Every Tear You Cry (Redeeming Love Book 4)

by J. E. Parker

  Both boys looked at my knee in awe. “Dude, that’s cool!” Declan yelled.

  “Hey,” Liam said, tapping my arm. “Will you teach me and Dec to play football? Mama said she’ll sign us up this fall, but I’m not so good.”

  “Me either,” added Declan.

  Jackpot, I thought.

  “I’ll tell you what. As soon as I get home from work tomorrow, we’ll get started.”

  Both boys face lit up.

  “Can we go inside? I can’t wait to tell Mama!” Declan shouted.

  “Wait,” Liam said, his voice dropping again. “You won’t tell her we told you, will you?”

  “I swear I won’t. I’ll let her tell me when she’s ready.”

  An emotion I couldn’t read flashed in Liam’s eyes.

  Then, he nodded.

  Winking down at him, I turned toward the house. “You two know speed is important in football, right?” Both boys nodded. “Alright, well, show me what you’ve got. All three of us will race. First one to the backdoor gets dibs on the first slice of cheesecake.”

  “I’m going to win,” Liam said, turning toward the porch.

  “No way,” Declan argued. “I’m gonna win.”

  “You’re both wrong. I’m going to win.” I paused. “Y’all ready?” When both boys nodded, I leaned forward, readying myself. They did the same. “Alright… Ready. Set. Go!”

  I never stood a chance.

  At twenty-eight, I was in good shape. I lifted weights three times a week, I ran on the treadmill every day, and I swam as much as I could. Yet, both boys beat me by five feet.

  Liam was the first through the backdoor, followed by Declan.

  Upon their entrance, Clara spun around, a wooden spoon in her hand.

  Eyes wide, she and Bella both looked scared to death.

  “Mama!” Declan shouted. “Guess what?”

  “Brantley is going to teach us to play football!” Liam hollered before she could get a word in edge-wise.

  “Football?” She asked, looking over at me as I shut the door. “You’re going to teach them to play football?”

  I nodded. “Hell yes, I’m going to teach my boys to play football.”

  Walking to where she stood, I wrapped my arm around her, holding her close. “Your boys?”

  “My boys.”

  “Since when did my boys become yours?”

  Rubbing the tip of my nose against hers, I whispered, “Like you, they have always been mine. Just took me a bit to find all three of you. That’s all.”

  “Brantley—”

  “Shh, bella dama,” I said. “Don’t overthink it.”

  “Daddy, are you gonna kiss Clara?” Bella asked from beside me.

  Eyes locked with Clara’s, I replied, “Yes, princesa, I am.”

  A heartbeat later, I pressed my lips to hers.

  “That’s just gross,” Liam fussed.

  Declan laughed as I smiled against Clara’s lips.

  “It’s not gross,” Bella hissed. “It’s sweet. I’m gonna kiss my boyfriend tomorrow.”

  I ripped my lips from Clara, who covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter. “Pardon me?” I asked, looking down at my little girl.

  “My boyfriend,” Bella repeated. “I’m gonna kiss him.”

  Pain shot through my chest.

  Am I having a heart attack?

  “You don’t have a boyfriend,” I stated firmly.

  “I do,” she argued. “I get to see him alllll the time now.”

  Hold up. “Who is your boyfriend?”

  “Yeah, who’s your boyfriend?” Declan asked, his eyes narrowed.

  “Oh God,” Clara muttered under her breath. “Here we go.”

  Bella crossed her arms over her chest. “His name is Johnny and I love him.”

  “Johnny?” I looked at Clara. “Johnny?”

  “He’s in my new class,” Bella added, smiling. “He has a Smurf tattoo. I like tattoos. When I grow up me and Johnny are gonna get married. He’s gonna drive a motorcycle too.”

  Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe.

  “Okay,” Clara said, intervening. “Subject change”—she paused as she fought back laughter—“I told you three I had something to tell you. Well, who’s ready to hear the news?”

  All three kids yelled, “me” at the same time.

