by Raine Thomas
“It probably wouldn’t hurt.”
After stopping by the kitchen to grab a beer for Will and a glass of wine for her, they headed up to his bedroom’s seating area, each taking one of the two scoop chairs angled toward each other. Jasmine took a fortifying sip of her wine as she waited for him to speak.
“Carol Ann called this morning,” he began.
Her heart sank. She had hoped she was wrong in thinking the other woman was somehow involved in his mood.
“I didn’t answer the first time,” he said. “I told her before I didn’t think we should stay in touch and I meant it.” He drank some of his beer before continuing. “She left a voicemail the second time. She said she was concerned about Katie’s safety with the paparazzi around the house. She did some research after having to dodge them when she came here and discovered the video of Katie and Archer.”
“That has to be bullshit,” she argued. “There’s no way she didn’t know about the video before she came here.”
“That’s what I thought too. But she never mentioned it when she was here, so maybe…anyway, I guess it’s irrelevant. I called her back to keep the peace. I told her I had it under control and that we have private security dedicated to Katie’s safety until this all blows over.
“Then she started saying how she felt I had put Katie in unnecessary danger. She said I should have used better judgment than to let the video go out on social media. She asked how I thought Katie could ever have a normal life if she’s in the public eye due to my high-profile career. She wanted to know how Katie would be able to attend school and socialize with her friends like typical kids.”
Dread made Jasmine’s lungs feel leaden. “She’s going to try and modify Katie’s custody order, isn’t she?”
“Yep.” He looked miserable. “She intends to claim that she’s healthy now and lives a life out of the public eye, so she’d be the better parent to care for Katie.”
“Oh, Will.” She reached between them and took his hand. “I’m so sorry she’s putting you through this. I assume you’ve been in touch with your attorney?”
“Yeah. Sharon’s on top of it. She’s hiring a private investigator to get involved. I want to know everything about Katie from the time she was born until she came to me. I know in my gut there’s more to whatever caused her trauma than just Carol Ann abandoning her. We need every shred of support we can get. I won’t risk losing Katie.”
“Of course not. You can’t possibly think Carol Ann stands a chance.”
“She isn’t wrong about the public spotlight or the potential danger to Katie right now,” he pointed out. “And she’s her mother.”
His apparent doubt and worry lit a flame to the hot coal of anger that had formed within her as he spoke. She took his bottle of beer and set it and her wine glass on the table between them. Then she leaned forward so she could capture both of his hands in hers.
“Now you listen to me, Will Campbell. We both know there is no way that conniving, thieving woman who left a little child alone and unprotected on your front porch actually gives two shits about Katie. You can’t tell me that her showing up here shortly after that video went viral is a complete coincidence. She sees Katie as leverage and an opportunity to get money from you, either to buy her off so she’ll go away or as child support if she somehow manages to get custody, which no sane judge would ever allow. You have countless people in your life—not to mention professionals who have worked with Katie—who can attest to what a wonderful father you are and how much progress she’s made while in your care. So don’t you let that manipulative bitch win by having even the slightest doubt that you will kick her ass. Even if you don’t, I sure as hell will for putting you through this.”
He looked into her eyes for a long moment after she finally stopped to take a breath. She read so much in that single glance.
“You really do love me,” he said.
“Of course I do. You love me too.”
“Of course I do.”
For the first time all afternoon, he gave her a genuine smile. Her anger dissolved, replaced by everything she felt for him. When he gave her hands a tug, she rose and moved over to his lap. Her arms went around his neck as she settled against him and pressed her forehead to his.
“How could I not love you?” she asked in a soft voice.
He brushed his lips over hers. “You have no idea how long I’ve been hoping to hear that.”
“Then I’ll say it again. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She ran her hand along the stubble lining his jaw. “Which means we have each other’s backs, and we both know the two of us will never, ever let anything happen to Katie. Everything you dealt with today is scary and frustrating, but we’ll face it together. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Attending the pool party at Evan and Sierra’s complex was actually Jasmine’s suggestion. Will had mentioned it to her two days ago, the day Carol Ann dropped her custody bomb on him. It was because of that “bomb” that Jasmine insisted they should go.
“One of her arguments is that Katie can’t live a normal life right now,” she pointed out when he expressed hesitation about going. “By taking her to this party and letting her have fun, we’re proving that wrong.”
His dad and Gareth both agreed, so Will approached Ryan about it. The security specialist had gone over to the complex himself to check out the potential security risks. He was satisfied enough with the on-site security and Ordinem’s ability to oversee the event space that he gave his approval to attend.
With his daughter’s safety less of a concern, Will had texted Evan to confirm they’d be there and to ask if there was anything he could bring. Outside of any particular beverages he and Jasmine might want, Evan said everything was covered.
On the day of the party, one of Ryan’s associates from Ordinem drove an SUV with tinted windows to Will’s dad’s house and parked in his garage. Will, Jasmine, and Katie were loaded into the back of the SUV and Ryan got into the passenger seat. Both specialists would be attending the party and providing surveillance. It made Will feel a little ridiculous.
