DILF DIARIES_Oh Baby

by Stephanie St. Klaire

  “Jules, I don’t want this to be weird. I want my daughter back, but I don’t want to lose you in the process. We’ll make this work, even without the fake engagement.”

  “Jack, I’ll marry you.”

  Jack whipped his head in Jules’ direction. “Wait, what?”

  “The engagement?” she reminded, perhaps married was the wrong word to use.

  “What about it?” Jack wanted to be sure he knew exactly what she was willing to do for them.

  “I’m saying I’m in,” she laughed. “I’ll fake marry you.”

  “Really?” Jack’s smile was that of a man who was really getting married. Who cared if it was fake for now?

  She nodded and giggled at his enthusiasm, wondering what his reaction would be if they were truly getting married. Maybe one day she’d find out.

  “Are you as fake happy as I am?” he asked as he took to his feet and pulled her from her chair, straight into his arms.

  She swatted at his arm as her head fell back in laughter, giving him access to her neck.

  He peppered a trail of kisses down her neck, then whispered in her ear, “When do we start the fake honeymoon?”

  “Ramsey’s bedtime is in a half hour. We should start getting her ready,” Jules said, moving quickly to pick up so they could all go in for the night and start practicing for married life.

  Jack stopped her, grabbing her by the waist. He pulled her back into his embrace and locked gazes with his fake future bride. “Thank you for doing this. It means everything to Ramsey and me. You mean everything to us.”

  And he kissed her long and hard.

  “I’d do just about anything for…” she paused, not sure how to finish her response. Naturally, she wanted to say you, as in Jack, but quickly fixed the admission to her devotion, and said, “that little girl over there.”

  He smiled, pleased to hear how much Ramsey meant to her too. “That’s why I’ll love you forever.” His grin turned to a look of surprise, as did hers, and he was quick to correct, “Fake love you, that is.”

  “Oh, of course. Totally…fake.” Jules smiled before she leaned down to pick up Ramsey and take her inside, trying to break the awkward moment between them.

  Jack slid an arm around Jules while she had Ramsey on her hip. “We’ve got this. What could go wrong, right?”

  Jules offered a smile and an agreeing nod, and accepted the kiss he planted on her forehead. As they walked in the back door, she silently said to herself, if you only knew.

  Time flew when you were not having fun. Three weeks had passed since their lives had been turned upside down, mostly by the barracuda of a lawyer Jack hired, Teagan. Her witness list was miles long in favor of Jack and Jules, which was a bonus.

  Things were looking up. There had even been an engagement party, because once word got out, Rosie and the rest of the Munoz women had invited one hundred of the couple’s closest friends — mostly Munoz family members, because who really had one hundred close friends? — to celebrate. Teagan was there — hell, she practically fed Rosie the idea like some cryptic subliminal suggestion. Teagan also took plenty of pictures, saying they’d be great for court.

  When asked why they’d kept it quiet, they said with the legal battle on the horizon, it didn’t feel appropriate to announce. That was Teagan too. She said it earned sympathy and showed Ramsey took priority in the court’s eyes. Everything was coming to a head, nerves were on high alert, and everyone was ready to battle for the little girl who brought them all together only six months before.

  Jack put Ramsey down for the night, something he preferred to do as of late. Jules understood, especially since they were due in court the next day. Their time together was being threatened, and he didn’t want to miss anything, even the tedious things like changing diapers and making bottles.

  Jules knew why Jack was so focused, and supported it. She liked night time snuggles with the baby, but she was his daughter and his to lose. He deserved all the time he could get — just in case.

  While Jack tended to the baby, Jules got the house back in order, cleaning up the day’s chaos before venturing down the hallway to find Jack. Ramsey’s light was off, and the door partially closed, only her music box playing softly near her crib. Dim light peeked through the barely open door to Jack’s room, giving away his location.

  “Jack?”

  He was fiddling with something on his dresser. There were traces of emotion she didn’t recognize in his expression when he finally turned to her.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  “Yeah.” He smiled. “I was just thinking. You need a ring…before tomorrow.”

