Pieces of a Broken Heart: Whiskey Bend Series Book One

by Conley, Samantha

  “It’s okay, Zach. We love you. Please don’t be sad.” I tear up at her words.

  “Thank you, sweetheart.” He kisses the top of her head, blinking rapidly.

  “Momma, can Zach come home with us?”

  “I think that’s a splendid idea, but we need to see if it’s all right with him. He may have to work today.” I glance at him questioningly.

  “I’d love to go home with you.”

  “Yay! Now I want pancakes!”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Zach

  Furiously blinking back tears at Lila’s words, I stare out at the street trying to hold it together. Relief floods me when Dani invites me back to her place. We eat our food before walking back to the apartment. I keep a sharp eye out for anyone trying to ambush us. I can’t let what happened yesterday happen again. Never again do I want to see the terrified look on Dani’s face when we couldn’t find Lila.

  As soon as we walk into the apartment, Lila takes off to her room like a shot.

  “Please, have a seat,” Dani says stiffly. “Can I get you anything? More coffee?” She rubs her palms down the front of her pants.

  “No, I’m fine. Thanks.”

  “Okay.”

  “Dani, talk to me.” I sit down in the hair next to the couch. She shifts her weight from foot to foot before she seems to decide. She walks around the table and sits on the couch, placing a pillow in her lap.

  “Yesterday scared the hell out of me, Zach,” she begins.

  “I know. It did me too.” I huff out falling back against the cushions. I look down the hall trying to lay eyes on Lila.

  “We were just blindsided. I didn’t know what to do.”

  “I’m sorry. I should have prepared you just in case something like this happened.”

  “Again, it’s not your fault. Next time I’d like to be a little more prepared.”

  “Next time?” I blurt out the question, my heart racing at the implications.

  “I’m not ending this, Zach. You mean too much to me, to Lila. I want to make this work. We just need to figure out how.”

  “We’ll figure out what’s best for all of us. This town is important to you. You own your own business here. I can fly back and forth if I need to.”

  “You’d be willing to move here?”

  “if it means keeping you in my life, I’d sacrifice my career, anything, to make that happen.” She lifts the pillow to her face and groans into it.

  “I don’t want you to sacrifice anything. We need to compromise. There’s a difference.”

  “What’s the compromise then?”

  “That’s what we need to figure out. Rationally, logically.”

  “All right,” I tick them off one by one on my fingers. “You have a business here that you need to present for on a daily basis. Your family is all here.”

  “Yours is too,” she points out.

  “Agreed. Now my business, on the other hand, isn’t necessarily a full-time job. The only time I need to be somewhere specific in Nashville is when I’m recording. I travel frequently on tours. The house I own is there to hold my stuff and sleep when I’m in town. The only reason I bought it was because I was tired of noisy ass apartments and the lack of security.”

  “You want to be stuck in this small apartment above a bakery?”

  “As long as I’m with you, I’ll live anywhere.” She looks at me, brow arched. “Okay, I’ll probably try to talk you into buying a house with a big backyard that Lila can play in.”

  “That’s definitely something we can discuss in the future.” She nods in agreement.

  “So, when we think about this logically it makes more sense for me to come here rather than uprooting you guys.” I look at her triumphant in my reasoning while she sits there slack-jawed. “I’ve been thinking about this for the last month.”

  “You would be okay moving here? For real?” Her eyes fill with tears as she asks in disbelief.

  “Yes, Dani. For real,” I lean over, placing my hand on the back of her neck, drawing her face to mine. “I want to spend the rest of my life loving you.”

  “Are y’all gonna kiss again?” Lila's voice breaks the moment and I can’t help but smile against Dani’s lips.

  “Yes, sweetheart, we are.” I press my lips to her, keeping it PG since little eyes are upon us.

  “Eww, gross!” She runs back to her room, giggling. Maybe she didn’t find it as gross as she thought.

  “What are we doing about the elephant in the room?” She leans her elbow on the back of the couch resting her cheek on her fist.

  “I spoke with Vinny last night. He contacted my lawyer this morning and is petitioning to have a paternity test done.”

  “We’re going to have to wait until the baby’s born? They won’t do an amniocentesis or something like that? It could be dangerous.” She worries her bottom lip.

  “No, they’re able to determine it from a blood test. The mother’s blood and mine.”

  “It's accurate? They’re not going to come back later and contest it?”

  “I’m told it’s almost one hundred percent accurate.”

  “How far along does she have to be?”

  “Eight weeks so if it’s mine, we can do it ASAP.”

  “How long is this going to take?”

  “They will file it with the court today. They just have to get the judge to sign off on it if she won’t willingly take part,” I take a breath. “I’ll have to go to Nashville. I want you to come with me.”

  “I can’t just leave the shop, Zach.”

  “I know but maybe Claudia can cover for you for a couple of days. I’d really like you to be there.”

  “I don’t know. This is the busiest time of year.”

  “I’m sorry. That made me sounds like a needy little bitch.

  I’ll try to see if she can. I just need to know as early as possible.”

