“I can do that,” Ian said.
Sophie continued, “Clay, look me in the eye. Do you honestly want what’s best for Connor?”
“I do.” He looked intrigued.
“Great,” she said. “Then you are now officially Connor’s fairy godfather. Make sure he has everything he needs to make this happen.” I like the sound of that. Hope it includes my own jet.
No, I’m not into money, but come one, that would be cool.
“I don’t want to brag, but it’s a role I excel in.” Clay said with a smirk.
What? Really?
Sophie was just getting started. “Asher and Kade.” The two men stepped closer. “You are very different men, but each in wonderful ways. Asher, when you want something, you don’t let anyone’s opinion stand in your way of getting it. Connor could use a little of that mojo. Kade, you’re grounded and Asher needs that to balance him out. I don’t want to hear that Connor left her stranded in Paris.”
“One time, Mom,” Asher said in defense. When he saw the surprised expression on Connor’s face, he said, “It wasn’t as bad as it sounds.”
“Kade, you’ve been where Connor is—straddling two worlds. More than any of us, you could guide him through this. None of us wants to lose the old Connor. And Grant, you and I need to talk to Viviana. Her family is now our family, and they could no more embarrass me than any of my children could.”
Sean Sutton said, “You mean that.” There was wonder in his voice.
Sophie smiled across at him. “Of course I do. Sure your sons are rambunctious, but you’ve met mine, they’ve all had their moments.”
From beside the fireplace mantel, Lance protested, “Hey, let’s not clump all of us together.”
With an amused shake of her head, Sophie conceded, “Except Lance. He’s my sweet one.”
Grant stepped closer to his father-in-law and looked him over, then shook his head as if just realizing. “Sean, my mother’s a very wise woman. Let’s go get a beer tonight and talk.”
“I’d like that,” Sean said.
Connor rubbed the back of his neck and replayed everything Sophie had said. Fairy Godfather Clay. Idea Asher with Kade to rein him in. It still wasn’t clear to Connor what Sophie was suggesting. “So, what do you want me to do?”
Ian clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Leave Svete to me.”
Asher waved a fist in the air. “I’ll mentor you in the fine art of being a badass who actually gets the woman.”
Kade rolled his eyes. “What did I agree to?”
Smiling, Clay said, “This actually sounds fun. With my money and your looks there’s no woman who will be able to resist you, Connor.”
“I don’t have a problem with—” Connor started to say but stopped when little Joe ran back into the room and tackled his leg. Professional linebackers couldn’t knock Connor from his feet, but he made a big show of toppling to the ground for Joe. The young child took a flying leap to tackle him. Connor caught him easily, but rolled with him, pretending the boy was besting him in a wrestling match.
At the noise, little Sean woke and was swept up into his grandmother’s embrace. Sophie soothed him, then smiled as he immediately fell back asleep in her arms.
Above the ongoing tussle, Connor heard Dax say, “You might want to work on that first.”
He would have stopped there, but without hesitation Asher said, “Are you kidding? This is part of what I love most about Connor. Get him, Joe.”
When Connor finally called truce, he was sitting up with Joe hanging off the back of his neck. They were both laughing. “I give up, Big Man. You win.”
Joe hugged him tightly then he ran over to his father. “Dad, did you see that? I won. I am the strongest man in the world.”
Asher picked up his son, propped him on his hip, and gave the side of his head a kiss. “You sure are.” With his free hand, he helped Connor back to his feet. “Angelina Sutton. It has a nice ring to it.”
Connor swallowed hard. “I didn’t say I wanted to marry her. I like her, but—”
Asher laughed. “Don’t worry, we’ve got this.”
It wasn’t the wrestling match that had Connor suddenly feeling unsteady on his feet. He’d come because he’d wanted to make sure he proceeded in a way that was best for his whole family. He felt like he’d stepped into some kind of romantic comedy that ends with the hero getting married.
I just want to help Angelina and her son.
And possibly get laid afterward.
What have I set into motion?
Chapter Seven
The following Saturday morning Angelina stood in the kitchen of one of her closest friends, Joanna, and sipped on coffee that their mutual friend Aly had handed her. Busy lives meant they got together only a few times a month, but when they did Angelina always left smiling. They were the kind of girlfriends who were the first to cheer each other on when one of them scored a win and the last to leave when things got rocky.
Since Angelina didn’t see her family often, Whitney considered these women his aunts as well. They’d attended all of his major life events and loved him as if he were their own. Which was why it was time to get their opinion on what was continuing to be an unnerving week. Angelina glanced out the window to where her son was setting up an obstacle course for Joanna’s mini horse, Betty. “Thank you for encouraging Whitney to play with her today. It’s been a long week and there’s so much I want to tell you that I don’t necessarily want him to hear.”
Joanna moved to look out the window as well. “Betty loves him and he’s so good for her. She passed her test to become a therapy horse, but the more positive experiences she has with children, the better she’ll respond to them. Children can be unpredictable. Hell, adults can be as well. Some woman tried to look in her mouth to check the length of her teeth. No warning. Didn’t ask permission to. Just went up to her like she was going to pet her then started prying her mouth open and commenting on how young she was. Betty took it well. I nearly chewed the woman’s head off. At least now I know what Betty would do if a child grabbed her lip. All she did was pull her head away and look at me like, ‘Mom, did you see that?’”
“Put that in your book about her,” Aly suggested.
“I’ll add it to my notes,” Joanna said with enthusiasm. Soon after saving Betty from a kill pen, Joanna had started journaling about the experience and Betty’s journey from being terrified of people to not only trusting them, but becoming a source of comfort for many. It was such a touching story Aly and Angelina had convinced her it had to be shared. She’d sent off a proposal to a publisher and wham!—she landed a contract and a New York editor to create a children’s series based on Betty.
Who says you can’t live in New Jersey and make it big in the city? Aly checked her watch. “Start talking, Angelina. I don’t have a ton of time today. My first patient is scheduled at one.” Aly was the area’s most highly sought-after gynecologist. Word of mouth had spread about use of her prototype camera that allowed her to look inside a woman with digital video accuracy without the need for the 150-year-old speculum, which was designed for a physician to view the cervix from outside the body.