“I’m always comfortable around you.”
“That could be taken many ways.”
“And I meant it in many ways.”
She turned her lips into my chest and kissed right above my beating heart.
And I felt it slam against my chest as her warmth penetrated my skin.
Chapter Sixteen
Catherine
“What about this?” I asked.
Michaela snubbed her nose at the beautiful dress before she reached for a pair of footie pajamas.”
“You can’t live out of pajamas. You need some real clothes, too.”
“But mine are small,” she said.
“And we already have four in the cart,” I said.
“No school today?” she asked.
“Nope. The boys are at school, but you and I have to find you more clothes. You grew overnight! You’re getting to be a big girl.”
She smiled and ran down the aisle, chasing after yet another outfit that had caught her eye. It was exactly what happened. We all woke up this morning and as I was getting her ready for her half-day at preschool, I found that most of her clothes didn’t fit her any longer. Her shirts were a little too short and her jeans didn’t button. And some of her socks no longer fit! No wonder she’d been eating the house away the past week. Thought I was still shocked. Most kids complained about being in pain and didn’t feel like eating. But Michaela had been the opposite. She ate more than the boys combined and never once complained about pain.
“This?” Michaela asked.
She held up yet another pair of pajamas and I giggled.
Jace gave me his card and told me to get her some clothes, but I wanted to buy her a few of my own. I promised her a new big-girl toy to go along with her big-girl clothes, so I was footing the bill on whatever toy she chose. And it looked like it was going to be a princess pop-up tent for her room. It didn’t shock me, either. Hers had been worn down and was way too small for her now. The one she had her eye on was a different color and had a different princess on it. The one she was looking at would also take up a fourth of the size of her room.
“You sure that’s what you want?” I asked.
“Uh huh,” Michaela said.
“Okay. I’ll get it for you. Under condition.”
“Okay,” she said.
“You have to pick out a pretty dress to wear out this weekend,” I said.
Michaela was a rebellious one. She also wasn’t one to wear dresses. But we were all going to a matinee showing of something at the theater on Sunday and I knew none of the outfits she had would fit her. So of course, in wonderful Michaela fashion, she found the one dress made out of denim that had absolutely no sparkles or anything on it. Just a denim dress with some tulle underneath it to make it poof out like she loved.
I’d never seen a girl more conflicted in her tastes in my life.
“Okay,” I said with a giggle. “Let’s get you some shoes and get out of here.”
I pushed the full cart over to the shoes and we tried on a few pairs. We got her a pair to match her dress, a pair of tennis shoes to run around in, a pair of sandals for the summer, and a pair of flats she could wear with all her other outfits. Then we went up to the cash register to pay for everything. I rang Jace’s card for the insane amount of clothes we’d just bought, but I rang my card for the tent and the dress.
He wouldn’t be happy about it, but he could suck it up. I had more money than I knew what to do with at this point with what he was paying me.
We piled everything into the car and Michaela was such a good helper. She handed me the bags she could reach and I’d put them in the trunk. But we didn’t even get two miles up the road before a park caught her eye. She kicked her legs and pointed furiously, begging me to stop so she could go slide and swing.
And I didn’t have the heart to refuse her.
I parked the car close to the playground so I could keep an eye on it. There was too much money’s worth of stuff in there for something to happen to it. Michaela slid down the slide and learned how to swing herself. I chased her around the park and we tumbled around in the grass. It was a great time, and I knew she would work up an appetite before we could get home.
Then, my phone rang out in my pocket.
“Hello?” I asked.
There was thumping music in the background and I held the phone away to see who was calling.
But I only saw a number. Not a name.
“Hello?” I asked again. “Who is this?”
“Catherine!?”
My blood froze in my veins as I pulled my phone out from my ear again. I checked the date in the upper righthand corner of my outdated flip phone.
Hannah should still be in rehab.
“Hannah, what are you doing?” I asked.
I heard her whooping and hollering in the background before her voice came back to the phone.
“Catherine! What are you doing? There’s this awesome party you should come to,” she said.
“Hannah, no. I’m working. I’m not coming to any party. Where are you?” I asked.
“Oh my god. Cat. You’re really missing out. This guy on the table? He’s hot as fuck.”
“Hannah. Where are you? I’m coming to get you,” I said.
“Oh you’re fine. I’ve got a friend here with m-. Huh? What? Yeah, Catherine Faust. My sister.”
“Hannah, who are you talking to?” I asked.
“You know her!? Catherine! There’s someone here who knows you! I didn’t know my friend knew you. Hold on, she wants to talk.”
“No, no, no, no, wait. Hannah. Hannah!”
“You bitch.”
My eyes widened as my eyes whipped around for Michaela. I found her sliding down the slide and I instantly went to retrieve her.
I knew that voice.
Hannah was at a party with Anya.
“Give the phone back to my sister,” I said.
“I don’t know who you are or what you’re doing trying to wrangle my husband, but I’m coming for my children. Do you hear me?”