  “As soon as I know you’ll know.” I can’t keep the grin off my face. “I’m happy that you’re even considering the possibility. And if you can’t? I’m a big boy I’ll make it through. You not being there will just give me a reason to get home quicker.”

  “Home, huh?” She caught what I missed, referring to this place as home when it’s been Nashville for the last decade.

  “Yeah, home. Maybe I should look for a house.”

  “I don’t recommend the local real estate agent,” she remarks dryly.

  “Is Melanie the only one?”

  “You know what? There’s a girl who lives here but works for the office in Langston. She may be an option. She’ll know the area. But what the heck is her name?” She snaps her fingers trying to figure it out. “Damn. I’ll ask Mom. I’m sure she’ll know. Just Google it for now.”

  “Zach, you ready to watch Peppa now?” Lila asks as she climbs into my lap. “Y’all done with da kissin’?”

  I look at Dani and she nods. “Yeah sweetheart, we’re done. Let’s watch some Peppa and learn to speak with a British accent.”

  “I’m going to get caught up on laundry. You two have fun.” She jumps up from the couch and hurries to the bedroom. Just what did I set myself up for? The opening song plays, and I can see it's going to be a very long morning.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Zach

  The flight to Nashville was uneventful. Dani only tried to squeeze my hand off during the takeoff and landing. Oh, and the turbulence when it hit over Arkansas. They ordered us to appear for mediation on Tuesday and we were lucky enough that Claudia could cover for Dani. She said she loved it so much that if Dani was looking for someone to do the early mornings, she would be more than happy. Personally, I hope she considers it.

  We arrived at my house and made love in my king-size bed, taking our time and learning each other without the worry of being interrupted by a three-year-old who needs a drink of water. After as we laid there together, she was the topic of our conversation. It amazes me how quickly I became attached to that little thing. Wondering if she m
isses us, if she ate her dinner or if her grandmother is loading her up with sugar for our return.

  This morning, my stomach is in knots. I pull on my sport coat and straighten my tie in the mirror. Dani is sitting on the bed wearing one of my t-shirts as she wraps a blonde curl around her finger.

  “Are you nervous?” Her eyes meet mine in the mirror.

  “No. Yes. A little. I just want this to be over.”

  “I’m crossing my fingers they agree to the test and we can get it done.”

  “Vinny said if they agree, he has it set up at a lab to have the blood drawn this afternoon. It depends on how cooperative they are.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want me there?”

  “I’d love for you to be but my lawyer said you wouldn’t be allowed in the room and I don’t want you to have to sit in the waiting room for God knows how long. Knowing you’re here waiting for me to get home is enough.” I turn and kiss her square on the mouth, the small kiss turns deeper, hungrier and we pull apart.

  “Damn I have to go, or we’d finish this. The car should be here any minute.” As if by magic, the gate alarm chimes. “There he is. Take it easy, rest or take a swim. Mi casa es su casa.” I kiss her again. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “All right. Keep your temper in check. I think I’ll take you up on the swim offer,” she walks into the bathroom throwing me a sultry look over my shoulder. “I didn’t bring a swimsuit though.” She winks before shutting the door. Damn now all I’ll be picturing is her naked in my pool. I hurry out of the house before I’m tempted to blow this whole thing off and join her.

  The room I’m ushered into is painted a boring beige with a large, dark wooden table surrounded by chairs. My lawyer, Micheal, and I sit on one side as the door opens. A skinny, blonde man in an ill-fitting suit enters first followed by William and Connie Bertrand. They take their places on the other side of the table, William sitting directly across from me. Hostility rolls off him in waves and amps up the tension in the room. Luckily, we’re only there for a minute before the door opens again. A big, barrel chested man enters wearing a well-tailored suit, his salt and pepper hair perfectly coiffed. His gold wired rimmed glasses frame his brown eyes.

  “Thank you all for coming,” the man closes the door behind him. “My name is James Newberry. I’ll be your mediator.” He pulls out the heavy wooden chair at the head of the table and sits down. “In case you are not aware, mediation is the step before having to go to court. If we can resolve this to everyone’s satisfaction, there won’t have to be a court hearing. Do either party have questions?” He looks first at the Bertrands and their lawyer and then to us.

  “No sir, my lawyer has made everything quite clear.” I hesitate not to loosen my tie. He looks again at the Bertrands.

  “Any questions from this party?” He inquires with an arched brow.

  Their lawyer clears his throat. “No, sir. I have explained everything to my clients.”

  “I have rules. We are all adults here. There will be no outbursts. You will wait until the other person has finished speaking before you speak. I will not tolerate rudeness or insolence. Also, this session will be recorded and transcribed. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Yes, we do.”

  “We are here about the paternity of the unborn child that Constance Bertrand is carrying. Is that correct?” He looks over the frame of his glasses at her and she nods, looking at the table. “I need you to state yes or no, please.”

  “Yes, yes, sir.”

  “And you are currently married to William Bertrand?”

  “Yes, sir, we are married,” William booms out, his loud voice out of place in the relatively quiet room.

  “And at the supposed time of conception, you had a sexual relationship with Zachary Marshall? Is that correct?”

  “Yes, sir.” Her soft voice can barely be heard.

