Always You

by Denise Grover Swank

  “Okay.” She turned to the back door as it opened, and Toby climbed out. But she didn’t seem okay. She seemed distant and worried.

  “Did you have fun?” Matt asked in a lighthearted tone as he scooped the boy up into his arms.

  “It was okay.” Toby gave Matt a solemn look. “Mummy’s friend is my dad.”

  “I heard.” Matt shifted Toby in his arms and snagged Anna’s hand. “Let’s go inside and your mom can have a glass of wine while I help you get ready for bed. You can tell me all about it.”

  “Is Ethan home from church with Grandma yet?” Toby asked.

  Matt’s heart warmed hearing the boy call his mother Grandma. “Not yet, but he should be home soon.”

  “I wanted to go to church with Ethan, too. Can I go next week?”

  If you’re here, but Matt couldn’t tell him that. “If it works out next Wednesday, sure.”

  “Yay. Thanks, Matt.”

  “You bet.” Matt put the boy down once they were in the house. “Why don’t you go get your pajamas, and I’ll start your bath after I get your mom settled, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Matt gave Anna a soft kiss. “Would you like that glass of wine?”

  “Yeah, sounds great, but I’ll get it. Thanks for taking care of Toby.”

  “I love him, Anna. I love taking care of you both.”

  Matt went into the bathroom and sat on the toilet lid as he turned on the water in the tub.

  Albert shuffled down the hall to his room and stopped in the open doorway. “You’re good to her.”

  Matt stared at him in surprise. This was not the cranky man he’d met when he’d dated Anna years ago. “I love her.”

  Albert nodded. “I love her, too.”

  He picked up his walker to head to his room.

  “Albert.”

  Anna’s father stopped.

  “No matter what happens, we’re family now. You’re not alone.”

  Tears filled the older man’s eyes. “I knew you were a good man.”

  Just then Toby walked into the bathroom with his dinosaur pajamas in his hand.

  “Does your mom help you wash your hair?” Matt asked, checking the water temperature again.

  “I’m not a baby anymore. I’m six now. I can do it myself.”

  Matt grinned. “You are a big boy. I’m pretty sure you got bigger last night while you were sleeping.”

  “Really?” Toby asked, wide-eyed.

  “Yeah. Really.”

  Toby moved in front of Matt and got up on his lap. “Do I have to live with my dad?”

  “No, why would you think that?”

  “Because I heard him tell Mummy he wants us to live in London.”

  Matt’s heart sank.

  “I don’t want to live in London. I want to live here with you and Ethan.”

  “We want that, too, but sometimes grown-ups do things and don’t think about how it affects little kids. It’s not right, but that’s the way it is.” He tilted Toby’s face up to look at him. “But you need to know that I will do everything I can to protect you and keep you safe.” Even if that meant letting him go. He lowered his voice. “Your mommy and I are getting married and that means I’ll be your stepdad.”

  “I get two dads now?” he asked.

  Matt grinned even though his heart was breaking. “Even if I’m not living with you, you need to know that I love you. If you ever need me, all you have to do is call me, okay?”

  Toby nodded.

  “Even if it’s on the other side of the world.”

  “I wish you were my dad, Matt.”

  Matt pulled him close. “I wish I was your dad, too. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Ethan came home while Toby was getting into the bath. Matt got a play-by-play of Toby’s time with his father when he told Ethan about his night.

  “He let you play games on your iPad?” Ethan asked in awe.

  “Yeah, but he wanted to talk to Mummy more than me.”

  Ethan told Toby about a kid who threw up at church, and as their conversation moved away from Toby’s mother, Matt realized his suspicions had just been confirmed.

  Phillip wasn’t here to get to know his son. He was here to win back Anna. He was never going to sign that damn paper. He would use Toby as a bargaining chip to get Anna to do what he wanted.

  He put the boys to bed, telling them it was too late for a story, but the real reason he’d skipped the nightly ritual was he needed to talk to Anna.

  It was late enough that he expected to find Anna asleep on the sofa. Instead, he found her watching Grey’s Anatomy and the half-empty wine bottle on the coffee table.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said, sitting next to her on the sofa. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to his side, and she snuggled into him. Damn, he could get used to this.

  “I owe you big time for putting Toby to bed.”

  “You don’t owe me anything, Anna. I like spending time with him.”

  “Unlike Phillip.”

  “It didn’t go well?”

  She told him how Toby was shy and slow to come out of his shell. And how Phillip became frustrated that Toby didn’t instantly open up to him. “He wants to see him again tomorrow.”

  Matt kissed the top of her head. “Anna, he doesn’t want Toby. He wants you.”

  She was silent for a moment. “I know, but you know I don’t want him.”

  “I know. But we both know he’s not going to sign that paper. You don’t need to ask how high when he tells you to jump.” He leaned her back so he could see her face. “Toby comes first. Let’s make it to the wedding and then we’ll figure out where to go from there.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  On Saturday afternoon, Anna stood on the sidelines of the soccer field, watching Toby and Ethan on the field. Toby gave her a wave, a smile lighting up his face.

  “Is he any good?” she heard Phillip say behind her.