“Miss Caffy? Who’s that?” Michaela asked.
“Is that my daughter? Where the hell did you take my daughter!?”
“Come on, Michaela,” I said as I took her hand. “We need to get back to the house.”
“You let go of my daughter’s hand!” Anya exclaimed.
I heard wrestling in the background before Hannah’s voice appeared again.
“Why the hell are you at a party with Anya?” I asked. “Why the hell are you at a party at all!”
“Because I got out of rehab and wanted to celebrate. I didn’t know you were working for Jace Logan. Is he as hot in person as he is in all those movies of his?”
“That’s my fucking husband!” Anya shouted.
“Oh shut up,” Hannah said. “You guys are divorced.”
“Hannah, listen to me. You need to get back to rehab. You’re supposed to be there for two more weeks.”
“I don’t need rehab, Cat. I have everything under control,” she said.
“No you don’t. I can hear you slurring your words the more you continue to speak. It’s two in the afternoon, for crying out loud.”
“What? Being drunk’s more acceptable at night time? At least when I drive home I’ll be able to see the damn road.”
“No. No you won’t drive home. Where are you? Where’s this party?”
But there was more wrestling on the other end of the line.
“Those are my children. They’re not yours. You’re not their mother, I am. And I’m coming for them. You let Jace know that I’m coming for what’s mine, you greedy little bitch.”
“Anya, settle down,” I heard my sister say. “Cat’s a prude. If anything, she’s probably trying to get your husband to eat rabbit food or something.”
“Ex-husband,” I said.
“Only someone fucking him would make that distinction,” Anya said.
“Holy shit. Cath. Are you screwing around with Jace
Logan? What’s his dick like? He almost had a full-frontal scene in one of his movies. Mmm, what I wouldn’t have done to-”
“Shut up!” Anya exclaimed. “That’s my husband you‘re talking about.”
“No, it’s not,” I said as I looked around. “He hasn’t been for over two years. Get over it.”
“I’m coming for my family. You let him know that. They’re mine, and just because I’m struggling right now doesn’t mean I won’t be when I come for them. Don’t think you could ever hold a candle to me. And get your hands off my fucking daughter!”
I wasn’t going to listen to this any longer. I hung up the phone and shoved it into my pocket before I hoisted Michaela into my car. I quickly buckled her in and gave her a blanket and some water, then I slammed myself into the driver’s seat. I needed to get us home. I needed to get us to a place that was secure. Jace had a restraining order against her and she also had a protection order out on her that meant she couldn't approach the house. I had to get back there so I had a way to protect myself and the kids in case she made good on her word.
“Miss Caffy? W’as wrong?”
“Nothing sweetheart,” I said as I sped out of the park. “Just need to get home before the boys get off school.”
“Will Daddy like my dress?” she asked.
I looked into all of my mirrors to make sure no one was following me or anything.
“He’ll love it. I know he will,” I said.
The smile on her face warmed my heart as I sped through town. My heart slammed heavily against my chest. Panic flooded my veins. Did my parents know Hannah had skipped out on rehab? I figured not. They would’ve called me had they known. I think, at least. I honestly didn’t know anymore. I didn’t stop speeding until I got to Jace’s house, then I grabbed Michaela from the car seat and ran into the house.
“Miss Caffy, w’as wrong?” she asked again.
“Nothing, honey. Now, I want you to do something for me, okay?”
She nodded as I crouched down in front of her.
“I want you to go into your room and start gathering up all your clothes on the floor. I want you to throw them into the hallway.”
“Throw?” she asked as her eyes grow wide.
“Yes. Throw. As hard as you can. But only the clothes on the floor, okay? They’re too small for you and we need to donate them.”
“Okay,” she said as she rushed up the stairs.
I went and stood on the porch, my head on a swivel.
When I was sure no one was at the house, I wasted no time in getting everything inside. I didn't want to do back outside until the boys got home from school and I had to receive them off the bus. I brought all of the bags in and set them at the foot of the steps and listened as Michaela threw her clothes into the hallway. They smashed against the wall and she fell apart in giggles. The only sound that was bringing me any sort of comfort.
The boys.
I had to call their school and make sure the boys didn’t do anything but get on the bus.
Then I needed to call Jace. He needed to know what was going on.
The boys were fine as school and I told them I needed them to make doubly-sure the boys got on the bus. No one else was to pick them up unless it was Jace. But when I hung up the phone I heard that precious little voice waft down the stairs.
“All done! Now what?” Michael asked.
Then, my phone started ringing in my hand again. Only this time, I recognized the number popping up on my phone.
Mom.
My mother was calling me.
Seventeen
Jace
“Yes, of course I know what’s going on with Hannah. She just called. Yes. I thought you said-. No. Don’t you pin this on me. This is not my fault. You and Dad have always been so damn pushy on what we needed to do with our lives. I fought, but Hannah buckled under your pressure. Don’t-... no. I’m not listening to this. Not one bit of it.”
“Catherine?” I asked as I dropped my bag at the door. “Kids?”
