by Bo Reid
“I don’t care what they think of me, or you, or us. But I want there to be an ‘us’ if you want that too. And I have no problem with who knows it.”
I smile because she really doesn’t care about any of this high society bullshit.
Bending down I kiss her lips and she fiercely kisses me back, standing up on the tips of her toes. I lift her off the ground and haul her into me. She wraps her legs around my waist as I hold her close to me. When we break apart, she slides down to the ground again and smiles at me.
“Come on let's go eat,” she says, smiling and trying not to giggle as I adjust myself in my pants. This woman is going to be the death of me.
The walk back up to the house goes by quickly, and I’m dreading going back into this mess of the rich and famous. Hartley squeezes my hand when we reach the deck. I drop to one knee in front of my girl. As she rests her hands on my shoulders and I help her back into her heels, I feel eyes watching us. I don’t imagine many of these rich assholes help their wives with their shoes. They’re too busy fucking their secretaries.
When I stand, I’m still six inches taller than Hartley, she leans up on her tippy toes and presses a kiss to my lips, shocking the fuck out of me. When she pulls back, she whispers,
“Thank you,” against my lips.
I tuck her arm into my elbow, and we walk up the stairs. I keep my head held high because my girl isn’t embarrassed in the slightest to be with me. Not even here.
I see an older couple approaching us as we make it to the top of the stairs.
“Ms. Montgomery, darling, we have missed you so much!” the woman says and gives Hartley a hug.
“Mrs. Hamilton, it’s so good to see you!” Hartley gushes.
The man extends his hand to me, not an ounce of judgment on his face.
“Archer Hamilton, and this is my wife Rebecca,” he says, as I shake his hand.
“Kasen Kingston.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Kasen. Have you been taking care of our girl here?” he asks.
“I do the best I can, but I don’t think Hart needs anyone to take care of her.” At that, he smiles, because he knows it’s true.
My girl is a warrior.
“Hartley my dear, you have yourself a fine young man here, don’t you?” he asks facing Hartley, she smiles.
“I sure do Mr. Hamilton.”
“Archer, you know I hate the formalities with you and Sol, you kids are family,” he says and hugs her. She steps back to my side.
“How is that boy of yours Hartley?”
“He’s doing wonderful Archer.” She looks up at me, “We couldn’t be happier.”
Archer raises a brow at the way Hartley says ‘we.’
“I’m terribly sorry, I didn’t realize. Are you, Brooks father?” he asks me, Rebecca slaps him across the chest.
“Archer that is none of your business,” she chastises.
I look down at Hartley, seeing what she will say, but she just smiles at me. Giving me the option to tell them whatever I want to. My heart swells in my chest, she wants me. I squeeze her hip lightly before turning to the couple with a smile on my face.
“He’s mine.”
It might have taken me longer than necessary to realize it but being his father doesn’t mean he’s biologically or even legally mine, it just means that I’ll always be here for him, and for Hartley. And as long as she will have me, I’ll be here.
The Hamilton’s don’t poke or prod, they don’t ask questions, they just beam bright smiles at Hartley and me. The way Mrs. Hamilton looks at us I know she realizes I’m not Brooks’ biological father, but she doesn’t care about that.
Instead, she sees the way I look at Hartley, and the way I claim Brooks as my own even if he’s not. Those are the things that truly matter.
I hear a small bell sounding and look around confused.
“Oh good, they’re finally serving dinner, I’m starving,” Archer says.
Taking his wife’s hand, they lace their fingers together.
“Hartley darling, where are you sitting?” Rebecca asks.
“You know we haven’t even had time to look over the arrangements, I know we’re with Sol so we should go find him,” she says.
“Okay, but after dinner young lady you owe me a dance,” Archer says playfully.
I like these people.
“Don’t I always save you a dance?” Hartley says.
Archer smiles, tipping his head to me and leads his wife inside.
“Come on let's go find Sol.” She laces our fingers together and hugs my arm to her side, not wanting much space between us and I’m totally okay with that.
