While Trinity kept him apprised of what she was doing at work, and how things were going with her plans to expand once Adria gave birth and was back to working full-time, he had a plan to make all their dreams a reality without them having to take out a massive loan, and travel and stay at the new locations for weeks at a time. And work sixty-plus-hour weeks to do it.
He had no idea what Trinity and Adria would say about his proposal. But he’d decided to do what he’d do with any other business owner and make the offer and let them decide.
He’d handled things badly when Trinity asked about what he did for a living. He let past experiences put him on the defensive and insulted Trinity. Money didn’t seem to be a motivating factor for anything Trinity did. Not in her work, where she lived, or how she lived her life. She loved being a chef and running her business with her sister-in-law. She liked the little apartment over the shop because it was cozy and all she needed right now for herself. She didn’t spend money on things just to have them. As far as he could tell, her love for chocolate far exceeded her love of expensive shoes, handbags, jewelry, or trips.
Unlike Steph, she never asked him to pay for anything. If she brought food from the shop, she didn’t hint or say outright he should pay her for it. When they took Emmy out shopping for new shoes and Trinity found a pair she wanted, she walked right up to the cashier and paid for them herself. She didn’t give him a look, or even an opportunity to offer to pay for them while he paid for Emmy’s.
In fact, she didn’t expect anything from him, except his company and time. She never complained that she wanted to be alone with him when they had Emmy. She never suggested they get a sitter so they could go out without Emmy. She understood that time was precious for him and Emmy both, and she didn’t interfere in their relationship.
And Emmy adored her because Trinity treated her like she was special. She showered Emmy with unconditional love from her great big open heart.
He’d be crazy to ever let her go. And stupid if he did something to ruin it.
Emmy might kill him if he screwed things up with her.
Which was why he hoped Trinity and Adria would be open to hearing him out about his business plan.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this nervous about a business meeting. He hadn’t seen Trinity in two days, but he had talked to her on the phone last night and asked for this meeting to her great surprise. He didn’t tell her exactly what he wanted to talk to her about, only that he had some ideas for her business and wanted to share them with her and Adria.
He walked into Almost Homemade right before their nine-thirty appointment, happy to see Trinity behind the counter talking to one of her employees. The store had a good number of customers shopping the shelves and hot counter.
He didn’t see Adria, but figured she’d join them for the meeting shortly.
Trinity spotted him and gave him a huge smile. He walked to the corner of the counter, away from where customers were lined up to get food and check out.
“Hey, you.” She eyed his dress shirt and tie. “Aren’t you handsome and so serious today?”
He’d ditched his new usual tee or thermal for his old business attire up top, but he kept the black jeans because while he wanted to look professional, he was meeting his girlfriend and her partner.
“You’re always beautiful and happy, and the best part of my day is seeing you.”
The bright smile was his second favorite to the sexy one she gave him most nights when they seduced each other in bed.
Trinity tilted her head. “When you asked to meet with me and Adria, I didn’t realize it was some kind of serious business you wanted to discuss.”
The guy Trinity had been talking to when he walked in hovered nearby, sneaking glances at Trinity. If the guy had a thing for her, he was shit out of luck. Jon let him know it with a hard stare before he focused on Trinity again. “Your business is all tied up with family. While we have a personal relationship, I wanted you to know this is business. If you don’t like what I have to say about my plans for Almost Homemade, then I’ll drop it and we’ll continue as we have been, no hard feelings.”
Trinity raised one brow. “You have plans for my business?”
The guy lurking in the background rushed forward and took Trinity by the shoulder, turning her to him. “I thought you said you weren’t interested in selling. You’ve turned down every offer so far.”
She’d never mentioned any offers to him. “How many offers have you received?”
Trinity shrugged one shoulder. “We get one every couple of weeks. We have since we opened the third store.”
“If you’re ready to sell, you should consider the offer I brought to you.” The guy eyed Jon, then turned to Trinity again. “It’s a good offer.”
Jon wanted to jump in, but his phone rang. He spared it a glance before he readdressed Trinity about his offer, but instead told her, “Sorry, it’s Emmy’s school.”
“Take it.” She waved him off and said to the other guy, “We aren’t selling the business.”
Jon took a couple steps away. “Hello.”
“Mr. Crawford, this is Pam at Oakhurst Elementary. I’m calling about Emmy.”
“Is she okay?” His first thought was that maybe she was sick and needed to be picked up.
“Um. No, she’s not. She was dropped off late this morning. In fact, she’s only been here for the last twenty minutes.”
She should have arrived at school over an hour ago.
Pam went on with the bad news. “It seems she and her mother had some sort of . . . disagreement this morning that resulted in a rather bad haircut. At least one of the kids in her class called her ugly. Emmy is beside herself. She won’t stop crying. In fact, she’s so hysterical, she’s made herself vomit.”
“Oh my God. I had no idea.” He really didn’t know what to say, but the thought of anyone calling his daughter ugly made him livid. Knowing she was that upset only made it worse. “I’m not that far away. I can be there in a few minutes.”
“We’d appreciate that. She’s simply inconsolable.”