  “I don’t need a ring. If the judge asks, it’s being sized,” she reasoned.

  “I want you to have one. This…” he started, “was my mother’s. It isn’t big or fancy like you deserve, but it’s special like you — like she was. She would have loved you. She was no bullshit, like you are. Same kind of stick, maybe?”

  They both laughed as he grabbed her hand and slid the ring on the proper finger. “A perfect fit. Like it was meant to be.”

  “Jack, I can’t take this. Even borrow it. If something happened to it, it can’t be replaced.”

  “I’m not lending it to you, Jules. I’m giving it to you.”

  Jules stiffened at what his words suggested. Under any other circumstance, the implication would send her giggling and clapping while she jumped up and down and recalled every dream wedding idea she’d had since she was a little girl — which were few. It was also why she couldn’t accept the ring, or the proposal.

  “Jules, remember what I said when we agreed to the fake engagement, that I’d love you forever? Fake love you forever?”

  “Of course I do, it was fake romantic.” Her voice quivered with emotion as she tried to be witty.

  “The only thing fake about that was calling it…well, fake. I love you, Jules. I loved you then, I loved you when you ripped out my juniper, I loved you when you called me a frat boy and broke up my parties. I actually played the music loud on purpose, just to get you to come out,” he admitted.

  “That doesn’t surprise me,” she teased.

  He laughed. “I had a reputation to maintain — one that’s costing me dearly now. If I’ve learned anything through this, it’s that I’m better at life with you. You and Ramsey are everything, and no matter what happens in court, that won’t change. I want you forever, Jules.”

  “Oh, Jack,” she whispered through the stream of tears. “I love you too — madly, deeply, and to the point of crazy. But this…this can’t happen. It ruins everything if I say yes.”

  “How can making our everyday a forever thing ruin anything?” he questioned.

  “You wouldn’t understand,” she cried, shaking her head.

  “You’re right.” Jack backed away from her, hurt in his eyes. “I don’t understand. If we both love each other, what’s the problem?”

  “Loving me is the problem. Me loving you is the problem.” She paced the room, warring with protecting him with lies or hurting him with the truth. “I can’t, Jack. I love you, and I love that little girl like my own, but this…” she shook her head, unable to finish her thought before walking over to him. Holding his face in her hands while on her tiptoes, she kissed him hard.

  It was a kiss goodbye.

  “Good luck tomorrow, Jack.” Jules made her way to the door, placing the ring Jack had put on her finger on the nearby dresser.

  Taking one last look over her shoulder, she said, “I’m doing this for you. You and Ramsey.”

  And she left.

  It had been quite some time since Jules had woken up in her own bed. The only time she had been home lately was to grab more things to move in to Jack’s. But last night, she came home. She broke Jack’s heart real quick, stomped on it a few times, ripped her own out while she was at it, and left.

  Though being Jack’s wife would make her happy, it came with consequences. Consequences she was reminded of when Teag
an showed up. Consequences that came with calling her father and asking for the best attorney in the state — his personal attorney — Teagan Winters.

  Jules had been warned by her father. He’d been tolerant of her little nursing hobby. After all, she never was one to sit still and had a thing for injured and broken things. But he drew the line at shacking up with some rowdy firefighter, one with a bastard baby, no less, and a reputation bad movies were made of. No daughter of his…he had said.

  When Jules stood up to him, as she had before, and said she didn’t care about his money, he laughed in her face. He knew money and privilege meant nothing to her, and he played hardball — in the form of having the legal system in his back pocket and favors owed to him. One call, and it didn’t matter who was entitled to that baby, he’d see to it the fireman didn’t get her.

  James Walker didn’t bluff. He was a cold-hearted bastard who got what he wanted at any cost. Hardball. Money made people assholes.

  Jules swiped away the tear that escaped as it ran down her cheek and looked at the clock. They were in court, everything was happening, and she was in bed. Praying.

