“There are a lot of holes in your plan.”
“Such as?”
“You’re married.”
“And I told you that I would divorce Doug and marry you.”
“An uncontested divorce takes two to three months, but your divorce won’t be simplified. Doug will contest it, and it’ll drag on for at least a year. Possibly longer considering the involvement of your monies and property.”
It’s a legitimate argument. Even if Doug doesn’t love Blair, he won’t agree to walk away with nothing. Only a fool would do that.
“Doug won’t contest. Dad will ensure that.”
“Have you discussed this with Thomas?”
“No, but he’ll go along with it. He’s never liked Doug anyway.”
“Have you considered what people will say about us being together?”
“They’ll eventually accept us as a couple. It won’t be a problem.”
Buy time with her, Max. That’s all you have to do right now. Even if you want to chew off your tongue in the process.
“I love my daughter and I don’t want to lose her. If I have to marry you to keep her, then I’ll do it.”
“Well, it’s not the proposal I was hoping for, but I guess it’ll have to do.”
Sorry, bitch. You don’t get a romantic proposal when you’re trying to blackmail someone into marriage.
She comes to me, wrapping her arms around my shoulder. I grip her wrists, lowering them to her sides. “There’ll be none of that.”
“There’ll be none of what?” She may be asking but she knows exactly what I mean.
“No touching. No kissing.”
“You’re going to be my husband, and this is going to be a real marriage. Intimacy and sex will be part of that.”
The thought of fucking Blair nauseates me.
“Maybe so but I can’t be with you while you’re married to another man. Mina betrayed me that way, and I can’t be a part of doing that to Doug.”
My brother-in-law doesn’t understand the favor I’m doing him by convincing Blair to file for divorce. He’s probably been wanting out for years.
“Doug doesn’t deserve to be betrayed because you’ve decided that you don’t want to be married to him anymore.”
“It sounds as though you care more about Doug than me.”
Doug has been my brother-in-law for years. We’ve never been extremely close, but I still consider him family. And I don’t have to care about him a lot in order to care more about him than I do Blair.
Come on, Max. Tell her what she wants to hear and make her happy. Her contentment is what buys you time. “How soon can you file for divorce?”
“I’ll call today for an appointment with a solicitor.”
“Today is good. The sooner, the better.”
“I like your eagerness.”
She won’t like what I have to say next. “We can’t spend time together while you’re still married.”
“What? Why?”
“Judges frown upon adultery in divorce cases. We can’t give anyone grounds to suspect anything between us.” And I need a reason to not spend time with her.
“That could be a year away. I’m not waiting that long to be with you.”
“This is a pivotal moment. What if Doug hired a private investigator and he took photographs of us together? He could use that against you in court. And even if it didn’t help his case, the truth about us would be out there. I wouldn’t want anyone to think I was having an affair with you prior to Mina’s death. And that’s how it would look to people if we’re together before you’re divorced.”
“I guess you’re right. I’m being impatient.”
I wait until she’s looking at me to bring my arm up, looking at my watch. “I have to go. Brady will be waiting for me.”
“When can I see you again?”
Never again would be too soon.
“Get the divorce in motion and we’ll talk in a month.”
“I don’t want to go a month without seeing you.”
“If this is what you want, then this is the way it has to be. And there’ll be no more discussion about it.”
Blair grins… and looks as though she wants to fuck me more now than she did the night she was on her knees trying to unbuckle my trousers.
“Yes, sir. If that’s the way you want it.”
Yes, sir? What is happening here?
Does she like it when I take control? Does she like being told what to do?
Maybe. It’s something that could be worth exploring in the future if need be.
“Will you come to Mum and Dad’s for Christmas?”
“I’m spending Christmas with my family.”
“What about Ava Rose? She should be with us during the holidays.”
“I’ll call Lundy and make arrangements for her to spend time with your family.”
“We won’t have this problem after we’re married. She’ll be our daughter and we’ll raise her together.”
Bairns. I’ve never heard Blair say if she wants her own or not. As far as she knows, I can’t father children. That might be a good angle to work.
“If you want to have children of your own, I won’t be able to give them to you. I’m sterile.”
I laugh a wee bit on the inside as I say the words. I’m pretty sure I’m the opposite of sterile since Lou became pregnant while she was taking the pill.
“Mina was always a failure. I won’t be. I’ll have your babies.”
“I was the problem. Not Mina.”
“Then we’ll do in vitro.”
“That’s not guaranteed to work. Do you really want to enter into a marriage with a man who can’t give you children the natural way?”
“You know I always get what I want and I want children. I’ll find a way to make it happen.”
Sorry, Blair. I wouldn’t be able to get my cock up for you if you were the last woman on earth.
“I have to go. Can’t keep this client waiting.”
20
Caitriona Hutcheson
“Muh… muh… muh.” I wake to a soft palm patting the side of my face, and my heart melts when I hear what I think is Ava Rose trying to call me mum. Maybe.
