HER MOTHER’S HUSBAND

UNEXPECTED BONDING

At exactly 9:00 pm, Vanessa sat in the dining room, sipping a glass of iced tea, trying to ignore the fact that Steve Blackwell was just a few feet away in the living room.

Steve was sprawled on the couch, flipping through the channels like he owned the place. The sound of sports commentators filled the air, but he didn't seem to be paying much attention.

Vanessa's eyes darted toward him, and she couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions…

He looked annoyingly relaxed while she wasn't..his perfectly tailored shirt hugging his broad shoulders just right. But she quickly pushed that thought aside.

“Mom had gone for a work trip, and that's her husband right there” Vanessa muttered to herself, more to break the silence than anything else. It wasn't like Steve cared. Or so she thought.

“Hmm? You say something, Nessa?” Steve called out, turning his head slightly to glance at her. His tone was casual, but his gaze lingered just a moment longer than necessary.

“Nope,” she snapped, a little too quickly. She turned her back to him, pretending to be busy scrolling on her phone.

Steve chuckled softly, that deep, resonant sound that seemed to vibrate through the room. “You always seem to be in a bad mood whenever I’m around. Can’t say I blame you, though.”

“Excuse me?” Vanessa spun around, glaring at him. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean,” Steve said, sitting up straighter, “you don’t have to pretend like you’re okay with your mom marrying me. I get it, alright? I’m not here to win any father-daughter bonding awards.”

“Good,” Vanessa shot back, her arms crossed. “Because that’s definitely not happening.”

He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright. I’ll stay out of your way.” But there was a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Vanessa was about to retort when the sudden sound of thunder cracked through the sky. She glanced out the window to see dark clouds rolling in, a storm brewing much faster than the weather forecast had predicted.

“Looks like a storm’s coming,” Steve observed, standing up to peer outside.

“Yeah, thanks, Captain Obvious,” Vanessa muttered under her breath, heading towards the stairs. She wanted to disappear into her room and avoid any further interaction.

But just as she reached the first step, there was a loud crash outside, followed by the sound of shattering glass. Vanessa’s heart jumped into her throat as she whipped around. Steve was already rushing toward the door.

“What the hell was that?” she called after him.

“Stay there!” he yelled back, disappearing outside. But Vanessa wasn’t one to just stand around. Ignoring his warning, she grabbed her phone and followed.

Outside, she found Steve kneeling beside one of the large planters that had been knocked over by the wind. Shards of broken glass from the porch light littered the ground, and Vanessa’s eyes widened when she saw blood trickling down Steve’s arm.

“You’re bleeding!” she exclaimed, rushing toward him.

“It’s nothing,” he said through gritted teeth, cradling his arm. But she could tell from the way his jaw was clenched that it hurt more than he was letting on.

“Come on, let’s get you inside,” she insisted, her voice surprisingly soft. For a moment, she forgot all her resentment. She might not have accepted him yet as her stepfather, but he was injured, and she couldn’t just leave him like that.

Reluctantly, Steve let her guide him back into the house. He leaned heavily on her, his weight warm against her side, and she couldn’t help but notice the way her heart skipped a beat. She quickly pushed that thought away.

Vanessa led him to the sitting room and made him sit down at the table. “Stay put,” she ordered, grabbing the first aid kit from under the cupboard.

“You know, you’re pretty bossy,” Steve teased, watching her rummage through the kit.

“Yeah, well, someone’s gotta be,” she shot back, pulling out gauze and antiseptic. “Now hold still. This might sting.”

Steve winced as she dabbed at the cut, but he kept his eyes locked on her. There was something different in the way she moved today, a softness that he hadn’t seen before. For the first time, he felt like she was letting her guard down, even if just a little.

“What?” she snapped when she noticed him staring.

“Nothing,” he said with a small grin. “Just didn’t expect you to be so gentle.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Vanessa muttered, trying to focus on bandaging his arm. But her hands were shaking slightly, and she was all too aware of how close they were. She could feel his breath on her skin, warm and steady.

As she tied off the bandage, Steve reached out and gently touched her wrist. “Thanks, Nessa,” he said softly, his voice low and sincere.

She pulled her hand back as if she’d been burned. “I’m only helping because you’re bleeding all over the place,” she snapped, standing up abruptly. But her cheeks were flushed, and she couldn’t meet his gaze.

“Right,” he said, leaning back with a smirk. “But still, thanks.”

The storm outside raged on, the sound of rain pounding against the windows filling the silence between them. Vanessa busied herself with cleaning up, trying to ignore the way her heart was still racing.

Steve watched her for a moment before speaking again. “You know, I really didn’t come here to make your life difficult,” he said, his tone softer now.

Vanessa paused, her back still turned to him. “Yeah, well, you did,” she muttered.

“I get it,” Steve continued, “you miss your dad. And you’re probably wondering why your mom chose me.”

“Not my business,” she replied coldly, but there was a c***k in her voice.

Steve sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Look, I know I’m not your dad, and I’m not trying to be. But I care about your mom, and I’d like to be there for you too if you’d let me.”

Vanessa finally turned around, her eyes filled with a mix of anger and confusion. “I don’t need another dad,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

“I know,” Steve replied gently. “But maybe you could use a friend?”

For a moment, Vanessa just stood there, staring at him. The sincerity in his eyes threw her off guard. She wasn’t sure how to respond. All she knew was that, she was starting to see him as more than just her mother’s husband.

The tension between them was palpable, the air thick with unspoken words. Vanessa’s heart was racing, and she could feel her defenses crumbling. But before she could say anything, the power went out, plunging the entire house into darkness.

“Great,” she muttered, fumbling for her phone.

“Relax,” Steve said, his voice close to her ear. “I’ve got a flashlight on my phone.”

The small beam of light flickered on, casting shadows on the walls. Vanessa could feel his presence next to her, warm and solid, and it made her heart flutter in a way she didn’t want to acknowledge.

“Guess we’re stuck here together,” Steve said with a chuckle, the light illuminating his face.

“Yeah,” Vanessa muttered, rolling her eyes. But deep down, she couldn’t deny that a part of her was glad for it.

They spent the next few hours in the dim light, talking about everything and nothing. Steve told her stories from his past, tales of his college days and wild adventures abroad. Vanessa found herself laughing, the sound of her laughter blending with the rumble of thunder outside.

“You’re not so bad,” she admitted grudgingly at one point, her walls slowly crumbling.

“And you’re not as scary as you pretend to be,” Steve shot back with a grin.

They both laughed, the tension between them easing into something softer, something almost... comfortable. As the storm raged on, Vanessa found herself looking at Steve in a new light. Maybe he wasn’t the enemy after all. Maybe, there was more to him than she had given him credit for.

But as the rain began to slow and the power flickered back on, reality came crashing back. Vanessa quickly pulled away, her guard shooting back up.

“Thanks for... you know, helping with the cut,” Steve said, trying to keep the moment from slipping away.

“Yeah, whatever,” Vanessa muttered, her face flushing. “Just don’t expect me to get all buddy-buddy with you.”

Steve chuckled softly. “Fair enough. But maybe we could... start over?”

Vanessa hesitated, her heart pounding. There was something about the way he looked at her, something that made her want to believe him.

“Maybe,” she finally whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear.

Steve’s smile was warm and genuine…

But as she turned to head upstairs, her mind was already racing. Was this really just about making peace? Or was there something more between them, something neither of them was ready to admit?

Only time would tell.