  Clara, who looked more excited than a kid on Christmas morning, bounced on the heels of her feet. “Maddie had the baby this morning!” For a second, just a small moment, silence surrounded us. But when Clara added, “She is a beautiful little girl, and her name is Maci,” chaos ensued.

  “I want to see her!” Bella shouted.

  “Another girl? Seriously?” Liam groaned.

  “Will Maddie let us keep her?” Declan asked.

  One after another all three kids fired off question after question not giving Clara a second to breathe, much less answer. Deciding enough was enough, I intervened. “Alright, you three. Calm down.” Silence. “We will go see Maci as soon as Hendrix and Maddie get settled in at home. Yes, another girl, and no, I don’t think Maddie will let us keep her. In fact, I’m certain she already has her daddy wrapped around her tiny baby finger. I don’t think he’ll be letting her out of his sight anytime soon.”

  “That’s the truth,” Clara muttered beside me, a grin stretching across her face.

  “Now”—I looked at my girl—“is supper done, bella dama?”

  “Almost,” she replied her eyes sparkling.

  Wrapping my fingers around her wrist, I lifted her hand to my mouth and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “We’ll be waiting.”

  Releasing her hand, I walked around the island and sat back down beside Liam.

  “Alright,” I said, pointing at the first problem on his Math homework. “This is how you solve this…”

  Clara

  Brantley kept his word.

  The day after he told my boys he would teach them to play football, he came home with two footballs, one for each of them, and a stack of orange cones he’d set up around the backyard, creating boundaries for a miniature football field.

  The boys were so excited, but I was worried about Brantley coaching them.

  A perfectionist at heart, Liam was easily flustered if he didn’t do things right the first time and Declan had the attention span of a gnat. I knew Brantley would never be cruel to them, but I didn’t want him to get frustrated if things didn’t go smoothly. If that happened, and the boys picked up on it, it would devastate them.

  Especially since they’d begun to look up to him.

  I don’t know how it happened, but ever since the moment all three of my guys stepped back in the house after talking in the backyard, things had been different. Declan had latched onto Brantley like a tick, and Liam had begun to trust him. I didn’t have the slightest clue what they talked about or how Brantley had busted through the walls surrounding their hearts, but I wasn’t complaining.

  My only gripe had come when I’d asked Brantley what they spoke about and he told me it was privileged information—the jackass—and that his lips were sealed.

  At my question, he and Liam had shared a knowing look.

  Despite wanting to dig for more information, I’d refrained. Mainly because the million-dollar smile that overcame my oldest son’s face when Brantley refused to spill the beans told me everything I needed to know.

  That everything? He was happy and felt safe.

  That was all that mattered.

  As the days passed, and more afternoon practice sessions took place I learned that I had no reason to worry. Brantley was not only patient with both of my little guys, but he was also kind.

  Whenever they made a mistake or didn’t do something right, he didn’t fuss or yell. Instead, he built them up by pounding into their heads that it was okay to make mistakes, and that by making mistakes you only taught yourself to do better next time.

  He even regaled them with stories of all the times he and Evan, much to Evan’s ire, h
ad screwed up over the years. Because of the care he took, the patience he showed, and the time he spent with them, both of my boys were blossoming.

  Liam had stopped being so hard on himself, and Declan found something that held his interest for more than five seconds.

  Both were beautiful things.

  “Mama,” Liam hollered from the backyard where he stood, holding a football in his hand. “Watch this!”

  I stood from the lounge chair where I’d been sitting next to Brantley’s pool, watching Bella color the concrete patio with outdoor chalk. I’d offered to color with her, but she’d shooed me away saying I would mess up her masterpiece. The look on her sweet face when she said it made me laugh. She was such an easy-going kid, but she was serious about her artwork.

  Holding my hand over my eyes to shield the sun, I hollered back to Liam, “I’m watching, sweet boy.”

  Liam looked up at Brantley, who stood beside him. “Mama’s watching now. I’m ready.”

