Fan Fiction ❯ Everything You Want ❯ Unforeseen Attractions ( Chapter 21 )

Everything You Want

Chapter 21:

Unforeseen Attractions

 

 

 

Robert Campbell leaned back in his padded office chair and extended his well-muscled arms over his head in a languorous stretch. Yawning widely, he shuffled the finished reports he'd spent half the day working on into a neat stack and shut down his computer as he stood to deliver the papers to his bosses' secretary.

 

Padding down the carpeted hallway of the small accounting firm, Robert loosened his tie and shoved a hand through his disheveled flaxen colored tresses as he reflected on the past week since Bella had found him passed out in the kitchen.

 

To be honest, he was completely stunned that she'd forgiven him so quickly. Sometimes he wondered who the parent and who the child was nowadays… It seemed that Bella was rapidly surpassing him in common sense along with educating him in the valuable life lessons that he should be teaching her.

 

`I am such a complete and utter bastard… What would Kathy think if she were here to witness what a mess I've made of my and our daughter's life.'

 

Cringing a little at the thought, Robert scrubbed a hand over his face with a deep sigh. He didn't even want to imagine what his beloved wife would think of the poor excuse for a man he'd become.

 

Shrugging away his less than pleasant contemplations, Robert sidled up to the secretary's desk and waited patiently for the young, brunette lady to finish her phone call. Though the woman was reasonably attractive, Robert barely noticed her. It was impossible for him to even fathom dating another woman, no matter how good-looking or smart she was.

 

He knew the entire time he was out on a date he would be plagued with feelings of betrayal and self-loathing. How could be possibly find another as beautiful and perfect as his Kathy? Shaking his head firmly, he determined that it was not possible. He would never love another like he loved his dearly departed wife.

 

The brunette's inquiring voice drew Robert out of his inner musings as he focused his attention back to the present. “I'm sorry, what was that, Marissa?”

 

The young woman flashed him a brilliant smile and giggled sweetly. “I just asked what I could help you with, Mr. Campbell,” she repeated patiently as Robert smiled sheepishly and handed her the reports.

 

“Sorry about that, it's been a long day. Oh, and please, call me Robert,” he apologized.

 

Scanning the papers briefly, the woman nodded with a grin. “No problem, Robert. I understand completely,” she replied as she gestured at the huge stack of unfinished documents that still needed to be entered into the computer.

 

Wincing in sympathy for the poor girl, Robert held up his hands in mock surrender. “You win,” he laughed.

 

Joining in his laughter, Marissa inwardly sighed in relief. It was nice to see Mr. Campbell without the permanent frown he'd had glued to his handsome face after his wife's death. It seemed as though he was finally learning to deal with her passing and move on with his life.

 

Marissa had always been attracted to the tall, broad shouldered, fair haired man even though he was a little older than her. The only place his forty five years showed were in the lines around his mouth and eyes, and those didn't bother her in the slightest.

 

But, Marissa knew better than to ask the man on a date. She could tell that he looked right through her and every other woman despite his affable and friendly demeanor towards them.

 

Marissa envied the lucky woman who managed to snare the attention of the, in her opinion, gorgeous blonde male standing in front of her.

 

Laughter dying down, Robert thanked the woman graciously and waved his hand in farewell as he strode from the room, completely oblivious to the longing in her eyes.

 

`Hmmm, it's Tuesday, right? YMCA tonight with Bell.'

 

Robert had followed through with his idea to renew his membership at the gym, and was pleased at how well the physical activity was helping in distracting him from his depression and loneliness. The exertion on his body helped him to sleep at night, which was a pleasant change considering the lack of rest he'd become accustomed to.

 

And of course, there was the added bonus of spending time with his daughter. In the months following her mother's death, Robert had lost touch with Bella mostly due to his own selfishness. It was nice to reacquaint himself with her, and at the same time do something they both enjoyed.

 

All of the week's events had resulted in Robert experiencing a state of being that he'd never really expected to feel again.

 

Contentment.

 

Though the ever-present grief of his loss was still evident, Robert found himself able to push the emotion to the back of his thoughts and be content with his life the way it was. Now maybe he could be the father Bella deserved.

 

Little did he know that across town, in his own home, his daughter was preoccupied with thoughts very similar to his own. Bella knew that if she didn't keep her unhappiness from being parted with Cole under a tight rein, she would never be able to focus on the reason why they were apart.

 

That thought alone was the one that made her strive to become a person worthy of the love Cole possessed for her.

 

How similar father and daughter are… don't you think?

 

 

 

 

 

Slowing to a jog on the treadmill, Bella relished the natural high exercise provided along with the elimination of built up stress that had tightened the muscles in her limbs.

 

Plus, there was the added bonus of being there with her dad. Bella smiled as she downgraded from a jog to a walk as she cooled down. She loved the evenings they came here after work and school. It gave her and her father the opportunity to be with one another and talk. Something that both had greatly missed.

 

Before her mother's death, Bella had been the epitome of a `daddy's girl', a fact to which Robert had indulged endlessly. There was nothing he wouldn't do for or give his precious, perfect princess. Kathy had always teased him that someday he would regret his actions when his little princess grew into a selfish, spoiled teenager, but thankfully, due to good parenting on both ends, Bella had turned out just fine.

 

Bella sometimes wondered if maybe the reason she was so dependent on others, was because of the sheltered life she'd led up until the day of her mother's accident. Not that she would ever trade her childhood for another, but sometimes she wished her parents hadn't been so protective, so intent on shielding her from the harsh realities of a cruel world.