“I’ll be right there,” he assured Pam.
“You should know that we’ve contacted her mother as well. Because of the nature of what happened, Emmy’s rather strange appearance, and how she was delivered to us, we think it best to discuss the situation with both of you present to get a better understanding of what happened.”
The anger built inside him until he was holding the phone so tightly his fingers ached. “I would like to understand exactly what happened as well. Please tell Emmy I am on my way and I’m coming as fast as I can.” He hung up and turned to go back to Trinity, but she was already right behind him with her purse on her shoulder.
“What happened to Emmy?”
“One of the kids in her class called her ugly.”
Trinity scrunched her mouth into a disgruntled frown. “Well, that’s not nice at all.”
“I don’t think it’s all about that. Pam, the nurse, said something about her and Steph having an argument this morning before school, which is why Emmy arrived late. The school nurse called me and Steph in because they’re trying to figure out what really happened.” He took Trinity’s hand, so grateful for her calming presence during yet another Steph mess. “They said she’s hysterical, made herself ill, and is inconsolable.”
Trinity squeezed his hand. “Then let’s go get her.” She tried to pull him toward the door.
He tugged to halt her. “I’ve got this. You don’t want to dive into this mess.”
Trinity tilted her head and her shoulders sagged. “But Emmy needs us.”
Relief and deep appreciation filled him up. “She does. But Steph is going to be there. I don’t want to make a bad situation worse.”
“As in, she’ll see me and cause a scene.”
“Yes. And I like you happy and far away from Steph’s sharp tongue.”
She started walking toward the door. “Then you deal with your e
x, and I will take care of Emmy.”
He caught up to her, took her outstretched hand, and linked his fingers with hers again. He’d given her an out and she didn’t take it. He appreciated her help and support. Emmy would be happy to see her. But he’d like to keep her and Steph as far apart as possible. Then again, if he and Trinity were really building something together, they’d all have to learn to get along.
He held the car door open for her.
She climbed in and met his gaze. “I’m going to table the conversation about you trying to buy me and Adria out of our business until later, but we will talk about it.” The tone didn’t bode well for him, or his proposal.
Yeah, he hated to leave that hanging between them because he hadn’t quite explained his plan. “It’s not what you think.”
He closed the door and went around to the driver’s side. He didn’t want her to believe he wanted to shut her out of the business she built. He drove out of the lot and headed for the school. “Really, Trinity, I just have some ideas. All I want is for you to hear me out.”
“Later,” she said, getting out of the car as soon as he parked in the lot. “Which way?” she asked when they met on the sidewalk.
He took her hand and led the way to the office where he supposed they’d taken Emmy. The second they walked in the door he heard a strange keening sound that broke his heart when he followed it into a room off the main lobby and found his daughter curled in a ball on the sofa, her hands over her head.
Pam crouched next to her with one hand on her back and looked up at him. “Mr. Crawford.”
He couldn’t speak. He went to Emmy and put his hand on her back. “Emmy, baby, I’m here. You’re okay.”
The eerie sound she made turned into a harsh cry.
He scooped her up and held her to his chest. “Okay, sweet girl, I’m here. You’re okay,” he assured her and held her tighter. “It’s all right now.” She clung to him with her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist. She liked to squeeze him good sometimes, but this was a desperate embrace filled with fear that he’d let her go and something bad would happen to her.
“Emmy.” Trinity brushed her hand down Emmy’s disheveled and considerably shorter hair. “We’re both here for you, honey. Whatever happened, we’ll try to help.”
“I’m ugly,” Emmy wailed. “She cut it off and threw it at me.”
Jon raged inside, but he held Emmy and kept it contained because she’d had enough today, and the morning was barely over.
Pam met Jon’s gaze. “Apparently, her mother got angry while trying to brush Emmy’s hair and cut it off.”
Jon couldn’t really see the damage but it was apparent enough to Pam, and Trinity, judging by the frown and concern in Trinity’s eyes.
Trinity tried to console Emmy again. “It’s not that bad, sweetheart. We can go to the hairdresser and get it trimmed into a very pretty style.”
“It’s too short.” Emmy buried her face in Jon’s neck, but her crying had subsided as she hiccuped and tried to slow her breathing. All her long hair, which had once draped down to the middle of her back, had been cut haphazardly, as if Steph took handfuls of her hair and chopped it off, not caring that some of it was longer than other areas.
“I bet it will look really cute. Like a fairy’s haircut.” Trinity pulled out her phone and tapped a bunch of times, then held it up. “See. How about something like this?”
Jon loved that Trinity found several photos of models with short, chin-length dark hair that would look great on Emmy.
Emmy refused to look at first, so he tried to encourage her. “I think this one could work.” He made the general statement, hoping she’d want to pick one for herself.
Finally, Emmy raised her head and glanced over his shoulder at the phone Trinity held up. “Which one?” she asked him.
“I bet my favorite is the same as yours.” He wanted her to decide, because her mother obviously hadn’t given her a choice this morning about lopping off her hair.
Emmy tapped one of the photos, making it larger on the phone. “That’s nice.”