Hutch insists on teaching her to call me mum because he says that I’m the only mother she’ll ever know. In our situation, I’m not sure it’s the best idea, but it’s what he wants. And I certainly don’t mind. No matter what happens, I will always consider her my child.
Gripping her wrist, I bring her palm to my mouth and kiss it. “Good morning, baby girl.”
“I tried to convince her to sleep a little longer but she’s not having it. It’s as though she somehow knows it’s Christmas morning, and she has gifts under the tree.”
My little brother and sisters always somehow knew too. Weird how that happens with kids.
“I say we let her tear into them.”
The three of us move into the living room and sit on the floor by the tree. Hutch places a gift in front of Ava Rose. “Go for it, lassie. Tear the paper.”
I reach over and rip it a little, widening my eyes and mouth when it makes a tearing sound. “See? It’s okay to tear it.”
She pulls and giggles when the paper tears. Baby giggles. They’re the absolute best thing in this world.
“I think you’re going to need some help or this will take all day, little lady.” And we don’t have all day. We have to be at Gus and Clarissa’s at twelve.
This. This is everything that I imagined in my head when I dreamed about Christmas morning with my someday family: a handsome husband who loves me. A child who adores me. A happy home filled with love and laughter. This is my beautiful ever after. It’s mine. It’s actually mine.
Hutch stretches and grabs one of the gifts, placing it on my lap. “From Ava Rose and me.”
“She helped you pick it out?”
“She absolutely did.”
I lean down and tell her, “Then I know it’s the best gift ever.”
&n
bsp; I tear the paper away and squeal when I see the white box and Apple emblem. “Oh my God. A new laptop?” And not just any ole cheap laptop. It’s the best one on the market.
“You don’t have to worry about this one crashing.”
This computer will do everything I need it to do. “I needed this so much. Thank you.”
“I kept thinking you would buy one for yourself, but you never did.”
So much has been going on. “Our lives have been so busy. Something kept getting in the way.”
“Everything from your old laptop has been transferred to this one. You’re all set to write a bestseller.”
I might have once thought of this as a “too-practical present” but not today. This gift shows me how well Hutch knows me. How much he loves me. “I love it. This is great. Such a thoughtful gift. Thank you.”
“I hope you’re able to use it to make your dreams a reality.”
I’m the wife of a man who makes a shit ton of money. We certainly don’t need the funds that would come from the sales of a bestseller, but he never discourages me from finishing uni or chasing my dream. He wants me to be a successful writer, but mostly he wants me to do what makes me happy and I love him for that.
“Thank you for encouraging me.”
“I always want you to live your best life, mo maise.”
“I know you do.” And there is no life better than this life with him and Ava Rose.
“We have another gift for you, and I’m certain that you’re going to love it even more than this one.”
“I don’t know how it could be better than this one.” I hold up my laptop. “This is pretty freaking awesome.”
“I’ve been dying to tell you about this. I was so close to blurting it out. In fact, I almost let it slip a time or two.”
What in the world could it be? “You’re killing me, Hutch.”
He places another gift in front of me and I tear into it, filled with excitement like a child. Because I sort of do feel like a child. I didn’t grow up having Christmas mornings like this. But I keep that to myself. I don’t want to put a damper on the happy time we’re having.
I lift the top of the box and inside are several pieces of baby-pink fabric. And I’m confused. “I don’t… these are very pretty, but I don’t know what they are.”
“I’m going to have Ava Rose’s nursery moved to the room across the hall from our bedroom. These are some swatches that the interior designer sent over for you to look at. You get to choose the colors, the design, the theme, everything.”
“Aww, Hutch.” I clutch the fabric against my chest. “This makes me so happy.”
“I thought it might.”
“Are you doing this because you want her back in her bed instead of ours?”
“I love her, but she’s hell to sleep with.”
Ava Rose squirms until she wedges herself sideways between us. Her feet always end up on Hutch and he takes a good kick to the face almost every night.
“I know you’re the one who takes the brunt of it every night. I understand. And I can live with her being across the hallway.”
Out of sight, out of mind. That was the idea behind the placement of Ava Rose’s nursery a year ago, but so much has changed since then. This little girl isn’t meant to be unseen and unheard.
She is meant to be held, kissed, and loved. She is meant to be held, kissed, and loved by me. I am her mother. And I couldn’t ask for a better gift than that.
“I have a gift for you too.”
“The enormous one that somehow magically appeared behind the tree since last night?”
“Yeah. But you’ve got to help with it. It’s heavy.”
“What in the world is this?”
“Tear off the paper and see.”
When the paper is gone he looks at the six-foot mirror—which I plan to prop against the wall in our bedroom—and he grins. He grins big. “Please tell me you bought this so we can relive our time at the castle.”
“Yesss. You remember.”
“I may forget a lot of things but what we did in front of that mirror will never be forgotten.”
“You like it?”
“I love it. Best wife ever.” He reaches out and grabs me by the waist. Pulling me into his arms, he kisses my face and the side of my neck. “Grrr… I fucking love it and I can’t wait to try it out.”
“Me too.”
