Page 22 of May's Bad Boy: Kody

His voice softens.

"This court will not be used as a weapon by those who seek to twist truth into leverage. You didn't just defend custody today, you reminded all of us what family actually means."

He nods once more, and then adds gently, "Case closed."

The Wells family storms out in silence, their lawyer trailing behind. But not before casting one last, lingering look at Paige. It’s a cold, calculating stare that sends a chill down my spine.

We won.

But as Paige clutches Sadie close and I wrap them both in my arms, I know one thing with absolute certainty: This fight is far from over.

CHAPTER 9

PAIGE

The morning after the hearing feels like waking up underwater. Everything moves in slow motion. My legs are jelly, my head foggy, but the weight in my chest is finally starting to lift. I won. We won. And yet, it still hasn't fully sunk in. Every now and then, I catch myself waiting for the other shoe to drop, for someone to step out of the shadows and say it was all a mistake.

Sadie is practically glued to my side, tucked against me on the couch in a cocoon of blankets. Her little hand rests on my stomach as she hums a song under her breath, still half-asleep. Kody keeps stealing glances from the kitchen as he makes breakfast, like he can't quite believe it either. Like he's afraid to breathe in case it disappears. I don't blame him. Part of me feels the same.

A knock at the door breaks the quiet.

Kody answers and we find Ruby standing on the porch, cheeks flushed and eyes shining with something between excitement and mischief. In her hand is a thick file folder.

"Tell me this isn't bad news," I say, voice still scratchy from crying more yesterday than I have in years.

"Not unless you count your life changing in a huge, incredible way as bad," she says, stepping inside.

I raise a brow. "Unless it's about someone burning down the developer's office, I'm not sure I'm ready."

Ruby grins wider, her eyes dancing. "Close. You just got recruited."

I blink. "What?"

She steps farther inside. "Sit down," she says, waving me toward the couch. "This is the kind of news you should be sitting down for."

Slowly, I lower myself onto the cushions as Sadie curls back up at my side. Ruby hands me the folder like it's a gift she's been dying to give.

"You're scaring me."

She just smiles. "You remember I mentioned my friend who helped when Kara's bookstore was being taken over by the developer?"

I nod. "Sort of. He's the one who helped with Miss Ada's case, right?"

"Exactly. Well, he's been quietly buying back properties the developer tried to steal like he did with Mrs. Ada's. There were a few other’s to scared to speak up. And one of those is being renovated into a new high-end spa right here in Mustang Mountain."

I glance down at the folder again. The logo is clean, modern. Professional. My name is printed just below it in a sharp, elegant font.

"You're joking."

Ruby shakes her head. "I told him about how you handled Miss Ada's paperwork as if you were a seasoned attorney, and how you kept fighting when it would've been easier to walk away. He read your resumé and called me the next day. His words exactly were: 'She's sharp, empathetic, and clearly knows her shit. That's who I want running my Spa.'"

My mouth opens. Nothing comes out.

"He wants you," Ruby continues, her voice softening now. "Not just because of your experience. Because of who you are. Because you understand what this town needs. You've lived through it. You care."

I laugh, but it's nervous. "I've never opened a spa from the ground up. I mean, I managed teams, yeah, and I ran scheduling, payroll, supply orders. But this? This is huge."

"You can learn logistics," Ruby says. "What you can't teach is heart. Vision. Community. And you already have that."

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