“I think that will look really cute on you,” Trinity agreed. “I’ll save the picture and we’ll show it to the hairdresser so she can cut your hair just like that.”
“Do you think she can?” Emmy leaned back, and for the first time he got a good look at her.
He felt so sorry for Emmy. How could Steph do this to her daughter?
“Yes, it can be fixed. And I’m so sorry your mom did that to you, sweetheart.” Jon hugged her close again.
“She deserved it for screaming at me.” Steph stood in the doorway, her eyes narrowed on Emmy and filled with rage. “Now you’ve made me take time off work to come down here because you’re being a big crybaby.” Steph had never spoken to Emmy so coldly.
At least, not in his presence.
“That’s enough.” Jon couldn’t believe Steph’s behavior.
“Why don’t we take this to another room?” Pam suggested. “Perhaps your friend can stay with Emmy, Mr. Crawford.”
Emmy had buried her face in his neck again and clung to him with all her might.
He turned and whispered in her ear, “Is it okay if I hand you off to Trinity while I talk to your mom?”
Emmy immediately turned and held her arms out to Trinity, who took her into her arms and held her just the way Jon had done.
“There now, my sweet girl. We’ll just sit right here and catch our breath.” Trinity sat on the sofa with Emmy on her lap and wrapped around her.
“Why are we even here? Send her back to class.” Steph blocked the doorway.
He walked right up to her. “Let’s take this outside.” He didn’t want Emmy to overhear their raised voices, because right now he couldn’t find the calm to speak in a civil tone.
Steph quickly backed away.
Pam went out with her.
He went back to Trinity and Emmy and kissed both of them on the head, then stared down at Trinity. “I’m so glad you came with me.”
“I’ve got her. Go deal with . . . that.”
Jon touched Emmy’s arm. She flinched, and that made him even sadder. “I’m going to make sure your mom doesn’t do something like this ever again.”
Emmy didn’t acknowledge that at all. He didn’t know if she believed him or not. But he wouldn’t let this go unanswered.
He found Steph, Pam, and a man standing outside, closer to the parking lot than the door. Good.
“Mrs. Crawford,” the man implored.
And Jon set him straight. “She’s not Mrs. Crawford.” Emmy had his last name, so it was a good assumption for the guy to think Steph and he had once been married. “We were never married.” Thank God.
Pam made the introductions. “Mr. Crawford, Miss Brown, this is Principal Fields. I’ve asked him to join us to discuss what’s been happening with Emmy.”
“She’s fine.” Steph stood defiant with her arms crossed and her head high, wearing the grocery store polo and jeans.
Jon didn’t think Emmy was even close to fine, and he wanted to hear what the school had to say about it. “What exactly has been happening with Emmy at school?” He’d start there and get to Steph and what happened this morning.
Principal Fields took the lead now. “Emmy is late to school every day of the week, except Mondays.” He gave Jon a direct look.
Jon easily made the connection. “In other words, she’s only on time the day I drop her off.”
“Well,” Steph started, “if she’d cooperate in the morning, we wouldn’t be late.”
“You are also late picking her up more days of the week than you do on time,” the principal pointed out.
“I’m a single working mother.” That explained nothing.
“You get off at four thirty. You live five minutes away from here. You shouldn’t ever be late.” Jon dared her to contradict him with a look.
She glared at him. “Sometimes I have to work late. I am the manager.”
“We’ve been lenient up until now.” The principal’s voice held a warning. He was losing patience with Steph and her callous attitude.
Jon felt the same way. “In other words, pick her up on time, Steph.”
She rolled her eyes.
Pam tried for a calmer tactic. “Children do best on a schedule. That way they aren’t anxious about what’s going to happen. When you’re late, she worries that she’s been forgotten.”
That hit Jon right in the chest.
Poor Emmy. He didn’t want to imagine her watching all her friends get picked up and taken home on time while she sat there waiting on her mother, wondering if she’d even bother to show up.
Principal Fields continued with what he thought they needed to hear. “When children lose interest in school and act out in class, it’s usually because of issues at home. They aren’t getting the guidance and attention they need.”
“She’s acting out in class?” This was starting to sound like what had happened back in California.
Apparently, all he’d done was move the problem from one state to another.
“She argues with her classmates and teacher, she doesn’t always complete her packet work, and she’s even thrown a few tantrums that disrupt the class to the point her teacher has to send her to the office for a time-out.” Principal Fields looked from him to Steph and back. “The question is, what is happening at home that is upsetting Emmy so much she can’t concentrate in class? Perhaps it’s an issue one of our school counselors can assist you in identifying and rectifying for Emmy’s benefit.”
Steph threw up her hands and let them drop. “She doesn’t listen to me. She complains about everything. She won’t do what I say.”
Pam turned to him. “Is that your experience with Emmy as well, Mr. Crawford?”
He held Steph’s gaze. “No. It’s not. She’s a good girl. Smart. Kind. Funny. We have fun together, but she does her chores and any homework she brings home on Friday, though the teacher doesn’t usually assign any for the weekend.”
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