Page 36 of Like A Daydream
“I’m just waiting for her grandparents to do something slimy and try to take her away,” Danielle says, wiping her eyes and hiding her face in his shoulder.
He wishes she wouldn’t. Wishes that she felt comfortable enough to show him her whole self.
Patience. It’ll come.
“Why would they try to take her away?” he asks.
“Jack and Emerson weren’t broke,” Danielle says. “They had a tech company set to turn a three million dollar profit this year, and a lot saved in the bank besides. All of it is turned over to Harper when she’s eighteen.”
“And they’ll want custody to get their hands on it.”
“Bingo,” Danielle says with a nod, “and get their hands on the house. Which I haven’t emptied yet because they left it for Erick to have use of. I’m the legal guardian of it all, and Harper. The business is being run by one of the higher ups in the company, but I have the shares, too.”
She sighs heavily.
“I’ve had Harper for two weeks and I justknowthey have lawyers lined up if anything goes wrong, or if I do something that doesn’t align with their parenting philosophy.”
“They can’t just take her, though.”
“No,” Danielle says, “they can’t. But, it’s not helpful that they have every single one of their friends in town watching my every move. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re working on moving back from Berlin.”
“What about adopting her?”
“That’s my next step,” Danielle says, “but I don’t know if they’ll give it to a single woman when she has blood relatives willing to take her.”
“There’s no harm in asking,” Andrew says, “assuming you still have a lawyer. I don’t think a judge would deny a parent’s final wishes for their kid.”
“I don’t think so either,” Danielle says, “Not when I also have most of the town on my side. There’s a lot of hurt feelings left over from when Jack and Emerson’s parents left… Sorry for dumping all of this on you. I don’t have anyone else at the moment.”
“I asked,” Andrew says, “and I meant it when I said I’m here for you, if you want me to be.”
Danielle smiles sadly. “Yeah, but for how long? And in what capacity?”
She doesn’t give him time to answer, standing instead. He doesn’t know if he would even if she had given him a minute. She raises a valid question for someone who lost everything, or feels like she’s on the verge to.
He can’t ask anything of her.
She stands. “I’ll lock up, if you want to head home. Sorry for a strange first day.”
“Don’t apologize,” he says, offering her a smile. “I don’t mind strange.”
She waves him off with a gentle smile, and he heads out of the office, swiping a business card from the front counter. It has Danielle’s name on it, and two phone numbers listed. Roscoe follows him, and jumps in the truck as soon as he opens the door.
As soon as he’s back at JT’s he asks Ainsley for his phone back.
Andrew:shooting my shot and guessing this is your number?
Andrew:it’s Andrew by the way
Andrew:you can call me Andy ;)
Danielle:well I’m about to get murdered by a bunch of hockey women for having you texting me in the middle of the night
Danielle:how did you even get this number?
Andrew:business card, boss
Andrew:most of the hockey women I know are harmless
