opened her mouth, but Eleanor beat her to it. "Dice these."

She slid a basket of freshly washed veggies on the island towards me. I washed my hands, picked up a knife, and began dicing the cucumbers.

"So Barbara," Eleanor said. "James is coming to our wedding."

James? I remembered the name very well. Eleanor had hinted that this James was interested in Barbara. Hmm. I sliced another cucumber. The knife almost stuck to the cutting board.

Barbara blinked at her sister. "Okay?"

"Well, I was wondering if he could be your plus one since you're going alone," Eleanor said, sprinkling salt on four salmon pieces.

Barbara opened up the rice cooker on the counter and let the steam out. "I can go on my own. Stop trying to match me up."

"I see." Eleanor popped the tray of salmon in the oven and turned to look at Jeremy, her smile bright. "Jeremy, would you like to come to my wedding?"

"Can Lady come too?" Jeremy asked. Barbara had her back to us, dishing out rice in the plates.

"Sure! Pirate will be there so she can keep him company. We can even dress her up!"

Jeremy perked up and looked at me. "Dad! Can I go?"

"You can come, too, of course," Eleanor told me. "I can't expect Jeremy to come alone."

"Aren't invitations already out?" I asked. "We don't want to intrude."

"The invitations are all out, but I'm the bride. I can invite a few more people if I want to," Eleanor said. "Right, Barbara?"

Barbara looked over her shoulder at Eleanor, and there was a hint of amused exasperation in her face. "Sure."

"Or better yet!" Eleanor clapped her hands once, as if she just got a brilliant idea. "You can come as Barbara's plus one!"

Barbara and I glanced at each other. She sighed and nodded. "Sure."

"Perfect!" Eleanor said, high-fiving Jeremy. "I'll pick out the cutest bow for Lady. Just leave it to me, buddy."

I caught Eleanor's eyes and she winked. Well, I guess she was on my side now. I couldn't have asked for a better wing woman.

*** **** ***

We had lunch with Barbara and Eleanor, and after Jeremy played a bit more on the beach, it was time to go. I had something important to do and I needed Jordan to watch over my son.

On our drive back, Lady was passed out in the backseat next to Jeremy. She had played more than I thought she was capable of today. She looked content. Being in an open space like that was really good for her.

I dropped by Jenny's favorite bakery and got a selection of her favorites before driving to their place.

"Dad?" Jeremy said when we were embroiled in the Saturday afternoon traffic.

"Hmm?"

"Are you going to marry Barbara?"

I almost hit the brakes. I glanced in the rearview mirror and eased the car to a stop when I spotted a parking space.

"What makes you say that?" I turned to look at him. Had he heard my mother talk again?

He shrugged. "Cuz she's your girlfriend."

"Well, she's not exactly my girlfriend."

"Oh." He looked disappointed.

"But I'm working on it," I said. "Would you mind if I married her?"

"No. Does that mean she's going to be my mom?" he asked.

"You already have a mom, son," I said.

"Yeah..." he looked out the window. I gripped the steering wheel. It was heartbreaking that he wanted someone else to be his mother.

But I had to remind myself that Jeremy was just a kid. He didn't always know what was good for him. However, the fact that he said this was a testament of how much Miranda had fucked up, and how good Barbara was to him.

He wasn't the only one who wished that.

"Even if she's not your mom, and even if we don't end up marrying each other, Barbara will always be a friend of mine," I told him. "And she'll always be a friend of yours."

"Good," he brightened up. "I like her, and I want to see her everyday."

I chuckled and unstrapped my seatbelt. "Okay, let's hope it works out that way."

We made our way to Jordan's house. Lia opened the door even before we rang the bell, her pigtails bouncing with her excitement. "Lady! Jeremy!"

Jeremy immediately started telling her about his day on the beach, and she pulled him and Lady inside. I wasn't even on the little girl's radar.

Jordan appeared behind her. "Come in."

"No, I gotta go. Did you get me what I asked for?"

"Yeah. I'll send it to you right now," Jordan said. He stepped out and closed the door. "But what do you want Billy Owens' number for?"

"He and I need to have a little chat," I said, giving him the bakery bag. "Tell Jenny I said Hi."

"You tell her yourself. You're having dinner with us. Jenny's orders," he said, taking his phone out. "I also want to hear all about your business with Owens."

I checked my phone. A second later, Jordan sent the phone number. I dialed it immediately. Billy Owens replied on the fourth ring.

"This is Ryan Davies," I said. "Let's meet up."

One hour later, I slid my car into a parking spot in one of my family's hotels in the city. We picked this spot to meet up. Billy had been reluctant to meet, but I convinced him it was a mutually beneficial meeting, and he agreed. He couldn't possibly say no to a Davies.

He was waiting for me in the hotel's restaurant, in a VIP private dining room I had to reserve at the last minute. The restaurants' manager met me at the entrance of the restaurant. Classical music floated in the air, complimenting the hushed sound of conversation. The large windows reflected the busy space with its white tables, gilded walls, red carpet and glittering chandeliers, the twilit sky barely visible beyond.

"Mr. Davies, a pleasure to have you here tonight," the manager said. "May I take your coat?"

"No need. I'll be out in a minute," I said. "Is my guest here?"

"Yes, sir," he said.

"Good. I don't want us to be disturbed, and I'd appreciate it if you provide a private exit for him once our business is done," I said.

The manager didn't even blink. "Of course, sir."

The manager led the way down a hallway to one of the private dining rooms. Billy was standing by the glass wall, scrolling through his phone. I closed the door behind me with a quiet snick. He turned.

"Davies. What did you call me here for? Want some inside information on Barbara?" he asked with an insolent grin. I didn't break stride. I headed straight for him while he spoke. "I knew you were never serious about her. I have all the juicy details about her childhood. Let me tell you, that bitch is-"

I punched him in the jaw.

Billy hit the glass wall and scrambled to get his footings, grasping at the wall. "What the hell-?"

Billy was a bully. Idiots like him only understood brute strength. I grabbed his collar and hit his back against the wall. He swung his arms. I kneed him in the groin and held him firm. He grunted, trying to crouch and hold his crotch.

"Stay still and listen to me, you bastard," I said calmly, squeezing his collar and pushing against his throat. His eyes fixed on me, wide and afraid. "If I ever see you anywhere near Barbara, I'll make your life a living hell. Everything she put you through will look like child's play. Do you understand?"

He nodded the best he could. I let go and he dropped to the ground with a groan, curling around himself. "What the fuck is wrong with you, man?" he grunted.

This brat. He really didn't learn. I crouched down beside him. He flinched. "Do I have to repeat myself, Owens?"

He sneered. "No. I'm just curious why the fuck do you care?"

"None of your damn business," I said, standing up and brushing my hands together. "Just stay away from her and you and I will be just fine. Got it?"

He looked away, his face still screwed up in pain. I nudged him with my foot. "Do you get it, Billy?"

"Yes! Yes, I got it!"

"Good. Let's not see each other again," I said. "You can have dinner here. On me. Have a lovely evening, Owens."

I doubted Billy would actually have anything, but just in case, I told the manager to put the bill on my tab and left to have dinner with my friends. What a lovely way to end the day.

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M.B.