  Smiling, Brantley bent at the waist, and placed his hands on his knees. “Alright, remember what I told you. Shift your weight, twist your upper body, and follow through with the toss. Keep your eyes on the spot where you want the ball to go and release. Don’t overthink it. Just throw the ball. You’ve got this.”

  Liam nodded in understanding.

  Standing tall, Brantley backed up a few steps, and looked toward Declan, who stood twenty feet away. “Get ready, Dec. Your brother is about to put it in the air. Eyes on the spiral, hands in the air. Remember the mantra—catch it, tuck it, protect it. You can do this, buddy.”

  Like his brother, Declan nodded. “Catch, tuck, protect. I got it!”

  “Clara, what are the boys doing?” Bella asked, clenching my skirt with her chalk covered hands. “Are they playing footy-ball again?” She scrunched up her nose, making her displeasure obvious. “They do it allll the time.”

  I ran my fingers through her soft curls. “They like football.”

  “Why? It makes them extra stinky.”

  I chuckled and was about to answer her when Brantley stood in front of Liam, bent over, and hiked him the ball. By some miracle, I pulled my eyes from Brantley’s perfect sweatpants covered behind—trust me, it was difficult—long enough to see Liam drop back and throw the ball.

  And boy did he throw it.

  At first, I didn’t think Declan stood a chance of catching it, but I was wrong. Like a rocket, he took off across the backyard. He turned at the perfect time and the ball hit him right in the chest. He caught it, and then bobbled it a little, but hung on to it. Tucking it under his arm, he ran as hard as he could to the spot where two orange zones represented the end zone.

  Once there, he stopped, spun around and threw his arms up into the air. “Touchdown!”

  The look on both he and Liam’s faces warmed my heart. I’d seen them happy before, but I’d never seen them smile as big as they did when they were with Brantley.

  He’s stolen their hearts too…

  Smiling from ear-to-ear Liam jumped up, his arms raised.

  Brantley did the same, pumping his fist in the air.

  A second later, both ran across the yard, meeting Declan halfway. My boys collided and fell to the ground where they continued to celebrate. Brantley, being the oversized child he was, did the same.

  Being the little delinquents they were, Liam and Declan took the opening they’d been handed and pounced on him. Declan wrapped around his legs like a vine, and Liam did his best to get him in a headlock.

  Neither stood a chance.

  Still, they gave it their best shot.

  I laughed as Bella looked at all three guys like they were crazy. “Boys are weird,” she said, looking up at me. “Like, real weird.”

  “Yeah, and you better remember that. Best to avoid them the best you can.” I winked down at her. “Especially ones named Johnny.”

  Her lips formed into a pout. “But I love Johnny. We’re getting married.”

  Lord have mercy.

  “How about we talk about Johnny while you help me fix supper?”

  Her eyes lit up. “I want to help!”

  “Come on, princess,” I said, taking her hand in mine. “You and me will go have girl time while the boys roll around in the grass.”

  She nodded. “Okay!”

  “Brantley,” I hollered, grabbing his attention. “Bella and I are going to cook supper. We’ll yell for y’all when it’s done.”

  “I’ll be waiting, bella dama,” he yelled back, winking.

  Wearing a smile, my girl and I headed in the house.

  Brantley

  I was sitting in my home office when Clara tapped on the door three times.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  I looked up from the calendar I’d been reviewing to see her standing in the door frame, her purse strap draped over her shoulder. “Hey,” she said, smiling. “I didn’t mean to bother you, but I wanted to let you know the boys and me are leaving. I put the leftovers from supper away, loaded the dishwasher and folded the laundry. Oh, and Bella fell asleep shortly after I tucked her in and you kissed her goodnight.”

  I lifted my chin in the air. “Baby, come here for a minute.”

  With a quick roll of her gorgeous eyes, she strolled across the room, rounded my desk and came to a stop next to me. “What is it?”

  Grabbing her hips, I pulled her down sideways onto my lap and wrapped an arm around her waist. “You realize that I didn’t hire you to be a housekeeper too, correct?”

  She shrugged. “I like doing it. It keeps my mind busy.”

