Page 56 of Seeking Happily Ever After

She didn’t say a word as she got in the car and drove away with a piece of his heart, crying in the backseat.

Despite his vow, he couldn’t help but feel that he’d been wrong. Because it very much felt over. All of it.

ChapterSixteen

He stoodin the dust cloud Jessica’s car left behind long enough for the dust to settle and erase any traces of the car that had just taken his little girl away. Never in his life, in all the times he’d been on his own, had Nick ever felt so completely alone. In one afternoon, he’d lost both Charlotte and Amelia.

There was nothing left.

“Fuck!”

Anger washed through him with such a force, it took him completely off guard and left him dizzy with rage. He strode toward a pine tree, pulled back, and punched it as hard as he could. The pain screamed through his fist, but he ignored it and hit the tree again.

“Nick!”

Damon grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him back, away from the tree, but the anger wasn’t yet satisfied. He spun to throw a punch at Damon. Cocked his fist and froze at his best friend’s undefended face.

He was about to punch his best friend and Damon wasn’t even going to stop him because he knew he needed the release. The reality of the entire situation hit him. He dropped his arm as his shoulders slumped and a sob ripped from deep in his chest.

Without missing a beat, Damon pulled him in and hugged him hard.

It didn’t take long for the anger and anguish to subside enough for Nick to allow Damon to lead him into the main house, where he set a glass of water in front of him and sat across from him at the kitchen island. Katie had appeared with a wet towel and gently, without asking, took Nick’s hand and started cleaning the cuts.

“What can we do?”

Nick dropped his chin to his chest. “Nothing.”

“I don’t believe that, Nick.” Damon shook his head. “It’s not like you to just give up. Younevergive up. There’s a problem, you solve it. So let’s—”

“We can’t.” He jerked his hand away from Katie and immediately felt bad. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” She smiled kindly, and took it back and resumed washing the cuts.

“We can’t solve this,” Nick said to Damon. “I’ve been talking to Chris, and he says we have to play by the rules on this one. She’s not biologically my daughter and that means I have no rights. It’s so fucked up.”

“Thatisfucked up. There has to be something they’re missing. You can’t just give a child back to the parent who abandoned her like she was nothing.”

Damon’s words hit him like fresh punches in the gut.

“It’s not right. What did the caseworker say?”

“Chris is waiting to hear back, and I left a message, too. But Jessica has a clean drug test and…” The visit with Susan Johnson had gone so well, she had to be on their side as far as custody went. It was her job to do what was in the best interest of the child. Surely she’d see that what was in Amelia’s best interest was him and Charlotte.Theywere what was best. And—Charlotte.She’d left. She was so hurt. So angry. And… Nick looked at Katie. “Charlotte left.”

Katie nodded. “I know.”

“Do you know where she went?”

Katie shook her head and, finished with his hand, which was now throbbing, released it with a gentle pat.

“She hates me.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t hate you,” Katie said. “She’s hurt and confused.”

“I’ve screwed everything up so badly.” He wanted to hit something again but the pain in his fist reminded him why that wasn’t likely a good idea. He was lucky it wasn’t broken. Even if it was, he didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything without Amelia and Charlotte.

“I’m going to call Remington.” Damon pushed away from the counter with sudden force. “He’s an old friend from school,” he explained as he pulled his cell phone out. “He’s a cop in town and…well, I don’t know what he can do. But maybe he can at least keep an eye out for Jessica’s car and…”

Nick nodded. It was something. “Call him.”

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