Stay With Me (Hope Valley Book 5)
Page 23
Principal Jefferies was currently spending his time on unpaid leave while the schoolboard conducted an investigation into his behavior, and while that was happening, the vice principal, a woman I very much liked and who not only enjoyed her job but was in it because she cared about children, had been moved into his position.
But the thing that made me the happiest was the fact that as of the day before, I was officially a certified foster parent. I’d completed all my classes, my application had been approved, and the new welfare officer assigned to Zach and me had come for the final home inspection before giving me the stamp of approval.
Cord and I hadn’t told Zach yet. We wanted to make it special, so we were planning a surprise dinner that night at The Groves with my mom and dad to celebrate.
Needless to say, it had been an insanely busy time in my life, but even with all that was going on, I felt alive and energized. I had the people I loved surrounding me, helping out wherever and whenever they could. My life was so full of blessings that I’d actually managed to lose count.
I was so consumed in my bliss as I stared out the window over my kitchen sink that I didn’t hear Cord come up behind me until his arms snaked around my waist and the heat of his chest came to rest against my back.
“Mornin’, dollface,” he murmured in my ear, the scruff on his cheeks scratching along my neck, causing me to laugh at the tickling sensation.
“Morning,” I returned, placing the hand not holding my coffee mug on his forearm resting on my belly. I twisted my neck to look at him over my shoulder and whispered, “You sleep good?”
“Of course. Sleep good every night I’m beside you.” His arms tightened, pulling me closer to him. He leaned down to place a kiss on my lips before lifting his head.
I slept good every night he was beside me as well, which was another reason I was so happy to be a full-fledged foster parent, because now, after being approved by our case officer, Cord was officially moving in with me and Zach. Not that he wasn’t there all the time anyway, but still. It would be nice for him to finally be able to call this place home.
“Well, then it’s a good thing, after tonight’s celebration, you’re moving in, huh?”
He pressed his lips to my shoulder, kissing me through the satin of my robe. “Abso-fuckin’-lutely. I can’t wait.”
Setting my coffee mug on the counter, I turned in his arms and looped both of mine over his shoulders while lifting up on my tiptoes. “I can’t wait either.”
“And pretty soon, you’ll have my ring on your finger and be carryin’ my last name,” Cord stated, his tone casual as his words knocked the wind out of me.
“Is that right?” I managed to ask after pulling air back into my lungs.
“It is. And I’m hoping shortly after that, you’ll want to be carrying something else of mine as well.” One of his arms came from around me, and his palm settled over my belly.
“You… you want to have kids?”
His expression grew serious, those dark green eyes glittering as he said, “If that’s something you think you’d want. As long as I have you, baby, I’ll be happy no matter what. But I can’t stop picturin’ what our little girl would look like. A stunning beauty just like her mama.”
My vision blurred as another blessing fell down on me and I whispered, “Or a handsome little boy just like his daddy.”
A flash of excitement drifted across his face. “So is that a yes? You wanna have kids?”
I nodded. “Yeah, Cord,” I said on a bright laugh. “I want to have kids. This is something I’ve wanted my whole life. A big family filling this house. A bunch of grandkids for my parents to spoil. But I’m not exactly young, so if it’s something you want too, we probably need to start soon.”
“Christ, baby,” he grunted, burying his face in my neck and squeezing me so tight I couldn’t breathe. “You have no goddamn clue how happy that makes me.” His hold loosened and his head came up several seconds later, love shining bold and bright in his eyes as he looked down at me. “And as soon as we’re able, we’ll make it official, make Zach our own in the only way that’s left, and he’ll have my last name as well.”
God, I loved this man. “I think he’ll love that. He’ll make a great big brother, won’t he?”
Cord’s lips curled into a blinding smile as he repeated, “Abso-fuckin’-lutely.”
And there it was. Pure bliss.
Zach
“Well, then it’s a good thing, after tonight’s celebration, you’re moving in, huh?”
At Rory’s words, I stopped at the edge of the hall and pressed my back against the wall. I didn’t know we were celebrating anything tonight, and I didn’t know that Cord was moving in, but I was glad. He made Rory super happy, and she deserved to be happy. I’d never met a lady as nice as her, and the longer I knew her, the nicer she got, which I didn’t think was even possible.
But I was also glad Cord was moving in because I liked him too. He was funny and cool and smart, and whenever I was having a bad day, he’d come in my room and talk to me in a quiet voice that made me feel like everything was going to be all right.
Rory thought of me as her son, something that made my chest feel tight and funny every time I thought about how she’d said that to that asshole Jefferies. She was the closest thing I’d ever had to a mom. A mom was supposed to protect you and keep you safe. Stand up for you when someone was messing with you and get on your case when you were screwing up. Rory did all those things, but even when she was getting on my case, she did it in a way that not once in the time I’d been living here had I felt scared.
The truth was, I already thought of her as my mom. I hadn’t said it to her yet, but I loved her, and I wanted to stay here forever.
