Page 153 of Love Notes & Lifelines
“I called my dad,” Teddy says with a shrug. Is it normal for grown men to call their dad for help? Who the hell knows anymore. Maybe in his world, it is. “He’s a corporate trial attorney. The best, if you ask me. He’s on his way. I’m sorry to make a snap judgment, but to be honest, I was concerned I was in over my head and Elijah said it was okay. This is—this is too important to let any detail slide, so I’d feel better if we had a checks-and-balances system until things settle down.”
I nod with a smile. “I’d like to meet the man who raised you, Teddy.”
This seems to fluster him more. “Oh, okay. Well, he’ll be here in about an hour. Then Mr. Sterling brought in a defense attorney for any claims Miss Delacroix might make. There’s a litigation attorney here from Crystal Waters but not hired by Mr. Fairfax, two law assistants, Elijah, and me. As I said, not a lot of time to pull it all together, but I believe it’s enough to thwart her evil plans.”
He nods twice in quick succession, then tries to hide a grin.
“When is the last time you slept, kid?”
“Ah, well…”
“Go take a nap. Elijah will show you to a room, or a sofa—something. We’ll wake you when your dad arrives.”
He starts to shake his head, but I glare at Elijah. “Did you give him my coffee?”
Elijah smirks. “He likes it.”
“Go,” I say, opening the door to find a startled Tabby with her fist in the air.
“Ah, hey. Um, Stella’s mom’s awake…and she’s asking for her.”
Stella barrels into my back a second later while disengaging Daisie from her legs. “Dang it, Daisie. Sorry,” she mumbles. “My foot fell asleep, and Daisie’s all up in my business.”
Glancing down, I find our dog is in fact, sniffing her ass. Freaking dog!
“I’ll stay with the girls. Go.” Tabby points with her head. “And I’ll keep Dang-it Daisie with me too.”
I chuckle while Stella backtracks to kiss the girls. “I’m going downstairs to see Laura for a few minutes, okay? Tabby will play with you.”
Emmy holds up her arms, and so does Ruby. Their wide eyes and trembling hands tell us everything we need to know about their emotional state—they’ll be attached to us for the foreseeable future, and I can’t think of a better place for them to be.
I pick up Emmy, and Stella reaches for Ruby. “Elijah, come get me if you need me for anything.”
He salutes me, but it’s not mocking. His features are soft, and his gaze is watery. He approves of who I’m becoming and, if I’m being honest, so do I.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
STELLA
Beck sits to my left,closest to the girls, while I hold my mother’s hand. Tears flow freely and I’m unable to stop them. This is the most lucid she’s been in months. It’s a small miracle when I needed one most.
“Why are you crying?” she asks again.
“It—It’s just a good day, that’s all, Mom.”
I think she tries to wink, but she doesn’t have control of those muscles anymore. “I’m guessing it has something to do with the hunka bubble-yum holding your hand with a ring that could put an eye out if you’re not careful.”
She always could make me laugh. It’s her superpower.
Beck’s deep laugh rumbles from his body to mine and fills the air with a rich warmth we’d been missing.
“This is Becker Hayes, Mom. Do you remember?” It’s an unfair question, but I’m surprised by how much I want her to know him.
She squints and smiles. “He feels familiar. I’m sure he came by to ask my permission at some point or other.”
“Oh, I did, Mrs. Anderson. I sat right there where Stella is for hours, and I told you all the ways I love your daughter.”
I tilt my chin in his direction. Did he really do that?