And greatly relieved.
The driver pulled out of the garage and backed into the street, barely missing the photographers who swarmed the vehicle. Despite the paparazzi’s frenzy, the driver managed to get the vehicle away without running anyone over. Will kept Katie distracted with his phone until they were clear. Jasmine exchanged a concerned glance with him.
Please let things be normal from here on out, Will silently prayed.
When they got to the complex, they parked in a spot directly in front of the pool gate that Evan reserved for them. A tall, slender black man wearing a polo shirt and khakis manned the gate. Will deduced from the logo on his polo that he worked for the complex’s property management company. He nodded at Ryan and opened the gate with the key card he wore strapped to his belt.
“Nice to see you again, Specialist Westbrook,” the guy said.
“You too, Oliver.” Ryan gestured at his companion, who pulled out an ID wallet and flashed an official-looking badge. “This is Specialist Velasquez. He’ll be providing additional on-site support during the event.”
Oliver scanned the ID and nodded. “Sir.”
Will pegged the polo guy as a military vet. He had the straight posture and respect thing down pat.
“Enjoy the party,” Oliver said as they all passed through the gate.
“Thanks,” Jasmine said.
Ryan had explained that he would stick close to Will’s side as Will did an initial circuit around the party and interacted with any attendees who were already there. It would give the specialist a baseline so he could more quickly identify anyone new as they entered. That was one of the reasons they arrived right before the party was scheduled to start. They wanted to be among the first ones there.
Will caught the scent of chlorine and heard the sounds of laughing and splashing be
fore he rounded the corner of the clubhouse to see the impressive zero-entry pool and surrounding party area. There were only three kids in the pool at the moment. It looked like all the adults were otherwise occupied.
Sierra and Everly stood with two other women by a trio of tables covered in tablecloths. He recognized Christine Cordero and Shannon Fry, the wives of his teammates, Dylan and Duane. It looked like the women were organizing snacks, plates, and other party essentials.
“I’ll go see how I can help,” Jasmine said. “Do you want to come with me, Katie?”
She nodded and took her hand. Will smiled and watched them as they headed to the tables, then turned to the right where his teammates were arranging coolers and discussing grill times for the burgers, hotdogs, and chicken breasts one of the coolers contained.
Cole spotted him from where he sat entertaining his daughter Grace on a padded play mat. “Uh-oh. Looks like the party’s really about to get started,” he said with a grin.
“Hey, Campbell,” Duane greeted him. He stepped forward and pulled him close for quick back slap. “Glad you could make it.”
Duane had been one of the first bullpen pitchers to hop on Will’s “let’s get our act together” bandwagon. Because of that, Will connected with him better than most of his other pen-mates. Duane had even offered to come out and help on some of Will’s renovation projects. There was every possibility they’d end up working together more after they both retired from baseball. Plus, Duane had a boy about Katie’s age. He was probably one of the kids in the pool.
“Yeah, good to see you.” He turned to Ryan. “Guys, this is my friend, Ryan.”
He made the introductions between his teammates and the security specialist, pointing out to Ryan each of the player’s wives where they now stood talking to Jasmine and Katie just like he would to any other friend. No one seemed to find his behavior unusual.
He felt like a confidential CIA informant.
Cole and Evan both knew about the added security because Will told them ahead of time, but they acted like they believed the whole friend thing for Duane and Dylan’s sakes. Ryan had said it would be more comfortable for everyone if they played him off as just another party-goer. That was why he was wearing board shorts and a Dri-Fit shirt with sports sandals, an outfit not unlike Will’s own. The other specialist would be walking the perimeter most of the event.
“You want me to add that beer to the cooler?” Dylan asked from his position over by the largest cooler. It was filled with ice and a variety of bottles and cans.
“Sure.” Will handed him the two six packs of craft brew he’d brought. “They’re up for grabs if anyone wants to try them.”
The conversation flowed easily enough among the teammates. Ryan held his own, blending in surprisingly well with the athletes. It turned out he’d played ball in high school before entering the military.
Which Will had to pretend to know already, of course.
Over the next hour, the crowd steadily grew. Will identified any newcomers to Ryan, either subtly when no one was paying attention or through direct introductions. Katie clung to Jasmine’s side for the first twenty minutes. Then a few other kids arrived, including a little girl named Lisa who turned out to be Eddie’s niece. She latched onto Katie much like Makayla had at the Family Fun Day event. It wasn’t long before Katie was hopping in the pool with her.
Will saw Jasmine taking photos of them with her phone. At first it made him smile. Then he wondered if she was taking them to collect evidence of Katie experiencing a “normal” activity in case they needed to provide proof in court.
The reminder of Carol Ann threatened to ruin the day for him, so he forced himself not to think about it.
Everyone was in good spirits. Most of the team made an appearance, even players without kids. They ate an abundance of food, enjoyed a few drinks, and talked about nearly anything but baseball.
A few guests were players’ relatives Will hadn’t met before. Several of them asked about the YouTube video and what it had been like to meet Archer.
Guess that’s not going away any time soon, he mused.
