Build You Up

Missy moves to a small town in Northern California after walking in on her boyfriend in bed with someone else.
The picturesque cottage she bought outright with the money she inherited from her parent's passing isn't as picturesque as she was promised. She is forced to hire the only contractor in town to make it liveable, even though she can't stand the man and his rude and crude remarks.
Adrian Brewer is a single father, fighting for his parental rights for his daughter, and doesn't need another woman to bring more drama into his life....but there is just something about Missy that has him wishing for more.
When Adrian makes repairs to her new home, can he also help repair her heart? Can she repair his in return? When their past comes back to ruin what they started building together, will the foundation of their budding love be able to withstand the storm? Will Missy let it all burn down? If it does, can Adrian build it back up?
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"Poor girl," my dad mutters quietly so only I can hear. "She's been through a lot. Sounds like she's got no one to depend on now but herself, but she doesn't let it bring her down. She's a fighter, that one."

I nod. I know what he's doing, but I can't. No matter how attracted to her I am, I can't be the one to support her when I can't even support myself. I had to move back in with my dad for fuck's sake to be able to pay Monica off so I can still see Hailey.

Giving Hailey back to her mother was the hardest thing I ever had to do. She was mine no matter what the test said. Monica couldn't even give them an idea of who her real father was. Why couldn't I keep my paternal rights when I loved her so much more than her biological mother did?

Monica has been blackmailing me with Hailey for money ever since. My lawyer, an old friend of my dad's, has been mediating an adoption so I can legally have her again, but Monica keeps demanding more and more from me.

Yes, I'm attracted to Missy. More attracted to her than I would like to admit, but I can't jeopardize losing my daughter for a crush. I need to get my act together and just work to get the job done. Once I have my daughter and she is legally mine, then I can worry about other shit.

I look back to the women as dad tells them to come in to eat, taking a long swig of my beer. When Missy squats down, her plump ass straining against her jeans as she lets Hailey climb on her back, that growingly familiar pang shoots through my heart again as they both giggle and run for the kitchen door.

Dad looks over at me, giving me a look like he can read my thoughts.

"It's okay to do something for yourself, son," he pats my shoulder as he walks by. "She's a sweetheart. Hailey loves her too."

"I can't, dad. She has issues of her own. She doesn't need mine too. Maybe after I legally have Hailey...."

"The way Chris and some of those other boys are snooping around her, you might not have that long to wait. Britt called her over to us Friday night for your sake. Chris was laying it on thick. We love her, Hailey loves her and I can tell you are more affected by that girl than you want to admit. Why don't you take a chance on yourself for once?"