by Ali Parker
“Thank you,” I said, finally able to relax. “I hope I’m not screwing up your plans too much, though.”
B waved her hand casually through the air. “Nah, I’ll just put Kason on the clients I set aside for you. They won’t even know the difference.”
“So, all that talk about me being the best?” I teased. “That was all just bullshit?
“Oh, no.” She put her hand to her chest. “No, baby, you were the best. But now you’re not. Things change. We all have to roll with it, right?”
I was so shocked that I couldn’t keep my laughter from pouring out of me. B winked and moved back behind her desk. She lit another cigarette, this time breathing it in like she could enjoy it.
I kept laughing as I tilted my head back and peered up at the ceiling, unable to believe it was really over. Just like that. No fuss. No drama. Just one conversation and boom, my life as a Romeo had come to an end.
“You know, I was dreading this,” I told B accusingly. “I thought you were going to be a total bitch.”
“Me?” She winked. “Never.”
“Can I ask you a favor?”
She shrugged. “Sure, what is it, baby?”
“Will you keep an eye on Kason for me?” I asked. “He needs a babysitter from time to time and with me not around—”
“You’ll still be around,” she said. “Just not here.”
“Well—”
I trailed off, and B’s eyes widened again. A playful smirk spread over her too-red lips. Chuckling to herself, she shook her head and looked at me from beneath her eyelashes.
“Candice has you cutting bait on the city, too, huh?”
“Something like that.”
“Well,” B said. “Just promise me you’ll keep in touch, okay, baby? Send me a Christmas card or stop by when you’re in the neighborhood. I wouldn’t mind seeing a few pictures of little Paisley from time to time.”
“I think I can do that,” I agreed.
We sat there in B’s office for a few minutes, just talking about the past three years and saying goodbye. My own mother hadn’t been around when Paisley’s mom left, so B had become like a surrogate caregiver. I never fully appreciated that side of her until it was time to leave.
Getting to my feet, I hesitated
B just smiled and walked around to meet me. Her arms wrapped protectively around me as she pulled me in for a hug. I held onto her, breathing in the scent of strong perfume and cigarette smoke.
“Take care of yourself, kiddo.” She pulled away. Patting my cheek, she added, “And take care of Candice. That mother of hers is a crazy bitch, you know?”
I snorted and stepped back. B waved as I moved toward the door and stepped into the lobby. I glanced back at her, shooting her one last smile before pulling the door closed behind me.
As I turned around, I saw Kason walking across the lobby. His eyes met mine, and he knew what I’d just done. Raising his eyebrows, he hurried over to me and slapped my shoulder before pulling me into the corner.
“So?” he demanded. “What happened in there? How pissed was she?”
“Well,” I said slowly. “You’re about to get a lot more clients.”
“Hell, yes!”
Kason laughed but quickly fell silent. He waved his hands impatiently, begging me to tell him everything.
“She was great,” I said. “Totally understood my reasons. Told me to have a nice life and keep in touch.”
Kason’s jaw dropped. Pulling it shut, he narrowed his eyes and took a step away from me. He stared at me with eyes full of suspicion, but I only laughed, too happy to feel anything other than joy.
“I’m serious,” I said. “Everything was fine. She even told me she was happy for me.”
“Wow.” Kason shook his head. “I was not expecting that.”
“There is one more thing,” I said, dragging out my words for dramatic effect. I was so happy that I had to have a little fun.
“What?” he demanded.
“I asked her for a favor.” I shrugged. “And she agreed.”
“What kind of favor?”
I grinned and punched his arm. “I asked her to watch out for your punk ass,” I said. “Because me? I won’t be around to keep you in line. I’m moving to Seattle.”
Chapter 86
Candice
I burst through the door and ran straight to the kitchen where I knew Ryan and Paisley would be waiting for me. Sure enough, two sets of brilliant green eyes met my gaze as I barreled into the room and headed straight for Paisley.
Scooping her into my arms, I spun us both in a quick circle. I was laughing so much that it was impossible for Paisley not to join in. She giggled and wiggled in my arms, staring at my face like she’d never seen anything better.
“Hey!” Ryan chuckled. “What’s put you in such a great mood?”
“The Seattle proposal,” I said. “They approved it. It’s all set. We’re going to break ground on the building and-and it’s happening. It’s all happening!”
I squealed and tossed Paisley playfully in the air. She landed back in my arms, giggling harder than ever. Even though she barely understood what was going on, she didn’t care. All that mattered to her was that she had Ryan and me.
“That’s incredible!” Ryan hurried over to kiss me.
“Ew!” Paisley complained, but I set her on her feet and pulled Ryan’s face back to mine. “Stop! No kissing before dinner.”
Ryan and I laughed but obeyed her orders. I helped him finish dinner while Paisley set the table. We sat down to eat but I could barely stay in my seat. It was like the entire world had opened up to me today and I couldn’t possibly contain my excitement.
“I’m proud of you,” Ryan said, reaching for my hand. “I can’t believe it happened so fast.”
“Neither can I.” I shook my head in disbelief. “Bart just showed up at my office. I guess he pushed the board to look over the proposal right away.”
