“Yes.” No hesitation, her voice never wavers. “It was my idea, Evan. I promise you I will have no regrets. We can’t let them take her.”
“We should probably go talk to your parents first.”
“No, we shouldn’t. I’m an adult, Evan. I don’t need their blessing or their permission.”
I raise my hand to her cheek and she leans into my touch. “I know that, but I do. You’re going to be my wife, McKinley. I need them to know I will respect you always. I want to make sure they understand the complexity of this situation, but that I will never do anything to hurt you. They’re my second family. I need them on board with this before we can go through with it.”
I watch as her eyes soften with my words. She’s knows I’m right.
“I’ll call them, have them come over. No need in taking Lexi back out when they can come here,” Aaron offers.
I feel like I’m in a bubble watching this all unfold. He’s on board with this plan; he’s okay with me marrying his little sister. I can’t imagine their parents will be so understanding.
“Call them.”
Chapter 30
McKinley
I settle on the couch with Lexi in my arms. She’s wide-awake and making all of her cute baby noises. I block Evan and Aaron out, while she and I have some girl time. I love her. I don’t think I could love her more if she were my own. The thought of Misty’s parents taking her, causes my heart to crack wide open.
Evan and Aaron know I’m right. Getting married will fix this. Anyone who hears about it will believe it; we’re always together. This is the only way. Evan insists my parents know, but honestly, I couldn’t care less what they think. I’m going to do whatever it takes to keep Lexi with Evan. By doing so, I keep her with me.
“I’ll let them in,” Aaron says when we hear my dad’s truck pull up.
Evan paces the floor in front of me. Mom and Dad follow Aaron into the room, both wearing looks of concern. “Why don’t you two go ahead and have a seat,” Aaron suggests.
“Is everything all right?” Mom asks, worried. Dad guides her to the loveseat and they both sit. Aaron takes his spot in the recliner, leaving me and Lex on the couch and Evan pacing.
“No, but it will be,” Aaron tells her. “Evan?” Evan raises his eyes and gives Aaron a tight nod. “Evan got a letter today from an attorney in Tennessee. The letter was informing him that Misty was killed in a car accident a few weeks ago. Her parents are now suing Evan for custody of Lexi, stating he can’t give her what she needs—a mother and a father role model in her life,” Aaron explains.
“I call bullshit!” Dad seethes.
“You’re right, it is; we all know that. However, none of us knows the laws or the legal rights. Misty signed away her rights, but does that void grandparent rights as well? None of us know. What we do know is they have enough money and connections, at least from what Evan knows from Misty, to fight this battle.”
“There has to be something we can do,” Mom states.
“There is,” I speak up for the first time. “I have the solution, but he,” I point across the room at Evan, “insisted the two of you agree to it.”
“Well, let’s hear it,” this from my dad.
“Evan and I need to get married. Lexi would have a mom.” I go on to explain, listing the same reasons as I did earlier with Evan and Aaron. “Once this all blows over, we can have the marriage annulled. I’ll still be in her life as her ‘mother’ figure and this will all go away.”
Evan stops pacing, his attention on me. “I can’t let you do this.”
I sigh in frustration. “I thought we worked through this? You’re not letting me do anything, Evan. They can’t take her. I won’t let them. This is the only way.”
“I think you might be right,” Mom says, shocking the hell out of us all. Dad watches her, something seems to pass between them.
“If it’s any consolation, I agree. At first, I didn’t think so, but after McKinley listed all of the reasons it would be believable between them, I agree this will work,” Aaron adds.
“Evan,” Dad says his name, causing him to give my father his full attention. Dad doesn’t say anything just gives him a tight nod. Mom places her hand over Dad’s resting on her leg.
“Have you talked to your parents? I’m sure they want to be there,” Mom says.
“I…um…n-no I haven’t talked to them. They don’t know about the letter.”
“Mom, it’s not a real wedding,” I tell her.
“We need to make it look real, Kinley. If you are going to go through with this, we need to make sure it looks real. There will be no room for anyone to doubt it.”
“Dad can’t travel,” Evan says.
“Well, looks like we’re taking a road trip,” Mom says. “You call them and let them know what going on. Then I’ll call your mom and we will take care of the details.”
Evan joins me on the couch, and I’m once again the center of his attention. “McKinley, I need you to be sure about this.”
“Positive.”
“I don’t know how I will ever be able to thank you for what you’re doing for us.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Evan. I want to do this. They can’t have her.”
He tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “Thank you.”
“All right, well, we’re heading home. I’ve got some planning to start. Evan, you let me know once you’ve talked to your parents and I’ll take care of the rest. You have enough to worry about. Your mom was just saying how she can’t wait to meet her granddaughter. Looks like she’s going to get that wish.” They say their goodbyes with the promise this is all going to work out.
“You about ready, Kinley?” Aaron asks.
Am I ready? No, I don’t want to leave her. “I…not really,” I admit.
“You can stay tonight. I might need backup with Mom and Dad. Mom will want to talk to you to make sure you’re okay with all of this,” Evan tells me.
“Yeah, there are probably a lot of things we need to discuss about this…arrangement.”
“All right, well, you all know where to find me if you need anything. Kinley, I can come back for you later,” Aaron offers.
“I’ll bring her home in the morning. I would have been dropping Lexi off anyway. I think she needs this time with my little girl as much as I do,” Evan tells him.
“Yeah,” Aaron says. “You guys call if you need anything.”
I stand and hand Lexi off to Evan. “I’ll walk out with you.”
Aaron says his goodbyes and we head outside.
“Aaron, I know this has to be weird for you, but I have to do this,” I lay it out there for him. I refuse to ask his permission; I don’t need it.
“I get it. I’m also not blind, Kinley. I can see the way you look at each other. I’m worried one or both of you are going to come out of this crushed, but I understand this is the only way to keep them away from her.”
“He’s a great guy, and he’s been through enough.”