We walk inside and like before everyone turns to stare at us. But unlike last time I don’t give a fuck what they think of me. I’ve got my girl, and now she really is mine.
I spot Sol on the other side of the room scanning the crowd. When he sees me, he nods his head, points to a table, and holds up five fingers.
“Uh, Hart? I see Sol, he pointed at one of the tables and held up five fingers, that mean anything to you?” I ask.
She laughs a little.
“I knew you would come in handy, normally I end up standing on a chair to find Sol, but you’re so damn tall there’s no need.” She looks at me smiling, “Come on he says we’re at table five.” She leads the way, slipping around the people making their way to various tables, but never once letting go of my hand.
“What would you do if you were at table fifteen, or a higher number?” I ask laughing.
“The hand signals get complicated after that, but Hart has been known to just stand on a chair and yell into the crowd. She can be quite embarrassing at times,” Sol says as he comes up beside me sighing loudly. But I know he loves his sister and her crazy I-don’t-give-a-fuck-antics.
We make it to our table before the others that will be seated with us do. I pull out a chair for Hartley and take the seat to her left. Sol is seated to her right with his date at his right. Hartley grabs the dinner course menu in front of her and starts to read it over. I drape my arm along the back of her chair and rest my hand on her shoulder.
“You have to be fucking kidding me.” I hear Sol mutter. Hartley looks over at him, but his eyes are locked on the other side of the table.
“Look, if it isn’t the happy family.” I hear Lucas say from across the table.
I tear my eyes away from Hartley to glare at him. Hartley turns her gaze to him, but instead of the ice queen she was before she barely even pays him any attention. Instead, she turns to me with the menu in her hand and points at the catering company listed at the bottom.
“They have the best lobster bisque. I’m glad they’re catering the main course, you’re going to love it,” she says.
Sol whips his head around to look at his sister, trying to gauge her reaction. But I just smile at her.
“That sounds good My Hart,” I tell her and kiss her forehead.
From the corner of my eye I see Lucas glaring at us, he knows he’s losing whatever control he thought he had over her. He takes his seat, not pulling his date’s chair out as another young couple also sit to join us.
Hartley rests her hand on my thigh and leans into my shoulder slightly. I gently squeeze her shoulder, letting her know I’m here for her. Sitting here with him is hard for her, but she won’t show it. Not to him and not to Sol, but I’ll give her my strength, as much as she needs; she can have it all.
“Aren’t you Hartley and Sol Montgomery?” the girl in the couple we’ve yet to meet asks.
Hartley looks up and smiles pleasantly at her.
“Yes, we are.”
The girl beams at Hartley.
“Oh, I adore your store! Last summer I signed up for some of your wilderness classes, they were amazing. I didn’t think I would like camping very much but turns out being in nature is so freeing. I even took your beginner rock climbing class a few weeks ago, and I’m hooked!” she exclaims. Hart and Sol share a knowing smile.
; “We’re glad to hear you’ve found a new love of nature, what courses have you taken?” Sol asks.
“I think I’ve taken at least all your beginner courses. I didn’t love everything, but rock climbing is my new thing. I’ve already signed up for as many courses and trips as I could. Will you guys be teaching anything coming up?” she asks hopefully.
“Actually, we’re set to do an overnight hike in six weeks, we’ll be hiking part of PCT,” Hartley says.
She’s been planning and training for this hike for weeks and making me train too. I finally figured out that breathing mask in the barn is to train your lungs to hike in higher elevation spots where the air is thinner. We’ll be taking a small group, over six days along the Pacific Crest Trail. And she’s going to do the near impossible, take Brooks. Like I said, she’s a goddamn warrior.
“Oh, I’m not sure I’m ready for an overnight,” the girl says a little deflated.
“Well how about you come into the store on Monday and we can go over some things about the hike, and you can decide if you want to come? You can always arrange a pick up from a closer location. You don’t have to complete all six days with us, as long as you make arrangements for someone to get you,” Hartley tells her, and her face brightens again.
