Page 45 of The Coffee Bar on Camellia Court

Melissa let out an ugly sound. "You might want a good attorney, too," she spat out, then added crassly, "Your reputation on this side of the lake doesn't bode well for you, pool boy."

The cruel words hit home. He couldn't undo the things he'd done, either, and now his past was catching up to him.

What a mess he'd made of his life, and the lives of those his messy life had messed with.

But then, that was why he was standing here right now, facing down this woman who had manipulated him into thinking he had no rights of his own as Lena's father, that he was lucky to have what little Melissa doled out to him.

Because he was finished making a mess of things.

He was here to clean up after himself. He was here to set things right. To change the things he could and to let go of the things he couldn't.Whatever's going on, whatever it is that's harder now—you don't have to face it alone.

"A good attorney won't be hard to find, and I happen to have a town of people who will vouch for the kind of man I am."

Melissa pushed her way around him and circled the table so that it was now between them. "You really think it's so easy raising a child on your own? You think I haven't had to sacrifice?"

"I have no doubt that it's one of the hardest things a parent will ever do," he shot back. He'd give her that much, although he wasn't sure she'd had to sacrifice much of anything in the process. "But I'm not on my own, Melissa. I have my parents. I have friends, a community of people who know and—and love me." It was the first time he'd ever put that into words, and he was shocked at how true it rang.

A small voice interrupted from the hallway. "You're fighting about me again, aren't you?"

They both turned to see Lena standing in the doorway to the living room, her eyes wide and anxious, her hair mussed from sleep. She clutched her ladybug tight to her chest like a shield.

Alex's heart broke at the resignation in her voice. How many arguments had she overheard between adults who were supposed to protect her?

"Everything is fine, sweetie," Melissa said, her tone instantly switching to saccharine sweetness. "Go back to bed."

"It doesn't sound fine." Lena took a few steps into the room. "It sounds like fighting."

Alex crossed the room and drew her into a hug. "I'm sorry we woke you."

Lena stayed pressed against him for only a moment before stepping back so she could look back and forth between her parents. To Melissa she said, "I don't want to move to Greece, Mom."

Melissa's voice hardened. "Enough, Lena Marie. We've talked about this. Daniel has a beautiful house, and—"

"I don't care about his house." Lena's voice was stronger now, too. "Or the island, or the pool, or any of that. I want to stay here." She glanced at Alex, then back to her mother. "I want to live with Daddy."

"That's impossible," Melissa scoffed.

"Why is it impossible?" Lena pressed. "If I lived with Daddy, you could go wherever you want. You wouldn't have to pay for Adeline. It wouldn't cost you any money if I stayed with him."

Alex held his breath, shocked by Lena's directness but unable to deny the surge of hope her words created.

"You wouldn't have to even think about what to do with me," Lena's voice trembled slightly, but she stood her ground. "Daddy wants me. I want to be with him."

Melissa's expression darkened. "Your father doesn't know the first thing about raising a child."

"He could learn!" Lena's eyes filled with tears. "I could teach him. Please, Mom. I don't like Daniel, and he doesn't like me. I can tell because he looks at me like I don't belong. Well, I belong here. I want to live here. I want Autumn Lake to be my home." Fat teardrops were streaming from her eyes now, and she stood there, trembling like a live wire. "Why can't you be my mommy and stop looking for a new boyfriend everywhere we go?"

The last words seemed to escape before Lena could stop them. Then she brought the ladybug up to cover her face.

For a moment, Melissa looked genuinely stung. Alex, desperate to comfort his daughter, but also wanting to tread carefully in this volatile moment, moved a step closer to Lena.

Melissa's eyes went cold and dark, her back stiffened, and her lip curled into an ugly snarl.

"Fine." She lurched forward, grabbed Lena's arm, and pushed her into Alex.

"Hey!" Alex caught Lena as she stumbled, steadying her against his side with an arm around her shoulders. "That was uncalled for."

"Go ahead." Melissa ground out. "Take her. Keep her for a week and see what it's like having to be responsible for someone else all the time. You'll come crawling back, you'll see. Having a child will change your life, Alex."

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