  “You showed up,” she said. She’d told him about Toby’s game, but she’d secretly hoped he’d forget.

  Phillip shrugged. “There’s nothing else to do in this town.”

  “What are you doing here, Robins?” her father demanded. “Why don’t you just leave my daughter alone?”

  “With all due respect, sir,” Phillip said, “I just want to get to know my son.”

  “What’s his number?” her father asked. “The number on his jersey?”

  “Well, first of all,” Phillip said, pointing toward the field. “That’s not a jersey. And second, how would I know?”

  “Because they got those jerseys last week, and the boy has been talking about it nonstop since.” He leaned into his face. “He’s number six. He thinks he’s six because he just had a birthday. Even I know that. How come you don’t?”

  “Maybe it’s because Annaliese kept him from me.”

  “Is that how you’re gonna paint it?” her father asked. “Because that won’t fly with not knowing what number is on his jersey. Not when you’ve been forcing both of them to spend time with you every day this week.”

  Phillip held up his hands. “No one forced anyone. It was always Anna’s choice.”

  “Dad,” Anna said, never loving her father more than she did right now. “It’s okay.”

  “The hell it is.”

  Anna walked several feet away from the crowd as the whistle blew and the game started. “Phillip, you are welcome and even encouraged to come to Toby’s game, but you need to go stand somewhere else. Toby’s not with me, so there’s absolutely no reason for you to be with me right now.”

  “Maybe I want the pleasure of your company.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “And you’re full of shit.”

  “You’re so cute when you act all American,” he said with a grin. “And I don’t think I told you how cute you look with your hair cut. You wore it longer when we were together.”

  He lifted a hand as though he planned to touch her short waves, bu
t she took a step back.

  “This is inappropriate, Phillip.”

  “Why? We were married once.”

  “Why are you doing this?” she asked in disgust. “I was always too tame for you. Too boring. And a wife and kid? Please…”

  Frustration washed over his face. “Okay, you want to know the truth?”

  “Yes, please. The truth.”

  His suck-up smile faded. “I got a new job.”

  “I know. You told me,” she said, gesturing with her hand. “A grown-up one, you said.”

  “Yeah, that’s right. But they think I’m a family man. They specifically wanted a family man.”

  She sucked in a breath. “Oh, my God. You don’t even want me. You just want the boring family to impress your boss.” When he looked down at the ground and remained quiet, she said, “I’m right!”

  He looked up. “Anna…”

  “So they all think you have a family? And you used Toby and me. Do you have a photo of us in your office?”

  He cringed.

  “Oh, my God,” she said. “You are unbelievable.”

  “I need this job, Annaliese. My grandfather’s pissed that I haven’t held a job for more than a year and he’s threatening to cut me out of his will and take away my trust. But seeing all those men with their families makes me want one, too. Then I realized I have one. Sure, we’re a bit rusty, but you and I cared for each other once.”

  “So you want to pretend to be some happy family?” she asked in disbelief. “You’re insane.”

  “If you’d just give us a chance…”

  “No,” she whisper-shouted. “I will not give you a chance. If I had my way, I’d never see your face again. I’m only talking to you because you happen to be my son’s father.”

  She started to walk away, but he called after her, “If you don’t come back to London, then I’ll tell the police you kidnapped Toby and take him back to England myself while you sit in jail.”

  She spun around to face him, her worst nightmare come true. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I don’t want to do it this way, Anna, but it’s within my legal rights.”

  Tears stung her eyes. “Why are you doing this, Phillip? We’re happy here. Toby’s happy here, happier than I’ve ever seen him. And my father…I want my son to know his grandfather.”

  “And him,” Phillip said. “You want him.”

  “Matt?”

  He didn’t answer then said, “I’m willing to negotiate.”

  She released a bitter laugh and turned toward the field. “Our son is playing his very first soccer match and you would rather work out the terms of blackmailing me into pretending to be your wife at an office picnic.”

  “Fine, forget the office parties and picnic. Hell, I’ll even tell them you and I are separated, but I need Toby.”

  “You need your son as a prop?”

  “I’ll start spending more time with him, too. It wouldn’t look right if he acts like he’s scared of me.”

  “You would really use our son that way?”

  “He’s my son, too.” When she didn’t answer, he said, “It doesn’t have to be this way, Annaliese.”

  “You can’t do this. That’s got to be the most selfish thing I’ve ever heard.” She shook her head. “No. I’m going to fight you on this.”

  “I’ll sue you for full custody and use this trip to Missouri as evidence that you tried to kidnap him.”

  “It will never work. The court will see that you haven’t paid child maintenance or seen him in years.”

  “And I’ll point out that I took a week off from work to see my son and talk reason into you before I resorted to pressing charges. Are you willing to take the chance?”

  Matt had been right. Phillip was never going to sign the paper. Her next best step was to go back and throw herself on the mercy of the court.

  “I’m flying home on Monday morning,” Phillip said, “I have two tickets. One for me and one for Toby. You are welcome to come with us, too, but make no mistake, Toby will come with me.”

  Anna stared at him in disbelief.

  “I’m holding a ticket for you, Annaliese. They’ll hold it until tonight, so let me know. Regardless, I’ll see you at the Kansas City Airport at ten on Monday morning.”

