Page 110 of One Little Kiss
Just then, all their phones chime with alerts. Lexi’s the first to make eye contact, and I immediately know something’s wrong.
The front door bursts open, and GG comes clink clacking down the hall. “No need to panic. I was touchin’ with the ladies.”
“Texting, GG. You were texting with the ladies,” Lanie cuts in.
“What she said. Betty-Anne was next door at the historical society when the cruiser showed up.”
“Cruiser?” I ask meekly, feeling faint.
“Your dad is a piece of work, that one, but Colton and that little boy of yours are just fine. They’ll be home any minute. I got Betty-Anne to hold off on the Town Cryer until I could get over here to warn ya is all.”
“Warn me about what?” Glancing around, I find all three women furiously scrolling their phones.
“Nothin’ to worry about, but I think it’s time we added you to the Cryer. My boys took care of it all. I was at Ashton’s watching the live feed, ya know? They’ll take it all to court.”
“Take what?” I demand, but my knees shake, and I collapse onto the sofa.
Another car door slams, then another. My boys are home, and Colton is standing before me like a teenage fantasy a second later. When the fear holding me captive subsides, I reach for Wes, and say a silent prayer when he comes to me.
“He looks okay. Is he okay? What happened? Why are you home so early? What did he do?” One question bleeds into the next, but Colton doesn’t get a chance to respond.
“Ad-de. Ad-de.”
Lexi pockets her phone and walks to me. “How about if I take him to my house for a few hours? We even have walkie-talkies. I can keep one turned on so you can hear him playing the entire time. Julia has given us all a run down, Winnie. I’ll treat Wes like he’s my own.”
I know before she says it that she will. “He’s—”
“And if he has a hard time, I’ll bring him right back,” she interrupts, then whispers, “Please, let us try? I think Colton needs you right now.”
My gaze snaps to Colton, and I notice how tight his jaw is for the first time. His hunched shoulders and clenched fists replace his gentle, carefree nature. He tries to smile, and I know it’s for my benefit, but I think Lexi’s right. He needs me. After everything he’s given me, knowing I finally have something to offer him has me nodding as I speak.
“Is that okay with you, Colton? If Lexi takes Wes to her house for a while?”
Colton glances from me to Wes, and his body relaxes a fraction. “Do you want to go to Ada James’ house, Wes? Auntie Lexi will take you to play?”
His grin and happy clapping are answer enough. When he leans forward in my arms to reach for Lexi, I know he feels at home here. With this family, our family, he’s home.
All apprehension leaves my body as Lexi snuggles him into her side, and he lets her. She isn’t the soft and gooey type of woman, but she’s kind and warm with Weston, and he appears to love her. “Okay, kiddo. Looks like you’re going to Ada’s house.”
Colton hands Lexi his bag, and when I turn, I see that the girls have placed all the wedding materials into neat piles. “We got a great start on this,” Lanie says, tossing her long, blonde hair over her shoulder. “We’ll come back this weekend and get the ball rolling.”
“Okay.” What else am I going to say?
“We’ll make this the wedding of your dreams, Winnie. And we’ll help you figure out your dreams to make it happen.”
“Thank you. All of you.”
They each lean in for a hug—because that’s what Westbrooks do, they hug—and then Colton walks them all out. When the door shuts, I hurry to the window just in time to see Lexi place Wes into a car seat.
Colton pulls me into him from behind as we watch Lexi drive away. “I need you, CC. I need to be inside of you. I need to feel you from the inside and tame a rage I can’t control in here,” he declares, crushing a fist over his heart.
Turning in his arms, I find a storm happening in his eyes. “What happened, Colton? Why are you so upset?”
“He showed up drunk. He ripped Weston’s headphones off with such force his little head snapped back before I could stop it. On my watch, he got hurt, and ever since I’ve had visions of what life would be like for him if Darling got him. I can’t let that happen, Winnie. I won’t let it happen. He’s ours.” His words are hoarse, and his body trembles under my touch.
“Colton, I just saw him. He’s okay, though, baby. He’s okay.” Even as I offer words of comfort, fear bubbles over in my chest. “GG said an officer showed up? What happened next?”
A single tear falls down Colton’s face. His love for Wes, for me. It’s all expressed in that one droplet of salty water. “I promise I’ll do better protecting him, CC. I will. Preston’s there now, making sure a report is filed and Darling’s blood alcohol level is reported to family services. There’s no way he can get him after we submit the video.”
