by Mj Fields
���I will talk to Harper. But I think if we���re also doing fundraising for the communities her family has built she would feel still connected to her father and then I wouldn���t feel as guilty as I do knowing I���ll be working with you.���
He smiled and nodded. ���I���m in. Whatever you want Maddox. Whatever it takes for us to all be together.���
���I���m not sure what Tessa has planned now. What she���ll do with the organization.���
���I���ve spoken with Tomas about it. She still wants to be involved and she still plans to travel. Our tour schedule works with her schedule. I made a promise to a man to watch over his family and I will.���
���Almost perfect.���
���I know son. But he���d want her to move forward in life and not live in the past.���
���Do you think she ever will? She���s only what forty three or forty four.���
���She needs time to grieve properly.���
���I wouldn���t be able to be with anyone else. Had I lost her I would forever be alone.���
���Would you want the same for Harper?���
���Yes I would.���
Dad laughed and it annoyed me. ���I love Emma more than I the air I breathe. But she is a woman who deserves love in her life. We all do.���
���I would agree that Tessa deserves to be loved.���
���But not Harper?���
���No. I love her enough for eternity.���
���Maddox isn���t that selfish?���
���Emma waited for year. For almost a year right?���
���She did yes. Thank God because I would have killed the bastard and fucked her stupid.���
���Jesus Dad.���
���Sorry. Well obviously this is a touchy subject.���
���I guess so.��� I whispered.
���Maddox, Collin is never coming back and she has half a lifetime to live. I hope it���s not alone.���
���Me too.���
���But Harper?���
���No Dad. Harper would not be allowed.���
Dad laughed and I found myself smiling because it was stupid to believe that.
���They would have to be damn near perfect or I���d fight to come back from heaven or hell.���
���I agree. If Tessa dates we will be there to ensure he is worthy of her.���
���God I feel sorry for anyone who thinks they can date the girls.���
���We���ll handle them as well.���
���Fuck yes we will.���
We walked into Switzerland and sat on the sofa.
���How long do you plan to stay here?���
���Well apparently we will be evicted come September. Deer camp.���
Dad nodded. ���Well you two have a lot to figure out don���t you?���
���Yeah. We���ll talk tomorrow after.��� I smiled.
���Good. When will Harper go back to school?���
���She only has to do three days a week to finish her internship. A professor she was close with is helping her out. She didn���t have to do any of it but my girl is as stubborn as the day is long.���
���When she���s at school what will you do?���
���Between dropping her off and picking her up������
���Does she know this yet Maddox?���
���She will. Between those hours I will definitely be working out.���
���Writing too?���
���Yeah Dad. Yeah that���s sounds real good.���
���Perfect.���
CHAPTER TWELVE
Yellow and Blue
Harper
We were finally in the car heading home with Emma and the girls followed behind us. London and Lexington were exhausted. They had done so well during the entire shopping experience. I couldn���t wait to see them in the dresses they had picked out. Our colors are a very pale blue and very pale yellow. Mom mentioned they were like sunshine and water. To me they were perfect for a Cape wedding.
Riley had left to meet up with a boyfriend that Jade obviously didn���t approve of. At. All.
���He���s seven years older than her.���
���Have you met him?��� Aunt Phoebe asked.
���No. I���ve done a background investigation on him. He has a record! Possession, public intoxication, that kind of thing. She has to go to him all the time he never comes to her. I don���t like him and Ryan is beside himself. But when it���s brought up she threatens to move out and in with him.���
���Jade, she���s a smart girl I���m sure she���ll be fine.��� Mom was trying to calm her down.
���I met him. He���s fucking gorgeous and built too. Blonde hair green eyes. He owns a bar Jade. He���s not rift raft.���
���Thanks Ava. But I���m not impressed. He���s been arrested.���
���So have Harper and me.��� Ava laughed. ���In NYC baby.���
���Does your father know?��� Jade gasped.
���He does. Wasn���t impressed. He was all No Links has ever been arrested and stuff.���
Jade laughed, ���Wrong your father was.���
���Jade.��� Mom kicked her.
���What? He was Tessa.���
���For what?��� Ava leaned enthusiastically seeking information to hang over her father���s head.
���Trying to kill Tessa.��� Jade roared.
���Oh for fuck sake Jade!��� Mom snapped.
���It���s true isn���t it?��� Jade laughed as she rubbed her leg where Mom had kicked her.
���Oh no spill it. I need the 411!��� Ava wasn���t gonna back down.