  “Mr. Marshall has petitioned the court for a paternity test to determine if he is the biological father. Are you aware of this?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I asked you to bring any relevant medical information regarding this pregnancy to this hearing. Do you have it available?”

  “Sir, Mrs. Bertrand could not get her medical records in time for this hearing,” her lawyer hedges, shuffling through the papers that are on the table in front of him.

  “According to the documents in front of me, you were served with the summons and request for information over a week ago. I believe that would have been plenty of time.”

  “We called the doctor’s office and asked for them. They said that they mailed them the next day, but we never got them.”

  “Were you unable to go pick up another copy from the doctor’s office when you saw that they had not arrived in time? This is a Tuesday. Did you not think when you did not receive them yesterday that maybe you should obtain these records?”

  “No, sir. They said they mailed them, and we waited.”

  “Yet you knew that you were required to bring them today. Did you notify your lawyer you did not have the required paperwork?”

  “I was not informed until we arrived, sir.”

  “Can you call the doctor’s office and request they fax your records?”

  “Um, I’m not sure. I don’t have the phone number with me,” she hedges.

  “You know the name of your doctor?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Give me his name and I can Google it for you. I’ll even let you use my phone to call.” He reaches into his suit jacket and extracts a sleek silver phone and slides it across the table towards the lawyer.

  “There’s no point,” William blurts out. “She lost the baby. All this stress was too much.” He glares at me.

  “I’m sure going to the press and selling the story was very stressful,” I mock as William lurches across the table toward me.

  “Knock it off, both of you or I will end this now.”

  William sits back down, straightening his tie. Connie sits there, eyes downcast, her shoulders shaking as she cries. Their lawyer looks at them like they’re crazy.

  “Mrs. Bertrand, I’m sorry for your loss but I still need those records for this proceeding. Did you go to the hospital or doctor after your loss?” He looks at her, eyes softening.

  “No. No, I didn’t.” She takes a deep breath before looking at the mediator then me. “Because there never was a baby. William made me lie. He thought we could get more money out of you than last time. I’m so sorry.” Her eyes fill with remorse as the tears spill over her lower lashes.

  William reaches over and grabs her arm in a bruising grip. “You little bitch,” he bites out between clenched teeth.

  “Take your damn hand off of her now.” I stand up.

  “She’s my damn wife. I’ll do whatever the hell I want.” Connie winces as he applies more pressure.

  “No, sir, you will not.” The door opens behind James and a burly security guard enters, hand casually resting on the butt of his gun. “You will take your hand off your wife right now. Davis here will escort you out of the room.”

  Realizing he’s at a disadvantage, William releases his grip, his handprint glaringly red on the pale skin. “This isn’t over,” he seethes as he buttons his jacket and walks out. His silent retreat is almost eerie as I expected him to be throwing a fit as he is escorted out of the room.

  “I’m sorry. This was all his idea. I know I’m not innocent in this, but he made me go along with it,” Connie murmurs as she stares at the door her husband just disappeared through.

  “Would you like to press charges against him for assault?” James asks softly.

  “It won’t do any good. He’ll just come after me anyway.”

  “You can file a restraining order.” She snorts.

  “It didn’t do a damn bit of good in New York. It’s just a piece of paper. He still came to my apartment and forced me to get in the car with him to come to Tennessee.” Bitterness drips from her words.r />
  “Young lady, if you wish to file charges, I can promise you he will spend the night in jail. I know quite a few judges in this town. A little missplaced paperwork would have him detained long enough for you to decide what you want to do.”

  “I want away from him. I want my life back.”

  “Let me see what I can do to help you with that. There are a lot of resources to help you. Mr. Marshall, I think that is all I need from you. If you decide to press any further charges know that you are able. Defamation is serious business.”

  “Yes, sir, it is but if what she’s saying is true, I’m willing to let it drop.” I nod at him then her before walking out. Her voice stops me at the door.

  “Zach,” I turn when she says my name. “I truly am sorry. I never meant for this to happen and I can’t forgive myself for getting you caught up in all the lies.”

  “You just take care of yourself and get away from him and that’s all the apology I need.” She smiles sadly at me. The door shuts softly behind me and Micheal.

  “Did that really just happen?” I sag against the wall in relief.

  “Yes. I’m still not, I mean, that may have been the easiest thing I’ve done since I got my law degree. I didn’t even have to do anything.”

  “Easiest money you’ve ever made huh?” I laugh at the sheepish look on his face. “No worries, Micheal. Hopefully, this is all over and done.”

  “I’ll have the paper retract the story, but it’ll still be out there for a little while. They’ll run it until there’s not any interest.”

  “As long as I know the truth I can live with the gossip. Now I need to get home. My girl’s waiting on me and we may fly home by tonight.” We shake hands before I head out of the building. My driver is parked in front where I left him, and I climb into the back of the car.

  “That was quick, sir.”

  “Yes, it was. Please take me home.”

  “Of course, sir.” He navigates smoothly into traffic and fifteen minutes later I walk into my house with pictures of a naked, wet Dani filling my head. Instead, I find her on the couch, with her tablet out.