And with Cord living with us, maybe we could actually be a family. Something I’d never had.
“Abso-fuckin’-lutely. I can’t wait,” I heard Cord say back in that weird growly voice he sometimes used when he was talking soft to Rory.
“I can’t wait either.”
I pressed my back harder against the wall and strained to hear everything they were saying.
“And pretty soon, you’ll have my ring on your finger and be carrying my last name.”
“Is that right?”
“It is. And I’m hoping shortly after that, you’ll want to be carrying something else of mine as well.”
My eyebrows dipped at that, not understanding what he was talking about. But then I heard Rory’s voice, and what she said made me feel like I’d just been punched in the stomach.
“You… you want to have kids?”
“If that’s something you think you’d want. As long as I have you, baby, I’ll be happy no matter what. But I can’t stop picturin’ what our little girl would look like. A stunning beauty just like her mama.”
“Or a handsome little boy just like his daddy.”
All of a sudden I was having trouble breathing. My vision got cloudy and wet, and I had to squeeze my eyes closed to keep from crying like a little baby.
“So is that a yes? You wanna have kids?”
“Yeah, Cord.” Rory laughed. “I want to have kids. This is something I’ve wanted my whole life. A big family filling this house. A bunch of grandkids for my parents to spoil.”
“Christ, baby,” Cord grunted. “You have no goddamn clue how happy that makes me.”
They wanted to have babies. They wanted to get married and have a whole bunch of babies, and when they did, they wouldn’t have room for me anymore. I’d be in the way, so they’d ship me off to another group home while they made kids of their own.
My hands clenched into fists and my throat felt like someone was squeezing it.
I should’ve known better than to think they’d want to keep me around. It was stupid to think we could be a family. All my life I’d been nothing but a burden on everyone I met, and soon Cord and Rory would feel the same way. And once they did, they’d kick me out.
Unless I left first.
And in the end, it was the best bedroom any kid ever had.
I shook my head hard to try and clear it of those memories as I hurried to where I’d kept my backpack hooked on the back of my chair. I opened it up and dumped all the school stuff out; I wasn’t going to need it anymore anyway. I shoved all that stuff under the bed so Rory or Cord wouldn't see it. They weren’t going to want me anymore, but there was no way in hell I was going back to that shitty group home. I’d rather live on the streets.
In a hurry to get this done, I rushed over to the dresser and started stuffing clothes into my now-empty backpack. Rory always packed me a big lunch, so at least I’d have food for a little while.
While I packed, I planned. I’d tell them I wanted to take the bus to school instead of them driving me; that way I could take off from there and they’d have no idea I was even gone.
I’d walk for as long as it took to get me out of this stupid, shitty town. I wouldn’t eat a lot, only small bits at a time to make the food last. And I’d change my clothes when they started looking worn out so no one would suspect anything was up.
“Hey, honey. Here’s your lunch,” Rory said with a big smile as she handed me my lunch kit.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, grabbing it off the counter before looking at her eyes. “You think I could get a few bucks? For some ice cream or somethin’?”
She didn’t even blink before saying, “Sure,” and moving to her purse. She came back and handed me a five-dollar bill. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
I stuffed it in my pocket and started toward the front door when Cord spoke up. “You want me to drive you today, bud?”
“No thanks,” I said without looking back. “I’m gonna take the bus.” Then I pushed out the front door and jumped down the steps onto the rocky driveway.
I’d lived in worse situations before, and I’d done just fine on my own. I didn’t need a grown-up looking out for me.
I could take care of myself. I didn’t need anyone else to do it. And I made myself a promise that I would never forget that ever again.
As I walked down the long lane that led out to the road, I kept my eyes forward, refusing to look back.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Cord
I finished scribbling my signature on the last page of the stack of documents and slapped the file closed. Pushing to my feet, I headed down the hall to Linc’s office to find the door open. Lincoln was kicked back in his chair with his feet resting on the desk, ankles crossed. Bryce and Xander were sitting across from him.
“The Carlito file,” I grumbled, holding up the folder in my hand before dropping it on top of his desk.
“Jesus,” Linc said, putting his booted feet on the ground and sitting tall to flip the file open. “This thing’s three months overdue, Cord.”
“Yeah, well, that shit happens when your men spend most of their time working cases in the field. I haven’t had the goddamn time to complete the file ’til now. Is it too much to ask that you hire a file clerk or something? I fuckin’ hate paperwork.”
“Amen to that, brother,” Bryce shot back. “I’m currently behind on the last three cases I closed. You need to bring in someone to handle the administrative shit none of us want to do.”
“We don’t need a new hire,” Xander grunted. “No need payin’ someone for somethin’ we’re capable of doin’ our own damn selves.”
Bryce looked over at the bearded giant with huge eyes. “Did you not just hear what we were sayin’? We aren’t capable. That’s why we’re all so goddamn behind.”
