Page 72 of Second Dance
We sat quietly for a few minutes, sipping our coffee and listening to the birdsong coming from the trees, a gentle breeze lifting our hair. My thoughts returned to Alex. If he and I wereto truly be together, it would require a tremendous amount of love and support to blend our families. The odds were against us. Even so, Alex and I had both taken in children who were not our own and he proved that blood is not the only binding ingredient for a family. Perhaps we were made for this. And for each other.
15
ALEX
Igripped the steering wheel as I pulled into Ben's parking lot. He'd called first thing that morning, asking me to come discuss the offer we'd make to Darren. Before leaving, I'd texted Gillian and Bella to let them know I'd be over in an hour or so to pick up Bella.
Ben was on the phone when I arrived, his silver hair catching the light from the window behind him. He waved me in and pointed to one of the leather chairs across from his desk. I sat, my leg bouncing as I waited. Ten years of working together on family matters had taught me to trust Ben's judgment completely—I just hoped he had a solution that would make this nightmare go away.
After a minute, he hung up and set his phone aside. “Sorry about that.”
“No problem. I appreciate you fitting me into your schedule,” Alex said.
“Of course. I’d do anything for you. We’ve been together for a long time.”
Ben set a tidy folder in front of me. “Take a look. Darren relinquishes parental rights to Peter and Bella. In exchange, you provide a lump-sum payment.”
I swallowed, nauseous. “And then it’s done?”
“As done as we can make it.” Ben slid his reading glasses higher on his nose and tapped the top sheet. “Because of his history and the nature of parental rights, the language needed to be airtight. I’ll coordinate with the clerk and a guardian ad litem to make sure we’re not leaving any seams he can pick at later.”
I exhaled, feeling as if I’d been holding my breath for days. “What do you need from me?”
“Nothing except patience.” Ben folded his hands. “I need another few days to put everything together. I want to make sure he signs. I’ll call him and ask him to meet us here at the office at the end of the week. We’ll be prepared whether he shows up cooperative or combative.”
I closed the folder, my fingers resting on the smooth cover. “God, I hope this works. I keep thinking about Mattie. She’d be devastated to know he’s come back into our lives.”
Ben’s mouth softened. “We’ll take care of this one way or another. Try not to worry.”
“Thanks, Ben.”
“Take that pretty Gillian out for a date. Hang out with the kids. Keep your mind off all of this.”
“Yeah, okay. I just may do that.”
I stood, shook Ben’s hand, and walked out into the summer morning. Before heading out, I sat behind the wheel, palms loose on the leather. How ironic that, after all the searching, Darren was back, causing all the trouble Mattie and I had worried about for years. But he’d been gone for so long, I’d started to believe we were in the clear. I should never have let my guard down.
Ben was right, though. I needed to think about something else besides Darren. Gillian deserved my attention without the drama of my family. I’d plan something special for her—just the two of us. Maybe take her somewhere?
I turned on the engine, warming to the idea. A few days away would be good for both of us.
I arrived at Gillian’s a little after ten. She came out to greet me, wrapping me into a warm hug.
“You okay?” Gillian asked, looking up and into my eyes. She wore a pair of leggings, sweatshirt, and a baseball cap. No makeup. Morning Gillian, I thought. I wanted more of it.
“I’m okay. Ben’s handling things but it’ll take a few days. In the meantime, I think we should have some fun. I want to take you away. What’s your work schedule the next few days? Could you get anyone to cover you at the studio?”
“Possibly. I could make some calls. My schedule’s light in the summer, since I follow the school schedule. No classes for the littles. I only have my adult classes, so I can probably line someone up.”
“Only if it doesn’t stress you out?”
She smiled, adjusting her cap. “The idea of spending time with you doesn’t stress me out. The opposite.”
“I hope it remains that way.” I pulled her against me for a quick kiss. “You look darn cute this morning, Miss Horton.”
“I haven’t even showered yet.”
“Well, you smell good anyway.”
