My dad stayed true to his word. He was driving Lauren crazy, and she wasn't even showing yet. I could tell she loved that he treated her as his own, but I could also tell that she was overwhelmed and needed a break. Sammie was already feeling the same way. I walked into James' office and closed the door behind me.
“Everything okay?” he asked without even looking up from his computer.
“No,” I said.
He looked up at me and smiled.
“Your dad getting to Lauren too?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “I need your help.”
“What is it?” he asked.
I looked out the window at my mom, who was of course watching us. Then I closed the blinds and turned back to James.
“We get the keys for the house tomorrow,” I said.
“I know,” he said. “You took the day off.”
“You're off too,” I said.
“Yes,” he said. “I have an early meeting downtown.”
“Lauren needs a minute without my dad,” I said. “Can we do dinner at your house tomorrow? I'll tell my dad that Lauren is tired and wants to nap. You tell him you'll be home and Sammie is tired as well. There will be no need for him to check on either of them. We can have a relaxing meal without him telling them what they need to eat and trying to fill them with enough water to help them float away.”
“Sounds like a plan,” James said. “I can actually use a night without him too. Come over as soon as you get the keys. I'll bring home lunch after my meeting. We can just make a night of it. Jillian and Jackson will love that.”
“Great,” I said.
When I turned and opened the door, I jumped back and James burst into laughter.
“What the fuck?” I snapped.
“Your mouth, Lance,” my mom said, as she pushed me back, walked in, and closed the door. “What are you two up to?”
“Nothing,” I quickly answered.
“Don't give me that shit,” she said, as she poked her finger into my chest. “You didn't want me to hear or see you. Spill it.”
I let out a breath and sat down.
“Tomorrow,” I said.
“You get the keys,” she said with excitement in her tone. “I'm so happy for you guys. My boy is all grown up with a family of his own.”
I nodded and looked over at James.
“What?” she asked.
“Please don't be mad,” I said.
“Seriously, Lance,” she said. “You don't say something like that and expect that I'm not going to be pissed. Talk to me.”
“We need you to keep dad busy tomorrow,” I said, waiting for what was to come.
“Why?” she asked before bursting into laughter. “The girls.”
I nodded and looked over at her.
“They need a break. They need one dinner to eat whatever the fuck they want and a relaxed evening. Please!”
“He just worries,” she said.
“We know that,” James said. “Just one night.”
“What am I supposed to do with him? You know your father. He does what he wants,” she said.
“Do what it is you do best,” I said with a smile. “Do whatever it takes.”
“Lance,” she snapped.
“Come on,” I said. “Take one for the team. He talks the talk, make him walk the walk.”
“If I do that,” she began, but I quickly put my hand up to stop her.
“Don't say it,” I said. “I'm begging you not to finish that. Will you keep him busy?”
“If I do, you owe me big time,” she said.
“Anything,” James and I both said at the same time.
“He's going to want to help you with the house, the treehouse, and the playscape,” she said. “You have to let him do it. Your dad is damn proud of you. He's still hurt about the apartment. If I do this, you have to let him be a part of this with a big-ass smile on your face.”
“Okay,” I said. “You're the best mom in the whole world.”
She looked over at James who had a smile on his face too.
“I know it,” she said. “I won't tell Carrie.”
“I didn't say anything,” James said, as he quickly stood.
She pulled me in to hug her. Then she walked around the desk and hugged James. When she opened the door and moved to walk out, she turned back to me.
“One more thing,” she said. “Lunch is on you for a whole week. I don't want the cheap shit either. I want the good stuff.”
“You are something else,” I said, and she walked back to her desk laughing.
The next morning, I dropped Lauren and Jackson off at James' and Sammie's house. Then I ran over to the Realtor's office to get the keys. We'd already signed, so there was no reason to make Jackson sit and wait. On the way to Sammie's, I stopped by the apartment to pick up a toy Jillian had asked about. I grabbed the mail on my way in. When I put it on the kitchen table, I saw an envelope from the court. I picked it up and held it in my hand as I thought about Jackson and how perfect my life was with him in it. Should I open it, I wondered? I knew the answer. I had to wait. Lauren would want to see it too. I kept the envelope with me as I hurried through the apartment to grab the toy I'd gone there for in the first place.