It seemed their kids had also seen the video. About two hours into the party, they were trying to coerce Katie into teaching them the dance so they could do it too. They stood in a shaded area under some trees not far from where Will was talking to Javy and a couple other guys.
The last thing Will needed was Katie getting recorded doing that dance again and it ending up on YouTube. It would completely negate what they hoped to accomplish by bringing her to the party in the first place.
Jasmine obviously had the same thought.
“Hey boys and girls,” she said, coming up behind Katie. “I’m Katie’s dance teacher. Do you all want to learn some of those moves?”
A resounding, “Yeah!” had heads turning from around the pool deck.
“Okay. Come on over here.”
While all the kids followed the direction she pointed, she leaned down and whispered something in Katie’s ear. Katie nodded and turned around, skipping over to Will. Jasmine looked up and caught Will’s eye, giving him a wink before turning to do what she promised.
“Do you want to swim some more?” Will asked Katie when she reached him.
She nodded.
“Okay. Hang on.” He reached into the bag Jasmine had brought along and produced more sunscreen. After he got a fresh layer applied, he said, “Go for it.”
She grinned and hurried along the pool deck, leaping right into the deep end. Will turned back to the guys standing beside him so they could return to their previous conversation. Instead, he found them all watching Jasmine.
“She’s a dance teacher?”
Will glanced at the guy who asked the question. They had just met a short while ago. His name was Marco and he was somehow related to Tony Descalso.
“A ballerina,” Javy replied before Will could, his eyes focused on Jasmine. “It breaks my heart that she’s still puttin’ up with you, Campbell.”
“You’re outta luck, Rios.” Glancing at Marco, Will said, “Jasmine is also a dance teacher.”
She’d finally had a conversation with him about her new goal of opening a dance studio a couple days ago. He felt like shit for monopolizing their time together with all of his family drama since he’d returned from his road trip, but she said she understood.
“If you really feel bad,” she had said, “I know a way you can make it up to me.”
Since they were in his bed at the time, his body perked right up at that. Reading his mind, she laughed and shoved at his shoulder.
“No,” she said. “I mean you can help me find a space to rent or lease. I hear you’ve got some experience with that stuff.”
“I’d be happy to,” he said, glad he could do something for her.
His attention returned to the current conversation as another guy asked, “Is that your wife?”
“Not yet,” he replied.
Javy sighed. “Won’t be long now, though. Mark my words.”
Will just grinned.
“You better make sure she’s as ready to be a mother as she is a wife,” Marco advised. “Trust me, I made that mistake and I’m still paying for it.”
“Oh, she is,” Will said.
He flashed back to the scene he’d witnessed through Katie’s partially open bedroom door as Jasmine talked to her about using her makeup without her permission. It wasn’t just Jasmine’s calm approach that told him she was ready to be a mother. It was her promise to help Katie with makeup when she was old enough to wear it.
And her tender expression as she wiped Katie’s tears.
No, he hadn’t had that conversation with her yet, but he was just as confident in her love for Katie as he was her love for him.
They stayed at the party another hour before Will decided it was time to head home. He took Katie along with him and Ryan so he could say his goodbyes and extend his thanks to Evan and Sierra for hosting. Jasmine did the same from her side
of the pool. She had been monopolized by mothers and their kids from the moment she started teaching them the dance from the video. He suspected it would result in even more potential clients for her when she got her studio open.
It took another fifteen minutes to get all the way around the pool deck before Will was clear. As Katie accepted a goodbye hug from her new friend, Lisa, he looked around for Jasmine and spotted her talking to a woman in her forties or fifties through the wrought-iron fence surrounding the pool. Specialist Velasquez stood nearby, but the woman didn’t seem to mind. She was smiling and typing into her phone as Jasmine talked. She waved at Jasmine and walked off before Will, Katie, and Ryan approached.
“Another person who saw the dancing and wants in on that action?” Will guessed.
Jasmine smiled and nodded. “Her name is Ginnie and she lives in the complex. She saw me with the kids from her window and wanted more information about lessons for her granddaughter.”
“That’s great,” he said, reaching for her hand as they headed to the gate. “How many does that make now?”
“Thirty-one including the parents from the Family Fun Day and the couple of others they referred to me.”
“Fantastic.”
The crowd around the house had thinned as the afternoon wore on, but the photographers who remained once again surrounded the car as they pulled into his dad’s garage. Annoyed by it all, Will debated threatening them with a restraining order. Yes, it would be a waste of time, but he’d sure find it satisfying.
Once they parked, he asked Jasmine, “Would you mind waiting here for a minute?”
She gave him a curious look before saying, “Sure.”
“Thanks.”
Having arranged this ahead of time, Will knew Specialist Velasquez would remain in the car and wait for him to return. Ryan, on the other hand, walked with him and Katie over to his house, where his dad awaited them.
“Hey there,” Frank said from his spot on the couch. He leaned forward to accept Katie’s hug. “Did you have fun at the party?”
She smiled and nodded as she attempted to accept Gump’s enthusiastic head-bumps of greeting without falling over.