“And they approved?”
“They loved it.”
Ryan beamed. “Of course, they did.”
Making sure Paisley wasn’t watching, I kissed him again. He grinned and brushed my hair off my shoulder. Our eyes locked, and like always, it was suddenly just us. Nothing else existed.
Until Paisley coughed, and we both came back to reality.
Still beaming at my success, Ryan asked me for details. How long before the building process began? What other hoops would I have to jump through? How soon would I be moving? And when I did, how soon until he could follow?
I was so excited and distracted that I didn’t realize what he was saying. It wasn’t until he cleared his throat and laid his fork down on his plate that I understood. His words suddenly rang through my mind again.
He wants to come with me.
“How?” I asked, blinking back my confusion. “I know we talked about it, but you have a job and—”
His grin was bright and gorgeous. Those green eyes of his danced with amusement as he reached for my hand.
“I quit,” he said. “I went in today and told B that I’m done. I’m not a Romeo anymore, Candice.”
It was like seeing through a kaleidoscope, my confusion. I stared at Ryan blankly, trying to sort through all the emotions that had suddenly sprung up at his words.
“You-you did?” I stammered. “I-I-I mean, how? When? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It just happened today,” Ryan said. “I decided to take that job Max keeps offering me, the one at his company.”
“And you’re sure this is what you want? Really sure?”
My eyes widened as I waited for Ryan’s reassurance. Grinning, he slowly nodded. The look he gave me made all my worries disappear. Of course, Ryan was sure. Of course, he would do this for me. For us.
“How did B take it?” I asked quickly. “Was she pissed?”
Ryan hesitated. “No,” he said. “Not pissed. I think she was disappointed at first, but she just told me to take care and keep in touch. She
even hugged me goodbye.”
“Damn, Winters, you know how to woo the ladies, don’t you?”
He glared at me and then relaxed and let out a long, relieved sigh. Neither of us could feel anything less than ecstatic over the new developments in our lives. First, my Seattle proposal. Now, Ryan’s new job. I could only hope that, when the time came, this new job would allow him to relocate.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” I gushed. “I feel like one of those annoyingly happy people, you know? The kind that can’t shut up about how lucky they are.”
“Hashtag blessed,” Ryan teased.
I groaned. “Oh god, don’t tell me I’m one of them now.”
“Guilty.”
We both laughed, and Ryan kissed me again, but Paisley put her fork down with a clatter. Our heads snapped around to face her. Even angry, she was so cute.
“Is anyone going to talk to me?” she snapped.
I fought back a fresh wave of laughter and smiled apologetically. Ryan quickly consoled Paisley, and the rest of dinner was just about her. She told us about her day at camp and how much she couldn’t wait until Friday when the camp teachers were taking her swimming. Her excitement almost matched my own.
“Were you talking about that Seattle place?” she asked suddenly. “Is that where your new job is, Dad?”
“What?” Ryan blinked. “Oh no, my new job is here. I’ll be working with Uncle Max for a while.”
“But isn’t Candice moving?”
“Not right away,” I said quickly, glancing nervously at Ryan. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I still have a few months before I’m going anywhere.”
“Well.” Paisley frowned. “Are we moving with you?”
My reaction was immediate. Paisley and I both whipped around to look at Ryan, waiting for his answer.
“Yes,” he said firmly. “When it’s time for Candice to move, we’ll be following her. Is that okay with you, Pea?”
“Duh!”
Relieved, I laughed and reached for Ryan’s hand. Today had been so long and yet, so full of happiness. I never wanted it to end. I wanted to live in this moment with Ryan and Paisley for as long as I could.
Ryan put Paisley to bed early that night. She had camp in the morning, and he wanted time alone with me. I didn’t complain. As much as I loved Paisley, all I wanted was to be in Ryan’s arms.
We snuggled together under the covers, our heads resting back on the pillows. Ryan’s bed had quickly begun to feel like my own. I couldn’t sleep anywhere else. I knew it was Ryan and not the bed, but that didn’t stop me from curling up beneath the sheets and moaning with comfort.
“I love this bed,” I said. “So much better than mine.”
“I doubt that.” He laughed. “I bought this mattress used.”
My nose wrinkled. “Ew. That’s disgusting, Winters.”
“Hey, you’re the one who just said how much you loved it.”
“Maybe it’s not the bed.” I rolled over to look at him. “Maybe it’s just you.”
The kiss was quick but full of emotion. We pulled away before either of us wanted to, the sound of muffled footsteps in the hallway making Ryan sit up in bed.
His bedroom door creaked open an inch, and Paisley’s tired face appeared in the crack. She yawned and looked from Ryan to me and then back again. Inching her way through the door, she brushed her wild brown hair off her face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, sitting up with Ryan. “Did you have a bad dream?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I just want to sleep in here.”
Ryan shot me a questioning look. I nodded and moved over for Paisley to crawl between us. She hopped onto the bed without a word and quickly bundled herself in the sheets, leaning her head toward me as it fell back on the pillows.
“Comfy?” I asked, tucking her in.
“Mhm.”