The entire drive, that damn envelope called out to me. I wanted to rip it open. Was it really happening? Was he really going to be my son? He'd been calling me daddy for months, and it felt damn good. There was something about having that official piece of paper that had me freaking out inside. I had a wife, a baby on the way, and a son. We'd just gotten the keys to our new home. The only thing missing from my life was that one piece of paper.
I was out of my car as fast as possible. When I swung the front door open, Jillian came running over with Jackson right next to her.
“Did you get the toy, Lancie?” she asked.
I was so damn excited, her calling me Lancie didn't even matter. When I grabbed Jackson's hand, he looked up at me.
“You look happy, Daddy,” he said. “Did you get our keys? Can we start on the treehouse soon?”
I scooped him into my arms and hurried into the living room. James walked in the door right behind me with his hands full of bags of food. When I sat down on the couch with Jackson in my arms, Lauren stopped what she'd been saying and looked over at me.
“Lance,” she whispered before getting up, walking over, and getting on her knees in front of me with one hand on my knee and the other on my arm. “What is it? Is it something with the house?”
James walked into the room and walked up behind Lauren. Sammie stood, set the baby in his chair, and walked over to stand with James.
“Lance,” she said with worry in her voice.
“Daddy,” Jackson said. “Why you crying?”
I reached up and wiped under my eye to get the tears I hadn't even realized had slipped out. Then I looked at Lauren and showed her the envelope in my hand. She squeezed my knee tight.
“I couldn't wait to get here,” I said.
“You didn't open it?” she asked.
“I couldn't,” I said, as I looked at Jackson.
“What is it?” Jackson asked. “Can I open it?”
I looked at Lauren and she nodded. Jackson took the envelope after I ripped the tape free. He lifted the flap and pulled out the long sheets of paper. When my eyes landed on the birth certificate to see my name under father, I couldn't stop the tears from coming.
“What is it?” Jackson asked.
“It says I'm your daddy,” I said.
“Really?” he asked with huge eyes.
“It does,” I said. “It says that no matter what happens, nobody can ever take you away from me. You're my boy.”
“Forever?” Jackson asked.
“Forever,” I said.
When I looked up, there wasn't a dry eye around. Lauren, Sammie, and even James had tears in their eyes. Everything was perfect. Not one thing was missing from my life. I could never have dreamt of a life so good, not even close.
We all sat down and ate lunch. I promised Jackson we'd move everything into the new house that weekend. Then we'd start on the treehouse before anything else. I wasn't sure which of us was more excited. When I thought about my dad being right there with us, I couldn't stop from smiling. Who knew how crazy or big the treehouse was going to be, but it wouldn't matter. We'd be doing it together.
“You want to call him, don't you?” Lauren asked from beside me.
“I do,” I said. “I want him to see the papers. He's going to be so damn happy. They both are.”
“Do it,” she said.
“I said you'd have one day, I'm not going back on my word,” I said. “We can tell them tomorrow.”
“We can't. I've learned one thing about that man,” she said. “He loves his family more than life itself. We can't keep it, not even until tomorrow. Have them come over.”
“You sure?” I asked.
“I'm positive,” she said. “I kind of miss his crazy ass.”
“You two are pussies,” Sammie said, as she looked over at me. “Go ahead, call them over.”
I grabbed my phone and sent my mom a text.
Me: Bring dad over to Sammie's house.
Mom: Your mom is busy. She's taking one for the team.
My eyes went wide, and I turned my phone toward James. His hand went up to cover his mouth.
“That is so,” James began but stopped when he heard the ding.
Mom: Just kidding. We're on our way. I'm kicking someone's ass. You two can decide who gets it before I get there.
James and I both burst into laughter.
“Sammie,” I said. “I vote for Sammie.”
“I didn't do shit,” she said. “He won't kick my ass. I'm pregnant.”
“You're always pregnant,” I said. “That is not fair.”
“Get pregnant, Lancie,” she said. “Oh wait! You can't. Sucks to be you.”
We were still arguing when our parents walked through the door.
“Pussies,” my dad barked out. “Were you two really trying to pick Sammie?”