I turn in his arms and together we watch Ava Rose playing with one of her new toys. “This is the best Christmas morning I’ve ever had. I don’t want it to end.”
“It’s the best one I’ve ever had too. And we have all morning to enjoy it,” he says.
“I’ve never been happier.”
“This is only the beginning of our happy life together, mo maise. We have so much more happiness ahead of us.”
“I know. And I look forward to spending every day of my life with you and Ava Rose.”
Hutch squeezes me in his arms and kisses the top of my head.
“I was thinking about cooking breakfast. Maybe some biscuits and gravy? We haven’t had that in a while.”
He moans against my ear. “Mmm… that sounds good.”
“Just biscuits and gravy or do you want bacon and scrambled eggs too?”
“I want it all.” I don’t know what I was thinking. He always wants it all.
“Do you want your coffee now?”
The doorbell rings and I turn in his arms to look at him. “Are you expecting someone?” he asks.
“No.” Who the hell would I be expecting?
“It’s probably Mrs. McVey coming to see Ava Rose,” he says.
Mrs. McVey loves our girl as much as we do. There’s no doubt about that. “I bet you’re right. Go let her in before the poor thing freezes out there.”
Ava Rose frowns when Hutch leaves the room and crawls to me, holding up her arms. “Muh… muh.”
“It’s okay. Daddy is coming right back.”
She’s been going through a phase lately. We can’t walk out of the room without her fretting. One of us has to be in her sight at all times. Separation anxiety, I guess, but I don’t mind. I love that she feels safer when she’s with us.
“What are you doing here?” Hutch’s voice carries into the living room and his tone tells me that he’s not happy.
Shit. That is not Mrs. McVey at the door.
21
Maxwell Hutcheson
Mother. Fucker.
“What are you doing here?”
“What do you mean what am I doing here? It’s Christmas morning. I want to see my fiancé, of course.”
“I told you I was spending Christmas with my family.” And I bought myself a month of Blair-free time. Or so I thought.
“But you aren’t going to Clarissa and Gus’s until later so your morning is free, right?”
“I’m spending the morning with my daughter.” And my wife.
“She’s my niece, and she’s going to be my daughter soon. I should spend Christmas morning with her too.”
“No.” I’m taking a chance by rejecting her but I don’t care. I won’t let her ruin this day for us.
“What do you mean no?”
“This is our special time.”
“You don’t want me here?”
How can she possibly think I would?
“No, I don’t.”
“Is someone here?”
I say nothing, contemplating the shite storm that would erupt if I told her the truth.
Lou has been back in my life for two months. Two months is a long time for pretending. Living a lie is exhausting and I’m tired of it.
Blair pushes past me and I follow her to the living room. I’m ready for this. I’m prepared for the fight that is about to happen.
“Muh… muh… muh.” Ava Rose is crawling across the living room floor toward the hallway leading to our bedroom. Calling out for her mum. Lou.
Where did Lou go?
“There’s my lassie,” Blair says as she g
oes to Ava Rose, picking her up. “How are you, my angel?”
Ava Rose looks at Blair, her bottom lip quivering, and bursts into a full-on tantrum. And I don’t blame her. I have similar feelings when it comes to Blair.
I hold out my arms. “Give her to me.”
Blair turns, holding my child out of my reach. “She just needs to get used to me.”
Ava Rose screams and reaches for me. “Da. Da. Da.”
“You’re scaring her. Give her to me.”
Blair ignores my demands, bouncing Ava Rose up and down on her hip, and the urge to place my hand around the bitch’s throat grows stronger as my daughter’s screams become louder.
“I’m not fucking with you. Give her to me. NOW!”
Blair’s eyes widen and she turns, holding out Ava Rose. “Fine. Take her.”
I cradle her in my arms and she tightly clings to my shirt. “Don’t ever do that to her again.”
“She’ll get used to me if you’ll stop coddling her.”
I don’t want Ava Rose to ever spend enough time with Blair to get used to her. “She’s a bairn. She needs coddling to feel safe. And you’re the last person on earth who needs to tell me how to care for my daughter.”
Blair sighs. “Will you please just let the nanny take her so you and I can have a pleasant Christmas morning?”
“Mrs. McVey isn’t here and even if she was, I wouldn’t ask her to take Ava Rose. I want to be with my daughter.”
Ava Rose looks over her shoulder at Blair. As if someone cues her, she vomits and the spit-up splatters on Blair’s shoes and pants when it hits the floor. I couldn’t have orchestrated it better if I’d tried.
“Fuck,” she yells. “These shoes are brand new.”
Ava Rose jolts in my arms and begins to sob loudly when Blair raises her voice. “I want you to leave.”
“Come on, Max. She’s a baby. Babies cry.”
“She wasn’t crying before you got here. In fact, she was quite happy. We both were.”
“That’s a rude thing to say to me.”
“Well, you should easily recognize rude when you hear it since it’s a language you speak fluently.”
Blair holds up her palms. “Both of you are clearly having a bad morning. I’m going.”
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