  Jack hadn’t slept. He sat up all night wondering where he’d gone wrong with Jules. How he’d misread their relationship. How he’d let her walk out that door with a piss poor excuse to shut him down without stopping her.

  Whatever it was, he knew they’d find a way. He didn’t scare easily, and he fought hard for what he wanted. Jack Decker didn’t give up.

  Today, though, he was scared. He’d given his heart to a woman again, only to lose it in pieces. Now, he may lose his daughter. Teagan was confident. She said no matter what, this will work in his favor. To trust her.

  Jack was having a hard time trusting this day, especially a woman. The only thing he saw them good for in this moment was fucking with his head and heart. Everyone Jack knew, it seemed, took the stand and testified on his behalf. It was always nice to hear people speak kindly of you, until the other side twisted it and manipulated it into something that wasn’t flattering.

  Like when his pal Tony talked about how hospitable, kind, and giving Jack was. That he liked to have people over and treat them to a meal and good quality time with each other. “Jack,” he’d said, “was the core of their friend group, willing to give the shirt off his back, even the only shirt he had, to a stranger.” Jack was a damn hero.

  That’s when it happened. The bulldog attorney on the other side of the aisle asked if there was drinking at these friendly gatherings, to which Tony had replied, “Yes.” Tony was then asked if there were ever strippers at these friendly gatherings, to which he’d choked out, “Yes.” He was also asked if the strippers were ever drunk at these now seedy parties, and of course he’d said, “Yes.”

  Finally, the bulldog bit — and he bit hard. “Did you bring drunk strippers to these raving parties? Was there sex? Was Ramsey ever present?” Tony had looked at Jack, who nodded, encouraging him to tell the truth, though he appreciated the willingness to take one for the team.

  Tony had replied, “Yes, there were strippers, but they didn’t strip.” He thought they, “might drink while there, socially. He wasn’t sure about sex; he’d never done it there, and, yes, they’d been around Ramsey. Once,” that he knew of.

  The asshole in his pretentious suit squinted his beady eyes as the corners of his mouth curled up like a fucking weasel bastard. “No further questions,” he’d said. Teagan went to battle, stating a woman’s occupation did not dictate character or her quality of person, yada, yada, yada. The rest just flew over Jack’s head. He was done listening.

  It was time to adjourn, though they had a handful of witnesses and testimonies left to present. They were to reconvene the following morning. But before the judge dropped his gavel, the bulldog on the other side chimed in.

  “Your honor, I’d like the court to recognize that among the character witnesses listed is Mr. Decker’s…” the man launched his finger above his head and used air quotes, “fiancée.”

  Jack wanted to break this asshole’s fucking air quotes.

  “We noticed Ms. Walker is not present today, which is odd since her testimony is a large part of this case, as is her character. Are we to assume the rumors are true? That there is no engagement and she has removed herself from witness list as not to perjure herself?”

  Teagan stood abruptly, with fire in her eyes. “Your honor, this is the plaintiff’s counsel’s attempt to stir the pot and draw the shades over Your Honor’s eyes. It is nothing but slanderous lies, and quite honestly, I am offended by these tactics. Any rumors have been manufactured by opposing counsel strictly to manipulate perception. It’s a waste of the court’s time, Your Honor’s time, and my client’s time. Speculation and rumors have no place in this court.”

  “Valid points, Ms. Winters, and I happen to agree. It does draw the question though, is Ms. Walker’s absence significant? As Ramsey Decker’s soon-to-be stepmother, it does boggle my mind that she isn’t here.”

  Teagan stalled, shooting a daring glare at her enemy at the other desk. “No, Your Honor, it isn’t significant in the way the opposing counsel would like the court to believe. She is a career woman, had prior obligations, and she isn’t listed on the docket, any affidavits, or the pending custody decree. My client is Jack Decker, and he is here. Ms. Walker will be present tomorrow, along with the others scheduled to appear at said time. With all due respect, I ask the court to bury this soap opera worthy nonsense and not hold opposing counsel’s foolishness against my client.”

