“What the hell happened?” I rush toward him and cup his face in my hands, inspecting his injuries. He twists out of my hold, brushing me off.
“Pops happened,” the kid says.
“Lance, this is Eli. Eli, Lance.”
“Nice to finally meet you.” I give him a warm smile I don’t feel, because on the inside I’m freaking out.
“I would say the same, but I didn’t know about you until five minutes ago,” Eli sasses, glaring at Bo.
“Can we talk for a second?” Bo asks.
“Yeah, sure.” I turn to Eli. “Make yourself at home. The remote is on the coffee table.”
“Thanks.”
Bo grabs my hand, tugs me toward the master bedroom, and then into the ensuite. He’s wired, I feel it coming off of him in waves. He rifles through the medicine cabinet and brings out something I don’t recognize. He opens the white box up to reveal a first aid kit.
“I didn’t know I had one of those.”
“You didn’t.” He smirks. “But with little Lane there, you needed it.”
“Good call. I didn’t even think about that.” I place a hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Pissed off, but fine.”
“What happened?” I ask his reflection in the mirror.
“I showed up to Eli’s game and he wasn’t there. Found out it was because my dad was too lazy to take him and too stubborn to let me.” He cringes as he rubs his face with an alcohol wipe.
“Let me.” I take the wipe and blot the wound. “Probably could use a stitch.”
“I’m fine. Put a butterfly on it.”
We have a stare-down, but eventually I give in. He’s had enough shit tonight. He doesn’t need it from me. I take out a butterfly bandage and get the wound closed the best I can.
“I went to go talk to my old man, but the stubborn bastard didn’t want to talk,” he says.
“Jesus. He did this to you?”
“He’s a brute.”
“And Eli?” I ask hesitantly.
“He didn’t want to stay. Sheriff Bell got Pops to agree to let him leave with me, and since this is my home right now, here we are.” He shrugs. “But say the word. We’ll go stay at the B&B. I don’t want to put you in a bad spot.”
“No. Of course he’ll stay here. I have a pull-out sofa in my office.”
He turns around and leans against the vanity, folding his arms. “I lost it. He started spewing all this bullshit about how I’m not his kid and how I should leave and never come back.”
“Oh, babe. I’m so sorry.” I pull his arms apart and settle between his legs the best I can with a sleeping baby between us.
“I didn’t even say hello to my princess.” He ducks down and kisses the top of her head. “How’s she been tonight?”
“Good. Happy. I tried to keep her awake, but she conked out on me twenty minutes ago.”
“Aww. Couldn’t hang tonight, huh?” He settles his hands on my hips. “Are you sure about Eli?”
“Of course. He’s your family and well, you’re my family, so that makes him mine too.”
He leans in and kisses me. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I pull my white lab coat on and take a seat behind my desk, bringing my computer to life to check emails before starting my shift. It’s been a rough morning already, and I’m hoping the day will improve.
As hard as Eli tried to talk his dad into letting him stay through the weekend, he had to go home the next day. Bo was hesitant to send him back, but our hands are tied.
It was fun seeing the brothers together. They bickered, but they also joked around and laughed a lot. I’ve gotten a glimpse of the nurturing side of Bo seeing him with Lane, but he’s much more paternal with Eli. He made him eat his vegetables and brush his teeth. I never had any doubts of what kind of dad he would be, but my suspicions were confirmed seeing him with Eli.
I scroll through endless emails I don’t feel like responding to, when one from my family attorney catches my eye. I’ve been pushing thoughts of next week’s hearing to the back of mind, knowing that stressing out about it won’t solve any of my problems.
I quickly read through it, and my jaw drops. How in the hell did they find out about…? I pick my cellphone up from my desk, go to my favorites, and click on Bo.
“Hey, I’m just pulling into the parking lot right now.”
“How would Maisy’s parents find out about your altercation with your dad?” I blurt out.
“What?”
“My attorney sent me an email this morning telling me that Maisy’s parents filed an emergency petition to get Lane removed from my custody because I have a violent man staying with me.”
“Excuse me?”
“Shit. I have to go. I need to call him back and figure this out.”
“Wait. Lance,” he says, but I hang up.
I dial my attorney’s cell and it rings three times before he answers.
“Lance, I was hoping you’d get my message sooner rather than later,” his rich baritone comes over the line.
“I don’t understand what this means. Tell me I’m not losing my daughter.” My leg bounces uncontrollably and I already have my glasses off, digging at my eyes.
“Not if I can help it, but I need more information. What happened last night?”
“My boyfriend got into an argument with his dad. But they weren’t at my house. Lane was nowhere near them.”
“An argument or a physical fight?” he asks calmly.
“A fight. But his dad attacked him. He had nothing to do with it, he barely defended himself.”
He sighs heavily. “Will his dad sign a testimony saying that?”
My stomach sinks. “Probably not.”
“Then it’s a moot point. Does your boyfriend have a violent past?”
“No.”
“Is he living with you?”
I hesitate. “He’s staying with me, but he hasn’t moved in.” I don’t tell him I planned on asking him to move in as soon as this case is settled. Now that I’ve had him in my bed, I never want him to leave.
“That’s going to be a problem. If I were you, I’d put some distance between you and him.”
I shake my head even though he can’t see. “Until the case is over?”
“Until forever. I’ve been practicing law for a long time and I’ve rarely seen anyone as motivated to get custody as Mr. and Mrs. Smith are.”
My stomach feels like it’s fallen out of my body and splattered all over the ground. I finally found happiness with someone I can be myself with. Someone who knows everything about me and loves me anyway. The choice will always be Lane, but that doesn’t make it easy.
“How did they find out about what happened?”
“Private detective would be my guess. They have unlimited resources and no common sense.” He has the decency to sound affronted.
“Is there any other way?” I ask without really wanting to know the answer.
“Afraid not. Of course we can always argue your case and hope the judge sees it your way, but you run an even higher risk of losing your daughter.”