“Okay! I would love that,” she says.
I hold Hartley’s hand under the table, gently squeezing it to let her know she did a good thing just now. Not that she needs me to tell her. The thing about Hartley is she doesn’t even think about the good things she does. She doesn’t analyze what she could get from someone, she just does good things because she’s good. So, every once in a while, I like to make sure she truly knows what her actions mean to those around her.
Lucas and his date are silent for most of the dinner, he glares at Hartley as she talks with everyone but him. Hart even tries to talk to his date, but he put a stop to that. After we finish eating, a band starts up and people start heading for the dance floor. I feel a tap on my shoulder and look up to find Archer Hamilton.
“Son, would you mind if I steal away this lovely young lady for a dance?” he asks me.
“Not at all, Sir,” I tell him and remove my arm from Hartley.
“Archer please, if you’re Hartley’s family, then you’re my family too,” he says and reaches a hand out for Hartley. She slips her hand in his and stands.
“Archer, how are the boats doing?” Lucas says attempting to interject himself into our talk. Archer’s face hardens and he glares at Lucas.
“That’s Mr. Hamilton to you boy,” he says in a stern tone I haven’t heard from him.
Until this point, I had made the mistake in assuming he was friendly and kind to everyone, clearly, I was wrong. He doesn’t like Lucas, and I can’t blame him. Without saying anything else he turns to lead Hartley to the dance floor. I watch as she smiles and they laugh. He spins her around the dance floor, even dipping her.
“Come on Lucas, you’ve barely said two words to me tonight, the least you can do is dance with me,” his date whines.
“No, go dance with someone else,” he tells her while glaring at me.
She huffs but gets up anyways, grumbling to herself about rich douchebags. Sol and his date are already on the dance floor, and the other couple left as well, leaving just Lucas and me. He fixes me with a glare, and I let my lips show a cocky smile. Not only am I taller, bigger, and meaner than he is, I spent the last three years in prison.
I can hold my own, and I’m guessing he’s never once fought with his fists. Hell, he needed two of his friends to hold down my girl while he raped her. My jaw ticks and I fist my hands under the table. I would like nothing more than to beat him to death. But for Hart, I will remain calm, at least on the outside.
“So, she could have had me; money, pedigree, and a future. But instead, she picked you?” he says, disgust evident in his tone. “Some low life thug that comes from nothing? What could you possibly give her that I can’t?” he asks.
I hear it in his words, his tone, he’s actually offended that Hartley would pick me over him. I imagine no matter who she wanted, if it wasn’t him, he would be pissed.
But me? No money. No pedigree. Covered in tattoos. Fresh out of prison. Oh, I bet that stings his ego. And he just fed me all the ammunition I need. I continue to smile at him.
“I can give her everything she wants, which is everything you could never give her,” I shrug. He balks at that.
“Look at you, what could you possibly give her?”
I sit back in my chair, casually drape my arm over Hartley’s empty seat and watch her glide across the dance floor, now with Sol.
“What you fail to realize Lucas, is that Hartley Montgomery doesn’t need anything you have. She has her own money; I’m guessing more than you. She has a home she loves; that your entitled ass wouldn’t step foot in. She owns a successful business. And she already has status. So, what could you give her?” I turn to look at him.
“From what I’ve seen here tonight the only thing you could do for her is bring her down, ‘cause these people?” I motion to the crowded room, “They love her, they tolerate you. You can do nothing for her,” I shrug, and I see his face reddening. I’ve got him.
Prison teaches you many things; how to read people, how to defend yourself, and fight. But most importantly, prison teaches you how to play and win mind games.
“I might not have money or pedigree. I don’t have a fancy last name; I’m covered in tattoos and I spent the last three years in prison.” I emphasize the word, so there is no mistaking where I came from, “But I can still give Hartley the life she wants.”
