“Look, Ms. Gallo. I’m just going to cut to the chase,” he says starkly. “This isn’t about the engagement ring. My clients don’t give a fuck what you did with that thing.”
Josh mumbles in the background. “I knew I shouldn’t have given her a real diamond.”
I snarl, fucking offended. Seriously, dude. How much lamer can this guy get?
“Here’s the thing,” the lawyer continues. “Mrs. Davies just wants to see the child. Once a week is good enough. We can make arrangements for pick up and drop off, if transportation is an issue—”
“Are you people insane?” I shriek. “River is not Josh’s child. A paternity test could prove that easily.”
The lawyer nods. “My client isn’t too concerned about paternity to be honest. Hence the reason why she’s suing for the engagement ring and not for visitation rights.”
Yes, my ex-fiance and his mother are suing me to return the engagement ring because they know that I can’t. I pawned that thing ages ago to make ends meet when I was at my lowest point. But the point of this lawsuit is to blackmail me into letting Clara live out grandma fantasies with my child. That ring was worth a lot of money but if I agree to let Clara get visitation with River, this whole lawsuit goes away.
This is how rich people get their way.
I am so mad. Vibrating with rage. And I have no idea how I’m going to get myself out of it, but exposing my child to that woman is not an option.
The smarmy lawyer adjusts his tie and sits on the edge of a table parked against the wall. “The law is on our side and if you can’t return the ring or pay compensation instead, you’re going to have a problem on your hands, Ms. Gallo. It would be a shame for you to lose that business you worked so hard to build. Would that be worth it to you?”
I can’t lie. Fear starts to take root in my belly. But there’s no way I’m letting Clara bully me into having a place in my daughter’s life.
It does mean that I may be on the verge of losing the daycare center, though. Before it even officially opens up for business.
Clara’s got tears in her eyes. “Be reasonable,” she begs. “All I want is to have a granddaughter.”
“But River is not your granddaughter.” I’m really not understanding this.
She sniffles. “But I’ll treat her like a granddaughter. I’ll be a better grandmother than Agata. That’s for sure. Raising a child is expensive. I’ll take care of all those expenses. Help me, so I can help you.” She clasps her hands in front of her chest. “I’m just so lonely, Sophia.”
A big body bursts around the corner and a booming voice rings out in the air. “If you’re lonely, then get a dog, bitch!”
My head snaps over and I see Archie standing there, shoulders broad, hands fisted. My entire body shudders with relief at the sight of him.
He steps up to the smarmy lawyer and snarls. “You’d better go into that courtroom and tell the judge you changed your mind about this bullshit lawsuit. My daughter is not a pet and my family is not up for sale.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Sophia
I give Reese a small smile as she slides a vanilla sprinkle cupcake in front of me. “Thanks.”
She drops into the chair across from me and Nova sits to my left. “Rough week, huh?” Nova asks then takes a sip of her tea.
I glance over at where my daughter is sleeping peacefully in the playpen in the corner of Reese’s kitchen and fill my lungs with air. “That’s one way to put it.” I slide the plate away. My appetite still hasn’t returned. I think I’m still shellshocked from that shit Clara tried to pull.
And I don’t know what the hell was wrong with me. Why I didn’t fight back. Why I just let her drag me to the courthouse to intimidate me into giving her her way.
I guess I was just too afraid. The idea of her pushing her way into River’s life, the idea of the court approving of that—it scared me senseless. It made me stupid. I cringe to think of what would have happened if Archie hadn’t showed up when he did and intervened.
After the fact, I had a conversation with Nova’s sister who is a big-shot lawyer in New York and she assured me that Josh and his mother weren’t entitled to get the engagement ring back anyway since my dumbass ex-fiance is the one who broke off the engagement to begin with.
I’m so disappointed in myself.
I thought I was strong, that I was self-sufficient, that I didn’t need anybody because I could handle it all on my own. But I froze up in the face of my biggest challenge. I don’t know how I’m supposed to forgive myself.