I looked at him and smiled, knowing exactly why he was quick to shoot the idea down. “You just don’t want us to bring in someone ’cause you have a phobia of new people.”
“I don’t have a phobia of new people, dickhead,” he said, his face pulling into a harsh scowl. “I just don’t like most of ’em.”
Lincoln looked off in contemplation, and I let out a sigh of relief that the torture of clerical work might soon be at an end. “The idea does hold merit,” he said conversationally. “Lord knows I hate that shit just as much as the next guy. And Rox straight up refuses to do it.”
“Looks like you’ve just been outvoted, big guy,” Bryce said, reaching over to clap Xander on the shoulder. “You’re just gonna have to learn to play nice with the new guy.”
“Or girl,” I added, making Xander’s expression go even darker. He wasn’t a fan of people in general, but there was something about women that threw him off in a big way. That’s why we all found it so damn surprising when he got on as well as he did with Marco’s girl, Gypsy. Then again, because of the hard life she’d led, that girl was tough as nails and not fazed by much, so maybe there was something kindred between them. None of us knew Xander’s full story, so that was the only explanation that made the most sense.
Xander opened his mouth to issue a biting retort when my cell began to ring, cutting off his chance.
Engaging the call, I put it to my ear and answered, “You got Cord.”
“Um… yes, is this… is this Mr. Cord Paulson?” the timid female voice asked through the line.
“Yeah, it is. Who’s this?”
“Mr. Paulson, this is Gretchen Bolton from Rolling Hills Middle School. I’m calling in regard to Zachary Caruthers. I’ve been calling Miss Hightower but haven’t been able to reach her, and you were listed as an emergency contact.” The continued conversation between the three other guys dulled to a distant murmur as the woman continued to speak into my ear. “I was hoping you could get a message to Miss Hightower letting her know that we’ll be needing a doctor’s note once Zachary returns to school; otherwise today’s absence will be marked as unexcused.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I said we’ll require a doctor’s note—”
“No, I heard what you said, I just don’t understand. Zach didn’t miss school today. We saw him leave on the bus earlier this morning.”
“I… well… I’m sorry, sir, but he didn’t arrive. He’s been marked absent in all of his morning classes.”
A cold, clammy sweat broke out across my skin, and I felt my vision start closing in. “I’ll have to call you back,” I muttered into the phone. Then, without another word, I hung up and called Rory.
Her phone rang and rang until her voicemail picked up. I hung up and tried again.
“Everything okay?” I heard Lincoln ask from behind me.
“No,” I replied, turning to face him while shoving the phone back into my pocket. “Zach didn’t show up at school this mornin’ and Rory’s not answering her phone. I need to get to the bar.”
“Go,” he ordered immediately. “And call us if you need help with anything.”
With a tip of my chin in his direction, I turned and jogged out of the office, that sick twisting in my gut telling me that something was very, very wrong.
Rory
The lunch rush at The Tap Room was in full swing. Mona had called in sick, so it was just Tammy and me on the floor with my mom behind the bar, and we were all running our tails off. It was so busy I hadn’t had a second to think, so when the door swung open, I didn’t feel the air around me go wired, and I didn’t take the time to brace for what was about to come.
“Uh, Ror, babe. I think trouble just walked through the door.”
I gave Tammy a curious look at that weird proclamation before turning to face whoever it was who’d just walked in, locking eyes with Laurie Dutton.
Well hell.
“Laurie,” I greeted, trying to sound as polite as possible.
“Rory,” she shot back, her tone not polite but snide. “I need to have a word.” Yep, definitely snide.
“Sorry, Laurie. As you can see, we’re swamped, so I don’t have time for a word. But if you’d like to stick around for something to eat—”
“I have no intention of staying any longer than necessary to say what I need to say.”
If she wanted to do this, she was going to have to do it right here in front everyone, because I didn’t have the time or inclination to deal with her shit.
Holding my tray in front of me, I dropped the pleasant expression and prompted, “Then I suggest you say what it is you need to say and make it quick so you can leave and I can get back to work.”
Her flinty eyes suddenly flickered with uncertainty as she glanced around the full bar at all the faces staring her way. “Really, it’ll only take a minute. And if we could speak in private—”
The phone in my pocket started to ring with an incoming call. Unfortunately I was only able to deal with one slice of drama at a time, so I let it go to voice mail as I remarked, “Laurie, no offense, but you came into my bar geared up for a showdown. I told you I was busy, and as you can see”—I whipped my arm out to indicate the bar at large—“I wasn’t lying. Now, you made your play. It wasn’t a smart one, but you made it. So you want your scene, you have it. But you’ll be having it here in front of everyone.”
Tammy snickered from beside me, and I heard a husky laugh that sounded a lot like Dusty’s, but I didn’t pull my eyes from Laurie. She came here to make a play for my man, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.
It took a while for her to muster up the courage, but eventually those shoulders squared and that chin tilted up so she could look down her nose at me and declare, “You need to leave Cord alone.”
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