“They were,” Sammie said. “Can you believe them?”
“Like you're innocent,” dad said. “I'm tired. I'm just going to nap today. Doesn't look like napping to me.”
“Don't blame her, Dad,” Lauren said, and I stopped frozen.
It was the first time she'd ever said it, and I couldn't believe my ears. She'd claimed him as hers. That shit made me love my girl even more. She finally accepted that she was truly loved as his own.
“You're just calling me dad because you don't want it to be your ass I kick,” he said with a smile before pulling her in for a hug. “It totally worked.”
Just like that, we were all laughing.
“You missed me,” he said. “Admit it, and we can forget the whole thing.”
“I missed you, Dad,” she said.
“Quit sucking up,” my mom said, as she walked over to us. “What did you text me to bring him here for? You both still owe me big time.”
“Bullshit,” James said. “You told him.”
“Doesn't matter,” she said. “He wasn't here, was he?”
“No,” James said.
“Exactly,” she said. “Be ready to pay up.”
“Something pretty awesome happened today,” I said.
“You got your keys,” my dad said. “I can't wait to get started on that treehouse.”
“We did,” I said. “I'm talking about something even better.”
“What could be better than that?” he asked. “Lauren didn't have an appointment today, so I know it's not about the baby.”
Lauren handed my dad the papers, and tears instantly filled his eyes. My mom wrapped her arms around him, as tears filled her eyes as well.
“Our boy,” my dad said. “He's officially our boy.”
“He is,” I said.
“Me,” Jackson said. “You're crying too. Are you happy?”
My dad scooped Jackson up into his arms and spun him around.
“More happy than I've ever been in my life,” my dad said.
“Daddy said I'm his forever,” Jackson said. “Am I yours too?”
“You sure are,” my dad said. “You're mine forever.”
My mom reached up and snatched Jackson from my dad's arms.
“Mine too,” she said. “We love you so much, Jackson.”
“I love you too, Grandma,” he said, as he wrapped his arms around her neck and planted a huge kiss on her cheek.
“What do you want for dinner?” my mom asked him. “You can have anything you want.”
“Pizza,” he shouted. “I want pizza.”
“Pizza isn't good for the babies,” my dad said, and stopped the second my girl narrowed her eyes at him. “Fine! Pizza it is.”
He looked between Sammie and Lauren.
“Tomorrow morning, I'll be right back on that shit,” he said. “You two hear me?”
“In that case,” Sammie said with a smile. “We're having ice cream sundaes too.”
I heard the rumble in my dad's chest before he laughed.
“Ice cream,” Jackson yelled out. “I want a sundae.”
“Then ice cream it is,” my dad said. “Anything for you.”
My dad took Jackson and Jillian with him so they could pick out what they wanted on their sundaes. I looked at my mom and smiled.
“They're both going home with you tonight,” I said.
She opened her mouth, but I quickly stopped her.
“You know what he's going to let them buy,” I said. “He's your problem. You're the one that married him.”
“He didn't exactly give me a choice,” she said.
“Again,” I said. “Your problem.”
She stuck her tongue out and we all burst into laughter.
I leaned over and rubbed Lauren's belly.
“You're going to be part of the craziest family, Little Bit,” I whispered. “You're also going to be so darn lucky.”
I heard the bell ring on the front door. James had just picked up the baby, and Sammie had just sat back down on the couch.
“Who rings the bell?” I asked more to myself than them. “I'll get it.”
When I opened the door, I expected to see one of the two kids playing around and my dad with his arms full of ice cream sundae supplies, but it wasn't them.
“Cassie,” I said, as I took in the sight in front of me.
She was standing there with a little girl and toddler next to her and a brand new baby in her arms.
“To what do I owe the honor,” James said, as he walked up behind me and his eyes widened.
Without a word, she burst into tears.
“Oh shit!” he said, as he turned and I grabbed James from him. “Are you okay? What is it?”
“I left him,” she said through her sobs. “I don't know what I'm going to do.”
The End.
Be sure to watch for “Derek” (Hunter PI and Security #1), “Code of Love” (Bachelor Billionaire Kids #2), and “Out of My League” (Cassie's Serial).
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Hacked by Love, Part 3 Page 19