Falling for Leigh

by Jennifer Snow

  He’d missed that sound so much. “Good night, honey,” he said, once more heading for the door.

  “I love you, Dad.”

  “I love you more. Sleep tight.”

  * * *

  LOGAN PACED THE hallway in the courthouse, outside the deliberation room late Monday morning. He hadn’t been able to sit in the stuffy room any longer while they waited for a verdict from the judge. He replayed the morning’s proceeding, searching for a reason why things wouldn’t go his way. The judge had been a fan of his work, which had been a blessing and a major annoyance to Kendra, but Logan doubted the man’s book preference would sway his judgment on their futures.

  The fact that they’d never been married had been Kendra’s lawyer’s major case, and while his own lawyer, Eric James, tried to reassure him that these days the courts put less emphasis on those things and focused more on the best interests of the child, Logan was frantic. How many times over the past five weeks had he regretted their decision not to have gotten married?

  The door opened, and Eric joined him in the hallway. “How are you holding up?”

  “This is killing me. Seriously, how long are they going to keep us waiting?”

  “Unfortunately it could take some time. Your case isn’t as simple as most. Relocation of one party with the child is a lot to take into consideration,” Eric said, checking his watch. “I was going to grab a coffee while there’s time. You want anything?”

  “No, thanks.” His mouth was dry and his stomach turned, but he knew he’d never keep anything down. His nerves were getting the better of him and he felt sick.

  The bailiff opened the door and waved them back inside. “Judge is ready,” he said.

  “So much for coffee,” Eric said. “Ready?”

  “No.” Now that he was about to hear the decision, he almost wished that it had taken longer. His chest was tight and his palms were sweating as they took their place in the front of the courtroom. Across the room, Kendra texted on her phone, avoiding his gaze.

  It still amazed him how much things had changed between them. Though he was coming to realize that things hadn’t changed; he’d just started to see them for what they were. He finally saw her as she was instead of the person he’d fallen in love with. Unfortunately his daughter was suffering the consequences of their failure more than any of them. He was glad Kendra hadn’t brought her to the courthouse that morning. The last thing he’d wanted was for his little girl to see this.

  “All rise, court is in session, the Honorable Judge Casey presiding,” the bailiff said as the judge entered.

  The room spun around him as the judge started to speak and he gripped the edge of the table. His future rested on what this man was about to decide.

  “Take a breath, man,” Eric whispered.

  “In the case of Walters versus Kelland, I have decided that in the best interest of Amelia Kelland, joint legal custody is awarded to both parents,” the judge said.

  “Joint legal?” Logan asked quietly.

  “Equal responsibility for decision making,” Eric explained in an aside.

  “As for where the child will reside, that depends on you, Ms. Kelland,” the judge said. “Do you intend to return to New York City if custody is awarded to Mr. Walters or remain in L.A.?”

  She hesitated, glancing toward him. “In L.A., Your Honor,” she said.

  Unbelievable. Logan held his breath. Please.

  “In that case, given the fact that Mr. Walters had been the primary caregiver until the dissolution of the relationship, and had shared time with the child after the separation, and based on the child’s letter expressing her desire to remain with her father, Amelia Kelland will reside with Mr. Walters with eight weeks visitation a year awarded to Ms. Kelland in L.A...”

  Overcome with relief, he didn’t hear anything else.

  “Congratulations, Logan.”

  Turning to his lawyer, he shook his hand. “I can’t thank you enough.”

  His daughter was staying with him in New York. He didn’t have to move.

  At least not to L.A.

  * * *

  “SO, SHE CAN CALL?” Kendra asked outside the courtroom half an hour later. Her mascara-stained cheeks were the only real sign that she was upset by the judge’s verdict as her tone remained cool, distant.

  “I’ll get her a cell phone and she can call or text anytime.” Not just once a week, he added silently.

  “Okay.” She removed an invisible piece of lint from her dark gray jacket and shifted the weight of her purse on her shoulder. “As for the visits...I’m not sure when... I mean if I get the part I auditioned for last week...”

  She couldn’t be serious. The woman had just found out that she would have eight weeks a year with her daughter and she wasn’t sure when she’d have time?

  “Please stop looking at me like I’m the most terrible person in the world.”

  Was he? He shook his head but remained silent. He’d spent many years stroking Kendra’s ego. It wasn’t his responsibility anymore.