Reese looks nervous when she asks, “So, how are things with you and Archie?”
My eyes shut at the mention of his name. I swallow. “Don’t get me wrong—I am insanely grateful for what Archie did. I don’t know how things would have turned out if he hadn’t intervened at the courthouse because I obviously wasn’t thinking straight. But that doesn’t fix the problems between us.”
Nova leans closer and lays a hand on mine. “But hun, he’s been trying to explain himself. Charlie says you won’t even talk to him. You should at least hear him out.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” I shake my head. “He walked away from his family at the first sign of trouble. That’s unacceptable.”
“This isn’t like what Josh did,” Nova says confidently, shaking her head. “Josh was a selfish prick who disappeared because he didn’t want to face his responsibilities. Archie…Archie loves you so much that the idea of not being good enough for you was driving him crazy.”
I glare at my friend. “Who’s side are you on, Nova?” I bite into the cupcake and it tastes like paper. Bland.
“I’m on your side,” she tells me. “I just want to see you happy. Finally.”
Reese pleads Archie’s case. “He really does love you, Sophia. He just made a mistake because he was scared. We all get scared. Even you. That’s why you pushed him away to begin with.”
They don’t get it. They don’t understand the anxiety of loving someone and every single day, worrying that they’ll just disappear and never come back.
Nova looks at Reese and whispers. “We should show her…”
Reese nods. “We should…”
“Show me what?” These two are always up to something. Always conspiring.
Nova grabs her purse from the floor and pulls out a stack of cards just as Reese opens a drawer in the kitchen and pulls out a stack of her own.
“What is this?” I ask as they lay the dozens of cards in front of me.
Reese gives me a soft smile. “These are postcards. Archie sent them to Charlie and Leo while he was overseas.”
Nova’s eyes get watery as they fan over the pile. I shiver.
Tough Girl Nova does not cry.
“These postcards are all about you, Sophia. He couldn’t stop thinking about you,” she tells me. “He couldn’t stop talking about you. He never thought he would see you again but he couldn’t get you off of his mind.”
“Isn’t that love, Soph?” Reese says in a quiet voice as my fingers trace the cards. “Can’t you agree that that’s love?”
My eyes tingle as I spread out the cards on the table. My gaze flitters across Archie’s words.
…She stole my damn heart and I don’t even know her name…
…I know I sound crazy but I can’t stop thinking about her…
…Sometimes, I lie awake and wonder if she remembers me…
…She’s the girl of my fucking dreams…
Reese speaks again. “Archie fucked up, Sophia. We can all agree on that. But if you love him, half as much as he loves you, you’ve got to consider giving him another chance. You owe it to yourself and to him and to River. Please.”
As I read the cards, his words speak to my heart. I feel his pain, his longing, his love. It’s all real. It’s all genuine. I know that once and for all.
My lungs quiver. My stomach shakes with fear. But in the middle of the layers of pain is a stubborn clump of love, alive with hope,
thrumming with desire, beating stronger than ever for Archibald Jones.
But is love really enough?
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Archie
I hear Sophia’s voice the minute the door opens and my stomach twists with nerves. “Well, I’m hoping that we can at least move all the furniture here by the end of the weekend so that by Monday, the kids can start coming here. I am so ready to get this daycare center open once and for all.”
From where I’m sitting, I can only see her darkened silhouette. She’s carrying a huge box down the hallway from the front door leading toward the kitchen.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m tired but I just want to move forward with this, y’know? I just want to make it happen, finally.”
She stops dead in her tracks and Nova halts behind her when their eyes fall on the open door.
The box falls from her hands with a thud. And she just stands there.
My heart trips all over itself as I rise to my feet and take a step closer. “Hi.” I peel my fingers from the front pocket of my jeans to give her a two-finger salute.
She’s still frozen in place.
Nova nudges her forward with her shoulder. “Go on. Check it out,” her friend prods.