  Then he turned and walked away.

  Anna tried to hide her worry from her dad and Matt’s mom, and although she did a poor job of it, they didn’t ask questions.

  The boys won their game, and Ethan scored a goal. Anna was happy to have this moment with them, but all she wanted to do was pull Matt away and tell him about Phillip. Once snacks were passed out and Matt gave the team a congratulatory speech, everyone scattered to the parking lot.

  Matt had been giving her questioning glances. He knew something was wrong, so she wasn’t surprised when he pulled her to the side, leaving the boys next to his mother. “Did I see Phillip here at the start of the game?”

  She gave a slight nod. “Yes.”

  “He left early?”

  “After he delivered his ultimatum, he had no reason to stay.”

  He scowled. “Ultimatum?”

  She gathered her courage, then said. “You were right, Matt. He’s not going to sign, and he’s tired of waiting.”

  “What does that mean?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “It means he purchased two tickets to London for him and Toby, leaving Monday morning. He’s holding a ticket in my name until tonight.” She took a breath. “Matt, he’s taking Toby one way or the other,” she said in a broken voice. “And if I try to stop him, he’ll have me arrested for kidnapping.”

  “Okay,” he said. She could see he was trying to stay calm, but she heard the panic in his voice. “We need to call Blair.”

  “I already did. She says short of talking Phillip out of it, there’s nothing I can do.”

  He didn’t respond.

  Tears filled her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

  “No,” he said, wrapping her up in his arms. “No. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “Mummy?” Toby asked in a small, scared voice. “Why are you crying?”

  “I’m okay,” she said, wiping her face. “Why don’t you see where everyone wants to go for lunch. You can be in charge of taking the votes.”

  “Okay…” He wasn’t buying her excuse, but at least did as she suggested.

  “We have to tell everyone,” she said as Toby walked away. “But not yet.”

  “Let’s tell them after the wedding.”

  “Do you still want to get married?” she asked. “I know before you said you did regardless, but this is real, Matt. Consider the circumstances.”

  He kissed her. “You’re not getting out of marrying me that easy, Anna Fischer.” Then he sobered. “Tell Phillip that you’re flying with him. We can’t let him take Toby alone.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  “Toby is our number one priority. That hasn’t changed.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  God is smiling on your wedding,” Matt’s mother said as she fluffed Anna’s dress. “You couldn’t pick a more beautiful day. The temperature is perfect, the sun is setting, and there’s not a cloud in the sky.”

  “Yes,” Anna said as she smiled at her reflection in the full-length mirror in Matt’s bedroom. “It’s perfect.” Her A-line white silk dress was simple except for the sheer lace back and a scalloped lace neckline. Her blond hair hung in soft waves above her shoulders, and the pieces of hair that were constantly falling into her face were pinned back with a small sprig of baby’s breath.

  Matt’s mother gave her a hug. “I’m so thankful you’re back in Matt’s life. I always knew you two were meant to be together.”

  “Let’s hope so,” Anna said.

  “What?” his mother asked in confusion.

  She and Matt had decided to keep the news of her and Toby’s impending departure to themselves until after they had dinner and cake, and danced. They wanted t
heir wedding to be a celebration and not a sorrowful occasion, but it was hard keeping such a monstrous secret to herself.

  Anna pulled free and picked up her wildflower bouquet in an attempt to change the topic. “Surely it’s about time to start.”

  The bedroom door opened and Holly poked her head in. “You must be a mind reader, Anna. I came to get you. It’s time.”

  Matt’s mother gave Anna a last kiss on the cheek, then left her alone with Holly.

  “Any last-minute questions?” Holly asked, then grinned. “Any second thoughts?”

  Should they have waited? Would it confuse the boys more if they were married and living apart? But as stupid as it felt, knowing that she was leaving as his wife made her feel like she was more likely to return to him. She didn’t have her job, but at least she still had her flat. She had enough savings to see her and Toby through for several months before they’d start feeling the pinch of her lost income. Her father would stay with Matt until his room at the assisted living center was ready in another few weeks.

  “Whoa…” Holly said, taking in the stack of suitcases in the open closet. “I was kidding about the second thoughts. Are you nervous?”

  Anna smiled. “Not for the reason you think. I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”

  “Then everything else will work itself out.”

  Anna certainly hoped so.

  Holly checked her makeup and hair, fluffed her dress even though Matt’s mother had already done it, then opened the door and told her to walk down the hall.

  A string quartet played outside, a group of high school orchestra students who were friends of Tyler’s brother.

  Toby was waiting for her in the hall, dressed in a black tux. Holly had pinned a yellow flower to his lapel and his hair was neater than usual, probably Matt’s doing, she thought to herself.

  He gasped when he saw her. “Mummy. You look so pretty.”

  “Thank you, baby, and you look so handsome,” she said as she bent over to kiss his cheek. “Are you ready for us to marry Matt?” She studied his face. “You know Matt’s marrying us and not just me, right?”

  “I know, Mummy,” Toby said solemnly. “Matt already told me.”

  “He did?” she asked in surprise.

  He nodded.