“Mom, stop it. I know you-”
I peeked around the corner and into the kitchen. I could hear Catherine’s whispers, and from what she was saying the conversation wasn’t good. She looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes and I was instantly on alert.
“Catherine, are you all right?” I asked.
“Yes, that’s him. I have to go. Don’t call me again unless you want to hear what I think,” she said.
I watched her hang up the phone before she slid it into her pocket.
“You’re home early,” she said.
“I got done early. Where’s Michaela?”
“Playing with her new toy in her bedroom.”
“What did she get?”
“I got her a new princess pop-up tent,” she said breathlessly.
“You got her?”
“Jace, don’t.”
My eyebrows shot up to my hairline. Catherine had never been stern with me before. I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, then folded my arms over my chest.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”
“Don’t,” I said in that same stern voice.
She panned her gaze over to me and I saw something I’d never seen before in her eyes.
Fear.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“You remember how we were talking that first night? About your ex-wife and my sister?” she asked.
“Yes?”
“Well apparently, they’ve become friends.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
She sighed and raked her fingers through her hair, dragging the bun out of it. She flipped her head over and started to put her hair back up. I walked over to her and cupped her cheeks, then raised her head all the way back up so she looked me in the eye. Her raggedy hair fell down past her shoulders as tears welled in her eyes.
“You need to talk with me. What’s going on?”
“After Michaela and I went shopping, I took her to the park. She wanted to go so badly, so we went. And then my sister called from this party because she’d skipped out on rehab and Anya was there and she took the phone and started saying all these-”
I brought her lips to mine for a kiss, trying to slow her down. She was talking too quickly, and I needed her to be as specific as she could in what was said. What had happened.
Because I was going to have to make another call to my lawyer.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’m trying to be,” she said.
“Is Michaela okay?”
“Yes.”
“Are the boys okay?”
“I called their school a few minutes ago to make sure someone was with them when they get on the bus today. That no one outside of you or I are due to pick them up if that has to happen.”
“Okay. Good. That’s good. You did a good job. Now, I’m going to grab us some waters and we’re going to sit down and you’re going to slow down and start from the beginning.”
She nodded before I drew her in for a hug. My heart slammed against my chest. Whatever Anya had done, she wasn’t getting away with it. I could feel Catherine’s heart breaking against my chest. I led her over to the couch and sat her down, then I backtracked and got us some drinks. I poured them in glasses for us to hold before I made my way back to her, watching as she slumped deeper and deeper into the couch cushions.
“Here you go,” I said.
“Thanks,” she said with a whisper.
She chugged half of the glass down before she cleared her throat.
“When my sister first called from the party, I could hear nothing but music. She wasn’t supposed to be out of rehab for another couple of weeks, so I kept asking her where she was. I was going to have a cab pick her up or something. Maybe someone from the rehab center. But when she said my name, Anya was in the background and my sister started piecing things together. Asking all sorts of vulgar questions about you.”
“Trust me. As an actor, it’s probably nothi
ng I haven’t heard before,” I said.
“Then Anya got on the phone and kept referencing you as her ‘husband’. And when I corrected her, she accused me of taking her family. She kept touting how she was going to get her kids back no matter what she had to do and how I wouldn’t be able to wreck her family. That just because she was struggling didn’t mean you didn’t still love her and that I needed to get my hands off her kids because she was their mother. Not me.”
Anger boiled in my veins. This all seemed innocent enough, but I knew Anya. She was using Hannah to get to me. She probably knew exactly who that girl was and how she was related to Catherine, and was using Catherine’s own family against her. It made me sick. Anya was nothing, if not manipulative. I used to find it endearing. A ruthless woman chasing after her career and not caring about who got in her way. I thought it was empowering of her as a woman and supported it completely.
Until those manipulation tactics turned personal.
“Catherine, I need you to look at me.”
“I was going to call you after getting off the phone with the boys’ school, but my mother called. I swear you were my next phone call.”
“Catherine.”
“I wasn’t trying to hide this from you. It’s just all… was she always like this? Anya?”
“Catherine,” I said.
Her watery gaze fluttered up to mine and I reached out to cup her cheek. I caught one of her tears onto the tip of my thumb as my eyes danced along her face. She was scared, but not for herself. She was scared for my children. Scared for me. Scared for her budding place in all of this.
She was a remarkable woman, putting the care of my children first. Especially in a situation that dealt with a member of her family.
“I’m not angry with you,” I said. “But I am angry. Anya’s trying to manipulate her way back into my life and she’s using your family to do it.”
“I don’t think her and Hannah had met before that party.”
“That doesn’t mean Anya didn’t already have plans to sink her talons into her. Now, I’m going to do whatever is necessary to keep you and my children safe. You are more a part of this family than she is right now because she’s rather party and do drugs than do the one damn things that’s asked of her for joint custody.”
7+Us Makes Nine: A Nanny Single Dad Romance (Baby Makes Three) Page 10