  “Logan, I don’t expect you to understand. You get to live your dream. What about mine?” It was an argument he’d heard too many times. His success had only served as a thorn in her side as she’d tried to make a name for herself.

  “Mine doesn’t come at the cost of Amelia’s wellbeing. Besides, we both know I’d give up mine in a heartbeat if it meant a better future for her.”

  Over the years he’d struggled not to judge Kendra’s choices, but if she was asking for his permission this time, she wasn’t going to get off so easy. He was happy that his daughter was staying with him, instead of being raised by a nanny in L.A. while her mother chased an elusive dream, but his heart ached for his daughter who would undoubtedly miss her mother, despite their differences.

  Her voice cracked as she said, “She’s so proud of you. She talks about you all the time and she tells all her friends how her dad is a bestselling author. I want her to be proud of me, too.”

  She was a good actress, he’d give her that. Unfortunately he’d seen this woe-is-me act from his ex before. “Kendra, you’re going to do what you’re going to do. You’ve never needed my permission.”

  “Just give me a year, Logan. Just twelve months in L.A. to see if I can make this happen. If not...” Her voice trailed off as she wiped the tears off her cheeks. “I’m not getting any younger. It’s now or never.”

  “Your daughter’s not getting any younger, either, and forgive me for my bluntness, but I think she needs her mother more than Hollywood does.”

  Squaring her shoulders, she checked her watch. “I assume it’s okay that she stay with me at my parents’ place for the next few weeks, before I need to head back?”

  “Of course.” He had a lot of things he needed to take care of, and two weeks would give him enough time to put together a new future for him and his daughter.

  As Kendra walked away, all the stress and anxiety of the last month melted away and he released a deep breath.

  He thought of Leigh, kind and caring, and he grinned.

  There was a day-care sign he needed to hang three hours away, and he couldn’t wait to get back there to do it.

  * * *

  “MISS LEIGH, COME QUICK, it’s snowing!” Isabel yelled from the living room window two weeks later.

  All six kids and Leigh made their way to the nearest windows to peer outside. It wouldn’t surprise her if it was in fact snowing. The temperature drop in the past few weeks had been significant and they’d woken up to a frost-covered morning more than once that week already. She pulled back the living-room curtain, but she didn’t see snow. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” the little girl said. “I definitely saw snowflakes.”

  Leigh waited. Nothing. “Do any of you see them?” she asked the
other kids, eagerly waiting with their tiny noses pressed to the glass. She couldn’t help laughing at how excited they all were for the first sign of snow in Brookhollow. How easily they forgot from year to year how by late January they were lamenting the heavy white powder. Or how stir-crazy they all became cooped up indoors during those freezing temperatures.

  “No,” they chorused, losing interest and moving away from the window.

  Isabel pouted. “I saw one flake at least.”

  “I believe you,” Leigh said, letting the curtain fall. “Come on, it’s lunchtime.” Wrapping an arm around the girl’s shoulder, she led the way to the kitchen, where Ashley served homemade chicken soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Helping them onto their chairs and handing out napkins, Leigh said, “After we eat, I thought we could gather leaves from the yard before the snow does arrive to make construction-paper turkeys for your families for Thanksgiving.” The holiday was just ten days away and she was determined to focus on the good. Be grateful for all the great things in her life and not think about the disappointments over the last month. Her grandmother was feeling much better and her parents would be spending the holiday with them in Brookhollow. Everything else would come...eventually. In the meantime, she had a lot to be thankful for. “Ashley, can you stay with the kids for a few moments? I’m just going to run outside,” she said, leaving the kitchen. The girl’s snow viewing might have been premature, but the snow was on its way and she still hadn’t hung her day-care sign. Of course, it had nothing to do with the fact that it had been almost over two weeks since she’d heard from Logan and she was starting to lose hope.

  Outside moments later, she placed the rickety ladder against the side of her house and, tucking the day-care sign under her arm, she hesitated before stepping onto the first rung of the ladder. The wind blew, knocking it against the side of the roof. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea. She bit her lip as she pulled her jacket higher around her neck, shivering in the cold, violent November wind. But if she didn’t hang it now, it would be spring before she would have another opportunity. Besides, it had been her fault Logan had fallen from this ladder, not the ladder’s.