���He didn���t try to kill me. I fell off the rocks by the old light house. Collin thought he pushed me which was absolutely not true. I was knocked out so I didn���t know what went down. The next morning������
���You���re wedding day.���
���Thanks Jade.��� Mom rolled her eyes. ���Yes, well I cleared things up and he was released. No charges pressed because it was just a misunderstanding.���
���Was he like trying to stop your wedding?��� Ava asked.
���Hell yes he was!���
���Jade! Shut the hell up!���
Jade laughed and Aunt Phoebe scowled at her.
���He loved you?���
���We were two messed up kids who played house. We would have made great friends; we are good friends. That���s all. Ancient history. I was meant to be with Collin and he was supposed to be with Ashley. Had that not happened we wouldn���t have Harper���s wedding to plan or you helping her plan it.���
I noticed Ava staring at Mom a little longer than she normally would have. ���I won���t bring it up. And trust me I���d love to throw it in his face. But not now. It���s probably not the best time to taunt him.���
Jade looked at her funny and then Ava laughed. ���I���ll save that for when I have bigger fish to fry with my Daddy.���
Mom was looking out the window deep in thought and I grabbed her hand.
She squeezed mine and smiled.
Ava looked between us and then down. Her head popped up and she had a very sly little smile creeping across her face.
���
��Since we found everything today I think it���s time for me to start planning the bachelorette party.���
Mom and I both laughed.
���Have you seen her fianc��e? That���s a party all by itself.��� Jade giggled.
���He certainly is.��� I dug through my purse to find my phone it had been nearly six hours since I had talked to him.
���Here.��� Ava grabbed my phone out of her jacket and handed it to me. ���You left it in the chair outside the dressing room. Don���t worry I returned his text.���
I grabbed the phone and frantically looked through the messages. I swear my jaw hit my lap when I saw the pictures she sent him.
She laughed and clapped. ���You should see the ones I got for the shower. None of them are in the photos.���
Mom grabbed my phone and started laughing as she thumbed through the text.
���Ava you need a man.��� Mom giggled.
���I need to finish school.��� Her face turned red.
Yes, Ava blushed.
���Two more years.��� Ava groaned.
I looked up at both Phoebe and Jade and then back at Ava who was shooting daggers at me and I laughed to myself. Not very often could you turn the tables on Ava but right now I guarantee she was sweating it a bit. Ava, Ava, Ava. If only Phoebe and Jade knew the two boys she has cared for are their sons.
I smiled and she kicked me.
Mom looked at me and then her curiously. Then her eyes widened and Ava���s jaw dropped when she realized Mom had possibly figured it out. Ava blushed again and Mom and I both laughed.
She covered her face and threw herself back into the seat.
���What���s going on?��� Jade smiled.
���Nothing.��� Mom and I both said at the same time.
Ava visible relaxed. She looked at mom and shrugged her shoulders.
We pulled in the driveway and Emma followed us in. Brody was at our little camp. Maddox and Brody both walked out to greet us.
���Missed you.��� Maddox whispered as he kissed my head and hugged me tightly. ���Both of you.���
I looked up and tried to smile as I yawned.
He chuckled and kissed my head. ���Nap for you.���
���I���ll never sleep tonight.���
The way he was smiling at me was amazing. I loved the way it made me feel inside and out. He loved me and he was happy. So was I.
���You two about done? Come on Maddox help me out here.���
Ava walked towards him with her arms full of bags.
He let go and walked towards her.
���Harper did you buy all this?��� He asked as he took the bags from her.
���No.��� I laughed. ���It���s Ava���s.���
���Yeah. For now anyway.��� She winked at him and pointed to her car. ���In there please.���
Maddox shook his head and rolled his eyes as he carried all the bags to Ava���s car.
Ava giggled and gave me a hug.
���I���m gonna take off. I���ll call you tomorrow. I���m gonna head back home. Monday you and I head back to school.���
���Are you excited?���
���I will be when the two years are up and I���m a lawyer. You have what six weeks?���
���I hope that���s it. I���ll know more Monday.���
���And what will Maddox be doing���besides you of course?���
I laughed and then two very strong arms wrapped around me from behind. He kissed my head. ���Harper and I will discuss it and I���m sure she���ll report back Ava.���
���Good I expect a full report very soon.��� Ava waved as she walked towards her car.
Maddox nuzzled into the side of my neck and let out a deep breath. ���Tired?���
���I am.���
���Let���s nap.���
���You���re really pushing that huh?���
I turned and looked at him and he smirked and nodded slowly. Immediately I felt my nipples harden.
Caroline came up and asked if she could take the girls to the store in town. They both agreed. Brody looked at Clive and he nodded.
���You guys want to come in?��� I yawned again.
���For a minute then I am sure we all have things to do.��� Mom smiled as she walked past me into camp.
���I���ll make tea.��� Maddox pulled out a chair for me and I sat.
