And tomorrow, I would add a third frame to the mantel, and add another important day to my life.
He was already ours. My son. But tomorrow, he would officially be a Morrison.
“You ready?” Reid asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.
“What? Oh yeah. Liv has it all under control. We’re going to the courthouse in the morning, signing the papers, and having breakfast as a family, then everyone here tomorrow afternoon to celebrate.”
He grinned. “I got the video done.”
Providing all the pictures we’d taken over the past year, I’d had Reid create a video, documenting Reed’s life with us. It was a surprise for everyone.
“Liv is gonna love it.”
“I know.”
“He is a great kid, Van.”
It was my turn to grin.
“I know.”
The house was full, the party spilling into the backyard. All of our close friends and family were here. BAM was well represented, including Simon and his family. His wife, Cathy, and Liv had become close friends, and we saw them often.
Bentley, Aiden, Maddox, Reid, and their families mingled with Elly, my parents, my bandmates, Hal, and a few other close friends. Sandy and Jordan were in attendance, their story still new and evolving. It was good to see the light back in Sandy’s eyes and see how happy my friend was these days. They were a great couple.
I realized it was much the same gathering as at our wedding. We didn’t need quantity when it came to our life. We preferred quality.
Reed stuck close to either Liv or me. It had been an emotional day for all of us, but him especially. Adopting him had brought up a lot of unresolved issues around his parents’ death, and we’d worked through them, not proceeding until he was ready. Calling us Mom and Dad had come easier. His parents had been Mama and Papa, so the titles didn’t bother him as much as much as changing his name. He worried about how they would feel and if he would forget them.
It was Liv who came up with the compromise. She sat us down one night with an idea.
“Reed, you have no middle name. I checked with Hal, and we can arrange to add Armstrong with ours. You could be Reed Armstrong Morrison. That way, you have both of them. I think it sounds like a great name. What do you think?”
He launched himself at her, winding his arms around her neck and sobbing. I rubbed his back, smiling at my wife. She always knew what we needed and, somehow, managed to make it happen.
Hal took care of the legal end, and now Reed carried our name with his.
I looked around the room with a smile.
Friends and family filled our home.
Love filled our hearts.
It was my dream brought to life.
I met Liv’s gaze, her beautiful eyes soft with emotion.
She was my dream.
Today my family was complete.
And because of her—I was complete.
Thank you so much for reading VAN - VESTED INTEREST BOOK 5. If you are so inclined, reviews are always welcome by me at your eretailer.
One character who stood out in the minds of my early readers was Halton. His powerful presence to make sure Mouse stayed with her family had them asking for more. Meet the unexpected woman who makes him wish for more in Vested Interest Book 6.
Jordan Hayes besides being a great coworker, is a good friend to Van. He has eyes for the woman who keep the BAM ship running efficiently. Check out their story in Sandy - Vested Interest Book 7.
Enjoy reading! Melanie
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Halton - Vested Interest #6 by Melanie Moreland
Copyright © 2019 Moreland Books Inc.
Registration # 1160058
Ebook ISBN # 978-1-988610-23-8
Print book ISBN # 978-1-988610-22-1
All rights reserved
Edited by Lisa Hollett—Silently Correcting Your Grammar
Cover design by Melissa Ringuette, Monark Design Services
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, events, and places portrayed in this book are
products of the author's imagination and are either fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any
similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
For my readers who asked
And Melissa
This one is for you.
Thank you.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
Halton
“Tell your client he has twelve hours to decide.”
There was a pause on the phone.
“Did you hear me?” I snapped.
“It’s nine p.m., Hal. You expect him to decide tonight?”
“This is his fucking kid. If he’s really the parent he insists he is, the decision will take five minutes.”
I slammed down the phone, spinning my chair so I faced the window. I drew in some much-needed oxygen. Long, steady breaths that would calm and center me.
It didn’t help.
I reached toward the sideboard and poured a splash of scotch into the crystal tumbler. Briefly, I held the glass to the light, admiring the golden hue, then I tossed back the liquor. The burn in my throat felt good, the rich smoothness of the scotch coating my taste buds and warming my chest. I poured another shot and sat back, staring into the night.
The early autumn evening was clear. The lights of the city shone brightly all around me. Up on the fortieth floor, in the corner office, I had a clear view of Toronto harbor and the city. I often stared out the window as I reflected on my day or mulled over the best solution to a problem.
Or cursed deadbeat parents who felt they deserved to be part of their kid’s life on a whim.
With a sigh, I leaned my head back into the thick leather of my office chair and sipped my scotch as I tugged my tie loose.
This case was pissing me off to no end. A divorced couple—the mother retaining full custody, while the father did the usual every second weekend and occasional evening visitation.
When it suited him—which wasn’t often.
As my client, his ex-wife, had proven, he was a no-show more than he kept his word. Until she met someone else who stepped up to the plate and became a father figure to her daughter and a partner to her.