  “Don’t tell me you’re actually thinking about climbing that old thing again?” Logan’s voice behind her made her heart race. As she turned slowly to face him, her mouth fell open and she couldn’t find her voice.

  Logan wore a small grin on his slightly scruffy face as he came closer. His unshaven face reminded her of the day they’d met, but unlike that day, there was no trace of pain or anger in his expression. No, this time she saw only love so pure it almost stopped her heart.

  “Seriously, Leigh. I refuse to break any more bones for you.” He brushed her dark hair away from her face. “I just got the first cast removed.”

  She looked at the hand caressing her face. The cast was gone. “What are you doing here?” she finally choked out.

  “Do you realize that in all the time that you and I were falling in love, I never thought to ask for your phone number?”

  Her mouth gaped. No! She thought hard. He was right. He’d never needed it. They had always just met at the gazebo every evening at six. And her home number was unlisted. All this time thinking that he wasn’t calling because he’d started to forget about her...

  “We are seriously two of the most oblivious people in the world,” he said, taking her into his arms and gently kissing the top of her head. “And I’ve been so desperate to hear your voice this last week I couldn’t wait to get back here.”

  She moved closer, enjoying the warmth of his embrace; then remembering, she pulled back. “How did it go in court?” She held her breath, praying for the best possible news.

  Logan’s wide smile spoke volumes as he nodded. “I was granted joint custody.”

  She released a sigh of relief as tears of happiness formed in her eyes. “Logan, that’s great.” Joint custody...not full? She glanced around him. He was alone. Her smile faded.

  “Yes, it is. Joint legal custody, meaning Kendra has equal say in decision making...but despite the verdict, she has decided to still move to L.A. So Amelia’s going to live with me full-time...here in Brookhollow.”

  Leigh’s knees buckled under her and he caught her before she fell. “Oh, thank— Wait, you want to move to Brookhollow?”

  “Actually, Leigh, I kind of already have,” he said, motioning at the pickup truck parked a few houses away. In the bed was a writing desk and lots of boxes.

  Leigh laughed. “That’s all you have?”

  “It’s all I needed from New York. Everything else was here...or will be this weekend when Kendra brings Amelia before she leaves for L.A. I even have a place to live already.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes. Apparently the apartment above the bakery was just recently vacated.”

  “You spoke to Grandma Norris? You’re renting her apartment?”

  “Hopefully it will be my office sooner rather than later, but yes. I called the bakery to get your number from her and she refused to give it to me.”

  Leigh’s eyes widened. “She did?”

  Logan nodded. “She said if I had something to say, I’d better get my butt back here and say it. She was right.” Taking her hand, he led her toward the truck. “I did pick up one other item on my way into town.” Logan turned her around in his arms and cradled her against his chest as he pointed.

  Leigh smiled at the new ladder in the bed of the truck, wrapped in a big red bow. “That’s for me? How romantic,” she said through a laugh.

  “I don’t buy a new ladder for just anyone.”

  He was moving to Brookhollow.... The idea was hard to believe. Everything she ever wanted was suddenly so close. “Um...Logan, are you sure about this?”

  “Leigh, I have never been so sure about any decision I’ve made in my life. I thought Brookhollow was just a place to hide...then you...then this town... This is the first place I feel I truly belong. And I’ve told Amelia about everything, and she’s excited.” He turned her to face him, and cupped the back of her neck with his hand. As his mouth descended to hers again, she placed a finger against his lips.

  “Wait.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Nothing. For the first time everything was right, even for just a moment. She hoped what she was about to tell him didn’t change that. “I still want to pursue the adoption. It might take years or it could be months, but...you need to know that before you make any decisions about your future or Amelia’s.”

  “Shh. You are the person who makes this decision the right one, no matter what challenges it brings with it. We’ll do this adoption process together—as a family.”

  She hugged him tightly and in his big, strong arms she felt all her years of disappointment drift away, all the years of sadness and longing. “I love you,” she whispered.

  “I love you, too. Does this mean I get to actually see the inside of your house now?” he said, taking her hand as they made their way back to her garden.

  “I’m not sure,” she said, pretending to think. “I mean, what will people say around town?”

  “They will say, ‘Happiness looks beautiful on Leigh.’”

  * * * * *

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  ISBN-13: 9781460339435

  FALLING FOR LEIGH

  Copyright © 2014 by Jennifer Snow

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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