Summoning my courage, I step into the hallway of the daycare center and take Sophia’s trembling hand. Now, that I’m standing closer to her, I can clearly see the shock on her face. “Wanna take a closer look?” I ask with a wide grin as I throw a glance at the handmade playground filling up the backyard.
Finally, she moves from where she’s standing, allowing me to lead her outside. “What is this?” she asks, her eyes wide with awe as she scans the huge sand pit where the wooden swing set and playhouse sit. There’s also a slide and a rock climbing wall. Everything those kids could possibly want.
“I built you a playground,” I say proudly. Over my shoulder I see Nova quietly close the door to give us some privacy. Then she slowly creeps away with a massive grin on her face. I’ll have to thank my partners-in-crime later.
She is in absolute shock and I’m in love with the look on her face right now. “You did this?”
I nod. “Charlie and Leo stood back with their arms folded and watched me do it. They didn’t lift a finger.” I tease.
“Oh my god.” She steps down into the sandbox and runs her fingers over the frame of the slide set. My heart thumps as I watch her sit in the swing and give it a go.
Our eyes meet and she giggles as she soars through the air.
“Wow. Oh my god, Archie.” The swing slows down and her feet graze the sand. “Thank you. But why did you do this?”
I shrug. “So you don’t have to get a mud bath on the side of the road every time you try to take them to the park.”
She shakes her head again, brushing away the shock. “Wow. Thank you.”
When the swing stops completely, we stay there, eyes locked together. There’s so much emotion in the air, so many words unsaid.
I can’t hold back a second longer. “Sophia, I am so, so, so sorry that I let you and River down. I’ve been kicking myself about it since the moment I walked out. I shouldn’t have done that. I was scared but I should have stayed and fought my way through it instead of leaving.”
“Why did you do that, Archie? I was willing to fight side by side with you but you just left me hanging.” She stares me straight in the eye. I can tell she’s doing her best to be strong. Not to cry.
“It was my pride,” I admit as I sink to my knees in front of her swing. I dig into the depths of my soul for the truth. “See, here’s the thing. I wanna carry you, Sophia. You and River. I want to toss you both over my shoulder and carry you across the battlefield. Even though you're kicking and screaming that you can stand on your own two feet. I want to be your hero.” I blow out a breath. “But I've had to admit some painful shit to myself over the past few days. I do want to carry you. I want to take care of you. But I'm not strong enough. I'm broken and I can't do it all on my own the way I want to…” I take her hands in mine. “But maybe we can do it together. Maybe we can be a team.”
That gets her attention. She looks up at me. “The Dream Team?” she laughs softly.
The sound makes my heart soar with hope. Maybe she won’t turn me down. Maybe she’ll give me a chance. “I’ll take care of you. I’ll do anything for you...But tell me you'll take care of me, too. I need you. I need you to be there for me, too. I'm not as strong as I'd like to be but with your strength, with your love, I'm unconquerable.”
With shaking hands, she touches my face. Her eyes connect with mine. “I’m in, Archie. Forever. I’m in. No matter what. Just don’t you ever doubt that again. Don’t you ever leave me.”
I lock my arms around her with no intentions of ever, ever letting go. I slide my lips over hers and groan at the sweet taste of forever. “I’m not leaving, Daisy. Never again. You’re my magic. You’re my redemption. You’re the girl of my fucking dreams.”
Chapter Forty
Sophia
“I think the M is crooked.”
Archie takes a few steps back and squints at the alphabet posters we just finished taping to the wall. “The M is not crooked.” He jabs a finger into my ribs and tickles me.
“The M is totally crooked,” I insist, squirming away. I throw a glance over my shoulder. “Reese, do you think the M is crooked?”
My friend looks up from where she’s arranging the stuffed animals on top of the toy chest. “Nope. Not crooked.”
“Told ya so!” Archie gloats.