Her eyes fell closed, and in seconds, she was asleep. I laughed lightly and lay down beside her, my eyes still fixed on Ryan’s face.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I wanted us to be alone tonight.”
“Don’t be sorry.” I kissed Paisley’s head. “She’s adorable. If she wants to sleep in here, let her. She’ll grow up too quickly, and we’ll miss these days.”
Ryan raised his eyebrows. “We?”
“I want us to be a family,” I said without pause. “I love you, and I love her. So, I’m here, Ryan. As long as you want me.”
“Be careful what you wish for.”
He grinned and lay back down, his arm extending over Paisley’s head to touch me. I moved closer to Paisley and wrapped my arm around her waist. She rolled toward me in her sleep, her mouth hanging slightly open and her eyes shut tight.
I stared at her for a few seconds, marveling at how sweet and innocent she looked. I’d never been around kids until Paisley, but already, I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I would never be her mother, but I hoped one day I could be her mom.
“Hey.” Ryan’s voice roused me from my half-sleep. “I’ve been thinking.”
“Yeah?” I blinked. “About what?”
“You and your mom.”
Like always, the mention of my mother froze my insides. My heart seemed to still inside my chest, and my stomach twisted painfully into a knot of anxiety.
“Today has been perfect,” I said. “Please don’t ruin it.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good,” I said firmly. “Then, good night.”
“Candice.”
His voice was soft so as not to wake Paisley, but the strength behind it was undeniable. I sighed and lifted my head an inch off the pillow. He was staring down at me, his own head supported on his hand with his elbow digging into the bed beneath him.
“We should talk about it,” he said. “This isn’t something you can keep ignoring, especially since you’re planning to move to Seattle soon.”
“I don’t know how soon it’ll be,” I said defensively. “It might take up to six months for the building process, and then there’s paperwork and preparations and—”
“I’m on the board. I know this, but you’re avoiding.”
“I am not!” I snapped. Quickly lowering my voice, I glared at him. “My mother is my problem, Ryan. You don’t need to worry about her.”
“But I am worried.”
“Why?”
He sighed. “Because,” he said. “You’re my family now, which means so is Leslie and so is your mother.”
I didn’t know how he did it, but he made my heart swell and break all at the same time. Lying in bed with Paisley tucked in beside me, I tried to imagine a life without my mother in it.
At first, it sounded too good to be true. No drama. No interference. Nothing but this. Ryan and Paisley, Paisley and Ryan. A life without Deborah Smart seemed like the height of perfection, something so wonderful that I could hardly believe it possible.
Because it wasn’t.
The more I thought about it, the harder it became. Who would I call if I needed my grandmother’s old recipes? Who would take Leslie and me shopping for a Christmas tree on December first? And as Paisley grew up, who would be there to help me navigate motherhood?
I closed my eyes and groaned, hating that Ryan was right.
“I just don’t want to let her back in,” I said, my eyes still closed. “She’s used up all her chances, Ryan. I don’t trust her anymore.”
“That’s okay.” He reached for my hand. I opened my eyes to see his reassuring face. “You just have to start somewhere, which is why I called her today.”
“You-you did what?” I hissed.
“I called her,” he said simply. “We’re having dinner with her tomorrow night. I already asked Max to babysit, so it’ll just be the three of us.”
“I—”
“It’s time, Candice.” Ryan squeezed my hand. “I can’t let you freeze her out anymore, not when you’re only doing it for me.”
“That’s not true.”
“Fine.” He conceded. “For us.”
I sighed, “I just don’t want her to come between us again.”
“And she won’t,” he promised. “But you have to deal with her. Why not start tomorrow? At dinner?”
He was right. I knew it, but I fell back on the pillow without saying a word. Sleep came quickly, but my mind never stilled, and when I woke the next morning with Paisley’s foot digging into my ribs, I couldn’t help but dread what the evening would bring.
Chapter 87
Ryan
Paisley waved as she followed Max inside. The door shut behind them, and I turned my attention back to Candice shaking nervously in the passenger seat.
“Hey.” I touched her knee. “Relax. Everything is going to be fine. You have nothing to feel nervous about.”
“Are you kidding?” she hissed. “My mother has made both of our lives a living hell for months now. Nothing is going to be fine.”
I kept my mouth shut as I pulled away from Max’s. Candice stared out the window as we sped across town. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched her twist her fingers and clench them together on her lap. I stopped myself before I could reach over and touch her, knowing that my comfort was the last thing she wanted.
Candice had been upset with me since last night. When I mentioned the plans I’d made with Deborah, I didn’t expect it to go over well, but I knew I was doing the right thing. I couldn’t let Candice ignore her mother any longer, not when I knew she was only doing it for me.
“We’re here,” I said as I put the car in park.
Candice didn’t move. Her eyes stayed focused on the window, staring through it but not seeing anything on the other side. Slowly, I lifted one hand to her head and brushed my fingers over her hair.
She jumped and spun around to face me.
“I know you’re mad at me,” I said quickly. “And I get it, but I’m just trying to help.”
“Mad?” She blinked, confused. “Why would I be mad at you?”
“Because I set up this dinner.”
“No.” She chuckled darkly. “Ryan, I’m not mad at you. God, no.”