 

If Bella had been exposed to such things, maybe she wouldn't be in the predicament she was in now. No longer could she depend on mommy and daddy for every little thing. Unfortunately, she'd had to learn that lesson the hard way. There had been no smooth transition to the grown up world for daddy's little girl. For Bella, reality had been ruthlessly shoved upon her by her mother's untimely death.

 

Bella sighed heavily and pushed away her unhappy thoughts. This was no time to be dwelling on things she had no control over. No, now was the time to rise above her adversities and improve herself.

 

`Good God, where the hell did all that come from?'

 

Shaking her head and laughing a little at her wayward thoughts, Bella stopped the treadmill and stepped off. `No more sugary sport drinks for me,' she chuckled to herself.

 

Scanning the crowded gym for her father, she finally spotted him lifting weights over by the stationary exercise bikes. Swiping her hand over her forehead to wipe away the drops of perspiration that had collected there, Bella grabbed her water bottle and ambled towards the area her father was in.

 

Halfway there, Bella stopped when she noticed a familiar mop of red hair headed in her direction. “Lacey?”

 

The other woman stopped at the sound of her name, and looked around for the source of the familiar voice. Spotting Bella, she grinned and waved as she closed the distance between them.

 

“Hey, Bell! How ya doing?”

 

“Doing good, how about you?” Bella replied as she chuckled at the art teacher's choice in work out wear.

 

`Does she ever dress normal?' she wondered with an amused smile as she took in the older woman's bright pink body suit and neon green tights along with an eighties style orange sweat band keeping her errant red curls back from her eyes.

 

“Great! I just finished teaching my aerobics class,” Lacey informed her enthusiastically as she literally bounced from one foot to the other.

 

“Wait a second, you teach aerobics?”

 

“Yup.”

 

“How do you find the time to be a teacher, tutor students on the side, and teach aerobics?” Bella inquired curiously.

 

Lacey shrugged and grinned cheerfully. “Boundless energy, Bella, boundless energy…” she replied, “Are you here by yourself?”

 

Bella shook her head and gestured over to where her dad was. “Nope, I'm here with my dad, actually,” Bella paused and then continued, “You should come meet him, Lacey.”

 

“Okey dokey pokey, lead the way,” the older woman sang out in a child like voice.

 

Snickering at her antics, Bella closed the distance between her father and herself. Looking up as his daughter came into his line of vision, Robert smiled in greeting and put down the weights he was lifting.

 

“Hey, baby. All done?”

 

Bella nodded. “Uh-huh,” she replied and then motioned behind her at Lacey, “Dad, I'd like you to meet Lacey McCloon. She's the art teacher from school that's been tutoring me. Lacey, this is my dad, Robert Campbell.”

 

Wiping his palms on his shorts, Robert held out his hand and shook the woman's small, slender fingered hand firmly. As her skin brushed against his with the brief contact, he almost shivered as jolts of electricity shot up and down his arm. Locking his hazel eyes with her sapphire ones, Robert froze.

 

She was… stunning. That was the only word his frazzled mind could form as he lost himself in the swirling depths of her mesmerizing orbs. A slight tug and a chuckle bringing him out of his daze, Robert released the woman's hand and took a step back.

 

“Robert, huh? That's so… I don't know. Dull. How `bout your new name be… Demetri? That sounds exotic,” Lacey suggested with an impish grin.

 

Bella laughed as Robert tried to look offended, but failed miserably as an amused snicker slipped through his lips. “I never realized my name was so plain, Ms. McCloon. Maybe I should consider changing it,” he replied.

 

Lacey nodded, a serious look plastered on her animated face. “You do that,” she chided playfully and then smiled brightly. “But for real, it's great to finally meet you, Mr. Campbell. Bella talks about you all the time.”

 

“All good things, I hope,” Robert said with a hesitant smile. He wasn't sure why, but he was suddenly very concerned as to what Bella had said about him to this intriguing woman.

 

`Why do you care? It's not like you're interested in her or anything.'

 

Robert frowned as he observed Lacey while she conversed with his daughter. `It's not that I care, exactly… I just don't want her to think badly of me.'

 

`Hmmm… sounds like you care to me…'

 

`Shut up.'

 

“Well, I have to get going, all,” Lacey announced as she flashed him another brilliant smile and lightly punched his arm. “Bye Demetri, it was nice to meet you. Don't be a stranger, it would cool to see you again…”

 

Waving, the eccentric woman departed, leaving behind a chuckling teen and a flustered middle-aged man in her wake. Hitching her gym bag a little higher on her shoulder, Lacey smirked.

 

`Mr. Robert Campbell is a hottie… Maybe… No. That's Bella's dad, it wouldn't be right,' she argued with herself.

 

Glancing back over her shoulder, Lacey caught a flash of hazel staring after her and she grinned.

 

`Maybe…'

 

 

 

 

 

 

*~~~~A/N~~~~*

 

 

 

You wanna know what sucks? Going to work at 1 am to wait on drunken assholes that don't tip worth a damn and try to grab your ass. I hate the midnight shift…

 

 

 

*~~Anime Spiral Reviewer(s)~~*

 

 

 

 

LT Stryffe: *hugz* Thanks so much! You're so sweet. As always, your reviews are appreciated. They give me the incentive to keep writing! lol :o)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Chapter: Guilty Pleasures