  “Granted. See you all at nine a.m. sharp.”

  And he dropped the gavel.

  CHAPTER 14

  It was late when a knock came at Jules’ door. She wasn’t expecting anyone, and hesitated to answer in fear it was Jack, or worse, her father. A long, continuous knock came next. Whoever was on the other side wasn’t leaving and knew she was in there. Hence, the continuous knocking that got louder with every passing second. Tossing her hands in the air, Jules went to answer.

  Teagan Winters pushed by when Jules opened the door, catching her by surprise.

  “Um…come on in, Teagan?”

  “We both know I wasn’t going to wait for an invite,” Teagan said, taking a seat on the couch in Jules’ living room. “Let’s cut the shit, as they say.”

  Jules’ head darted back in surprise. “Well, okay then.”

  “Right. Okay then. Where were you today?”

  “I was…here.” Jules wasn’t easily intimidated — except by Teagan.

  “Right. And here,” Teagan waved her hands around, indicating

  the space they filled, “isn’t court — where you should have been.”

  “Look, I couldn’t—”

  Teagan cut Jules off with a solid eye roll and a deep sigh. “Are we really going to play this game?”

  “Teagan, there’s a lot you don’t know—” Jules began.

  “It’s actually my job to know everything related to this case,” Teagan interrupted. “It was your father, wasn’t it?”

  Jules pursed her lips together, not sure how much she should say. Teagan was her father’s employee, after all. For all Jules knew, this was part of his game.

  Teagan rolled her eyes. “Okay. I know it’s your father because I’ve seen you with Jack and Ramsey and the only thing that could come between you and them is James Walker.”

  “Okay. You know my father well,” Jules said, still not convinced Teagan being there was in Jules’ best interest.

  “I’ve admired you for a while, Jules,” Teagan went on. “You are one of the only people to ever stand up to your father, besides me.”

  “I don’t agree with anything he stands for,” Jules stated. “And it isn’t about his money. I don’t use it now and could live my entire life without it. This is about Jack getting to keep his daughter.”

  “Which is what makes you a badass. He isn’t a good man and doesn’t deserve the good things he has because he didn’t earn them honestly. James Wa
lker is an asshole. And he can’t take your money, by the way. It’s in an iron clad trust I wrote myself. It’s yours to inherit no matter what.”

  Jules’ jaw dropped. “He’d fire you if he knew you were here undermining him or heard you right now.”

  “No, he wouldn’t, because I’ve said it to him — more than once.” Teagan winked with a half grin. “Besides, he can’t fire me. I know too much. He can’t afford to fire me. He’s an ass, but not stupid. He sent me to help for a reason, and it’s because he knew I would win.”

  “He just didn’t think you’d go against his wishes where Jack and I were concerned,” Jules snickered.

  Teagan shrugged. “I called his bluff. Look, Jack will win this, one way or another. Even if your father gets in the judge’s ear. Just trust me on that.”

  “I’ve already let Jack down. I caved.”

  “You sure did, but the good news is it isn’t too late. I need you to stand up to your father one more time. It’s time to grow a set, Jules. Do what you need to do.”

  Jules guffawed at just how bold Teagan was. She didn’t mince words.

  Teagan stood and went for the door, but turned to say, “I’ve got your back. Anything you need, know I’m there.”

  “I can’t afford you,” Jules laughed, holding the door.

  “I’m not worried about money. Knowing it’s pissing your father off is payment enough for me.”

  Teagan made her way down the steps to the waiting town car at the curb and tossed Jules a wave before she climbed in the back and her driver took off.

  “That woman moves like a hurricane,” Jules said quietly to herself as the car disappeared around the corner. “I like her.”

  Jules paced her living room floor, pondering Teagan’s words from the night before. She wanted to believe her, trust her even, but so much was on the line for Jack. Jules didn’t want to screw anything up. She’d made a deal with the devil and needed it to stick because the devil never played fair.