I tilt my head slightly. “Really looks crooked to me. God, do I need glasses?”
He leans into my ear and whispers so no one else can hear him. “Maybe your eyes are still crossed from that orgasm I just gave you in the back office.”
Leo somehow manages to hear that as he passes by with a pile of colorful foam mats in hand. “Don’t you two ever get tired? It’s kind of sick!” he teases.
Archie beams with pride as he slides his arms around my waist. “Hey, they don’t call me Sergeant Good Times for nothing.” He winks at me and I feel my cheeks grow hot.
“You need to stop,” I laugh. “There are children around.” I tip my chin over to the area where River, Lennox and Maizy are fenced-in by a bright orange kiddie gate.
Little Giggles Childcare Center will finally (finally!) open its doors this morning. After an eternity of hard work, planning and preparation, my dream is coming to life.
My friends are here to support, all helping out with last minute preparations. My chest is about to burst with gratitude as I take in all their faces. Reese and Leo, Charlie and Nova, Angie and Ben.
Even my parents are here, packing cartoon-themed dishes into the kitchen cupboards. Yup, Clara’s legal shenanigans were the wakeup call my mother needed to show her once and for all that family trumps fake-friendships any day. Now, my parents support my daycare and my relationship and that feels great. But even more importantly, I’m strong enough to be cool with myself with or without my parent’s approval.
Archie showed me that I’m a grown-ass woman and my happiness is more important than any third party’s opinion of me. I’m secure enough as a mother, as a woman and as a partner that I’ll be just fine without the approval of the peanut gallery.
That realization has been like magic. Now, that I don’t need to prove myself, I don’t have to force myself to do everything on my own. It’s much easier to accept help now that I’m not struggling to show that I’m strong enough to take on the world.
I used to think I had to do it all on my own. But then life showed me how wrong I was.
Some of the lessons I learned were hard. Heaven knows I did a lot of crying. But every tear, every challenge, every struggle paved the way to this moment. I had to learn to see past my fears. I had to learn to see the beauty in imperfection. I had to learn to take a chance even when the outcome wasn’t guaranteed.
And the rewards I got in return have been priceless.
Twenty m
inutes later, when Archie flashes me a grin and twists the lock on the front door, my friends are all there as a dozen pairs of tiny feet come running into the new Little Giggles Childcare Centre. That’s when I know for sure that I’m the luckiest girl who ever lived. Because I’ve been through a lot. I’ve had the rug pulled out from under me in so many ways but at the end of the day, I’m still standing and most importantly, I’m standing with the man of my dreams by my side.
My eyes drift around, scanning over the magnificent life I’m living. It’s everything I ever wanted. Everything that seemed so out of my reach and impossible to attain…I marvel at the fact that it’s all here now.
And the best part? When I look at that big-ass grin on Archie’s face, I know that this isn’t just my dream come true.
It’s ours.
That’s the magic part.
Epilogue
Sophia
Las Vegas
Two weeks later, 3:49 P.M.
“Somebody get this girl some smelling salts. And pass the brown paper bags over here.” Nova’s concerned eyes stay on me as she barks the orders across the room.
I slip my hands under my butt to stop the trembling and I grin at my friend in the mirror. “I’m fine. I promise.” Even as I say the words, my heart is beating double-time, my whole body is shaking.
I am nervous. But in a good way. It’s more excitement than anything else.
I’m getting married today.
The white tasseled flapper dress fans out around my legs. The cubic zirconia chandelier earrings bounce against my cheeks. The clothes are cheap and the look is unconventional but for me, it’s just right.
Who cares about the rules? The rules don’t apply to true love.
The only thing that matters is the man I’m marrying today. Archie is my soulmate. There’s no question in my mind about that. And it doesn’t matter where we get married or what either one of us is wearing. All I care about is walking down that aisle and seeing him standing at the altar.
The Blue Collar Bachelors Box Set: The Complete Blue Collar Bachelors Series Page 125