Standing I make my way to the dance floor, I cut in and wrap Hartley in my arms. I’m not the best dancer, but a slow song comes on. Hartley steps close to me and I wrap my arms around her as we gently sway on the dance floor. I hope I never have to let her go.
Chapter 26: Hydrangea
Hartley
When we pull up to the house, I’m exhausted and my breasts hurt. Nursing mamas get it. Kasen gets out and then opens my door for me like a perfect gentleman. He takes my hand and leads me up the front steps.
I hear Brooks crying before we reach the door. I open it and see Martha swaying back and forth with a whaling Brooks in her arms, trying to give him a bottle of pumped milk. She turns to look at us as we walk through the door.
“I’m so sorry Ms. Montgomery, he was taking the bottles earlier, but now he’s just fussing,” she explains.
“No problem Martha I’ll take him,” I say and reach out my hands for him, he immediately starts rooting around my chest.
“Kasen, will you grab Martha some money from the kitchen?” I ask, he nods and heads to the drawer where I keep small bills.
I head for my room, dying to lay down. I quickly set Brooks on the bed and strip out of my dress and bra. I put on an extra-large t-shirt with the neckline cut out for easier nursing. Grabbing Brooks, I slide down into bed, happy to be home. Brooks latches on, and I feel immediate relief.
Pulling the covers up over me slightly I close my eyes. After a while, I switch Brooks over to my other side. I’m almost asleep when I hear my door softly open. I peer over the covers to see Kasen in the doorway. He’s removed his suit and stands in a pair of light grey sweatpants, watching me.
He’s now no stranger to seeing me nursing Brooks, but he never takes the opportunity to ogle my breast. Even now, after we’ve kissed and shared that we want to be together. He still watches just me.
I motion for him to come over to me, and he does. He sits on the edge of my bed and looks at Brooks with love in his eyes. He reaches over and softly cups the back of Brooks' head. Then he looks at me and plants a kiss on my temple. I open up the covers inviting him to lay with me.
“Are you sure?” he asks, and I just nod.
I turn to my side. He slides in next to me, wrapping his arms around me and Brooks, and I feel so loved at this moment.
Kasen
It doesn’t take Hartley long t
o fall asleep, after all, she was exhausted. I think these big events stress her out, they’re not her preferred form of social interaction. When I look over I see Brooks is asleep too, milk pouring from his mouth.
Milk drunk, that’s what Hartley calls it. I smile cause I see the resemblance between him and a drunk dude after a bar crawl.
Passed out and drooling.
I slide out of bed and go around to Brooks side. I gently lift him up, carefully pull Hartley’s shirt up to cover her breast, and carry Brooks to his nursery. I change his diaper and get him into his little footie pajamas with foxes on them that says For Fox Sake. This kid has the best clothes.
When he stirs a little bit, I sit with him in the rocking chair and rock him back to sleep. He doesn’t cry or fuss with me. When I first met Hartley, I didn’t realize how rare of a gift it was for Brooks to not fuss at me. The longer I’m around the more I see he isn’t the same with everyone.
It makes my heart swell almost painfully in my chest to know that for whatever reason he is comfortable with me. I stand up, placing a kiss on his head before setting him in his crib. I make sure to check the monitor before leaving, turning on his little night light that projects the constellations onto the ceiling, lighting up the same ones that are painted.
I make my way down the hall. I almost stop at my door, but decide Hartley wanted me with her earlier so it would be okay to go back there. At least hopefully the offer still stands.
She’s right where I left her. I slide in behind her, wrap my arms around her, and softly haul her against my chest. She snores softly making me smile. I nuzzle my nose into her hair and fall asleep.
When I wake up, it takes me a moment to realize where I am and that the noise is Brooks crying on the monitor. I look around but Hartley isn’t in bed. I hear the shower running and see that next to the monitor is a bottle of freshly pumped milk. It’s strange to go from never having held a baby, to having breast milk be a part of your daily life.