  Chuckling, I pressed a kiss to the side of her jaw. “If it makes you happy, bella dama, then have at it.” I brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. Then, I turned my attention back to my laptop screen. “I need to talk to you about a consultation you scheduled for next week.”

  Her brows furrowed. “Did I mess something up?”

  “No,” I replied. “You’re doing fine, baby.” It was the truth. In the two weeks since Clara started working for me, she hadn’t messed up once. “But do you see this guy right here?” I pointed at the screen, hovering my finger over the name Melvin Jenkins. Just seeing his name and the main charge—sexual battery—he was seeking counseling for made me want to vomit while simultaneously shoving my hand through the drywall.

  “Yes,” she said, her watery eyes locked on the screen.

  I held her tighter, knowing she needed comfort. “The next time a potential client calls seeking representation for this charge or one similar to it, I need you to do something for me.”

  She pulled her eyes from the screen and turned to look at me. “What do you want me to do?”

  I lifted a hand, sweeping my thumb across the apple of her cheek. “I want you to tell them to go fuck themselves and then I want you slam the phone down in their ear. Got it?”

  Clara’s eyes widened yet she remained silent.

  “Clara, bella dama, listen to me. I may be a defense attorney, but I do not represent the scum of society. Far as I’m concerned, child abusers, molesters, and rapists can all take a flying leap off the nearest high rise.”

  A small smile played at her lips. “Does that include men who batter women?”

  My fist clenched, and I tried like hell to hide the anger coursing through me. “Every single one. As a matter of fact, whenever you talk to a potential client, if they make you uncomfortable or you believe me representing them would create discord between you and me, then send them elsewhere.”

  “Brantley,” she said, her eyes still wide. “It’s not up to me to decide who you can and can’t take on as a client.”

  “The hell it isn’t,” I retorted. “Firecracker, you work in that office every day, and I will be damned if I represent someone who makes you uncomfortable or scares you.”

  “Why?” She sounded in disbelief.

  “Because you’re my girl,” I replied softy despite the anger boiling beneath the surface, “and because I promised to
keep you safe—physically, mentally, emotionally.”

  “Speaking of being safe…” Her head dipped as she picked at an invisible piece of lint on my shirt. “Want to know another secret?”

  My heart sped up. “Always.”

  Her eyes lifted until they were locked with mine. “I’ve already told you that the first time you held me in your arms I felt safe.” A softness spread across her face and it took every ounce of control I possessed not to take her mouth with my own. “But what you don’t know is that at that moment I realized my home had a heartbeat.”

  I couldn’t breathe. “I’m your home?”

  Nibbling on her lower lip, she nodded. “You are.”

  “Clara,” I whispered, my voice strained, “kiss me.”

  My girl didn’t need to be told twice.

  Twisting at the waist, she slid her fingers into my hair, and pressed her lips to mine in a kiss that made the rest of the world fall away. Time slowed, and at that moment nothing outside of her, me, and the matching cadence of our beating hearts existed.

  At least not until…

  “Mama!” Liam shouted from the living room that sat next to my office, shattering the moment. “Where are you?”

  Eyes still closed, Clara ripped her lips from mine and smiled. “He has such perfect timing,” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm. “If he isn’t waking me up at the butt crack of dawn on a Saturday, he’s interrupting one of the best kisses I’ve ever had.”

  I chuckled. “Don’t worry,” I replied, slipping my hands under the back of her shirt. I needed to feel her creamy skin on mine. “There are plenty more where that came from.”

  She pressed one last kiss to my lips before pulling herself from my reluctant hold. Standing, she straightened the simple tank top and cotton skirt she wore. “I hope so”—she paused—“because you’ve become my addiction, Brantley Morgan, and I don’t want to go into withdrawals.” Before I responded, she continued, “Now be a gentleman and walk me out.”

  Smiling like a damn fool, I stood. “I have a question to ask you first.”

  She readjusted her purse on her shoulder. “Then ask.”

  “I’m taking Bella to the carnival in downtown Toluca tomorrow. I want you and the boys to come with us.”