���What did you two do while we were gone?��� Emma smiled at Brody.
���Funny you should ask,��� Brody laughed and so did Maddox. ���We went for a run. Then to brunch in town������
���Harper, the waitress wanted to make sure I was aware how much you were loved here.���
I laughed.
���No she actually did Harper. I think she���s trying to intimidate him.��� Brody chuckled. ���She doesn���t know him well enough yet to understand he doesn���t intimidate easily.���
I looked at Maddox whose validating smirk quickly came and left.
���So Emma we found a great building lot.���
���I would love to see it Brody.��� Emma smiled.
���Perfect let���s go now.���
���I���m in no hurry. We have time right Tessa?���
I knew Emma was uneasy about leaving Mom. I felt it too.
���Well we do have a timeline. Harper and Maddox will be evicted from here in a few months and,��� he stopped and looked at Maddox. ���Well, they���ll want to be with Tessa.���
Mom looked at me and I looked at Maddox whose head was hung in shame. I know I could be upset. I probably could be if it didn���t absolutely tear me apart to see him fighting the inner turmoil to be happy and feel guilty at the same time. Not only that but, Brody looked the same exact way.
I grabbed the four cups of tea I had poured and set them at the table. Maddox reached out and brushed his fingers across my hand and I stepped back to grab my cup. I looked over as his eyes fought to figure out what I was thinking. This could be a fun game to play. One involving him feeling anxious and me reaping its rewards. But that���s not at all what I wanted for him. Perhaps in the past when he hurt me I had done that. It wasn���t even a conscious thought until now. But there was no reward in his pain. Not even a little. His happiness was all I wanted. Well his happiness and love.
I plopped myself on his lap and he visible relaxed as his arms wrapped around my waist. His fingers toyed a bit with my belly and I knew he was in his own way communicating with our child. Our baby growing inside of the place I knew his hands would be for the next eight months or so. This time no one would take him or her from us. No one.
���Sorry.��� He whispered as he nuzzled his head into my neck.
���Don���t be,��� I whispered back.
Maddox sat back slowly and looked at me puzzled and it made me laugh.
He raised his eyebrow and looked at me still trying to comprehend what I was laughing at.
���Excuse us for a moment please.���
Maddox stood and I grabbed his arms afraid that in his hurry he would knock me on my butt. And then he laughed at me. Set me down and took my hand.
He looked at our parents, ���Just for a moment.���
He quickly walked to our bedroom and shut the door behind me.
���It wasn���t my intention������
���You���re happy. Excited to share the news Maddox I understand.��� I sat down on our bed.
; He started pacing and I saw a glimpse of the Maddox I fell in love with many years ago. One who didn���t believe he should be loved or could even comprehend what love was. It crushed me. I felt tears welling in my eyes.
���If you���re angry������
���Maddox stop.���
He looked at me and his breath left him.
���Sweetness don���t cry.��� He knelt before me. ���I fucked up. I won���t������
I held his lips together with my fingers and smiled at him.
���Then don���t be like that. Don���t go back there Maddox.���
He pulled my hand away and kissed it.
���You���re not easy to figure out Harper.���
���I know. God I know how awful I���ve…���
���Awful? No Sweetness. Not awful. Wonderful, amazing, perfect������
���I love you so much.���
I leaned down and kissed him. Softy at first and then he kissed me harder as a growled escaped his chest.
He pulled back hesitantly. ���We have company and I want inside you so bad Sweetness.���
���I want you as badly.���
He stood and adjusted himself. ���You���ll have to walk in front of me. And for fuck sake don���t sit on my lap or Thumper will never calm down.���
I giggled.
���Not funny Sweetness.���
We walked back out as instructed I was Thumper���s shield. Maddox sat next to Emma and I sat across from them.
I looked over at Mom and she smiled and grabbed my hand.
I smiled at her and then nodded to Maddox.
���Hey Mom.��� He grabbed Emma���s hand and she smiled at him.
I loved that even though she wasn���t his mother biologically he referred to her as such. The way she smiled when he called her Mom made me so happy. Happy that Maddox, who knew who his biological mother was, still recognized what a mother truly is. After all he had lived in his life. After all the hurt, the pain, the neglect and the abuse he had suffered, Maddox was truly remarkable in every way.
Maddox was born into a true hell on earth. It was truly miraculous that he had defied the odds and the cycle of abuse. Maddox was an angel; a gift from God. My heart knew from the moment I saw him so many years ago that it needed him, wanted him, and belonged to him. It was as if his souls, a soul still smoldering from the unfathomable burning it had endured for almost sixteen years merged with mine that very moment. I knew that���s what happened.
