by Julia Bright
“Who’s it from?” Presley asked, looking over the envelope for any hint.
“No clue. It was a delivery driver. I just had to sign for it,” she said, coming to take the seat opposite Presley with Maddie in the middle.
“Apartments are so expensive,” Presley said while absently tearing open the sealed envelope.
“Yeah. I was asking around for you at work. Anything reasonable doesn’t stay on the market long.” Jessica winked at Maddie and started playing the I’m-stealing-your-cereal game that had Maddie instantly engaged and giggling.
“I wanna stay close. I just think it’d be easier to help swing…” Presley stopped speaking midway through her sentence when she dumped the contents of the envelope on the table. Presley fingered through the different pieces of legal-looking documents until she found a handwritten smaller white envelope with her name scribbled on the outside. As she pulled the note out, a check fell from between the folds. She went for that first and saw fifty thousand dollars in the payment line, Roan’s name on the signature line. The same penmanship on the front of the envelope.
Her body went numb as her gaze went back to the total on a check made out to her.
“What is it?” Jessica asked, the game forgotten. Presley opened her mouth to answer, no words came, and she just handed the check over from across the table.
“Holy hell,” Jessica declared, staring at the check. “Is this a joke?”
“That’s a bad word,” Maddie added as Presley started to read the handwritten note from Roan that had accompanied the check.
Presley,
This isn’t even a drop in the bucket compared to what I owe you, but I wanted to get us started on child support. My attorney’s waiting to hear from you. I’ve asked him to speak with you directly. You and he can work out what’s appropriate for the future and a schedule for back payments. I want Madison to have whatever she needs. You’ve raised a beautiful child. I only want to enhance what you’ve started.
Also enclosed are three tickets to the circus tonight. I’m hoping you’ll let me take Maddie, and of course, you’re invited. I have a lot of missed years to make up for.
I’m sorry how things turned out between us. I take full responsibility and will do my part to make things right.
Roan
Presley lowered the paper, trading the note for the check from Jessica’s outstretched hand. Still speechless, she stared at that total. Between the gym and teaching, she watched every single dollar she made. Now someone had handed her fifty thousand extra dollars. Oh God, she could pay her mother back for all she’d given up over the last five years. Maybe if Roan sent child support, she could afford a little more in rent payments each month.
“Momma, what is it?” Curiosity got the best of Maddie. The kicking at the chair had come to a complete stop, and her big brown eyes were trying to understand everything going on between her and Jessica.
“Hang on, honey.” She shifted the other pages around the table. There was a piece with several contact numbers, one being an attorney. The other number was for a financial advisor. The rest were Roan’s telephone numbers in various locations. There was a beneficiary designation page—whatever that meant—as well as a custody page. That interested more than anything else. The document gave her sole physical custody with visitation decided upon by her and Roan. Also tickets to the circus were inside the package.
“Wow.”
She pushed the custody document toward Jessica who scanned the page. “What’s this mean?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” she answered honestly. Could all this be as straight forward and easy as it seemed?
“Can I hold it again? Because I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen this much money before.” Jessica reached for the check. “You’d think this much money would be heavier,” Jessica said cheekily, balancing the check in her hand. “Are you going tonight?”
“Going where?” Maddie asked, making Presley smile. She’d been so good while still very curious. It’d finally gotten the best of her daughter, but Presley knew, once she brought up the circus, that would be all Maddie could talk about.
“I’ll tell you everything in a second,” she said and tapped the side of the bowl to get Maddie to finish her breakfast as she answered Jessica. “I have classes tonight.”
“Are you letting…” Jessica cut her gaze in Maddie’s direction to avoid using her name. “Go?”
“Go where,” Maddie asked again with food in her mouth. This time they both ignored her.
“I don’t know. He was real good with her yesterday, but I don’t know about being alone,” Presley said, tucking her lip between her teeth. Her anxiety at the possibility had her gnawing on the tender flesh, everything else forgotten. Were they ready for such a big step?
“Wow. This is something. I’d get that check in the bank before he changes his mind,” Jessica said, pushing it back in her direction before sitting back and drinking from the hot cup. Funny, coffee had been a priority until fifty thousand dollars had been laid in front of them.
“Momma,” Maddie finally said, a solid whine in her voice now.
“Let her decide if she wants to go,” Jessica suggested.
Presley thought about that one. Maddie had been such a trooper about spending almost every night at the gym; this week would be no different. Was she ready to let Roan take her off by himself? Absolutely not, but did she really have a choice? Based on all the paperwork in front of her, it looked like Roan planned to be in their lives regardless of what she wanted. Yet, he’d given her full custody, which meant that she made the decisions. Presley looked over at Maddie’s big dark eyes focused solely on her. Maddie would love the circus. Presley had never had the money to take her to those kinds of places. For several long seconds, she stared at Maddie while chewing at her lip.
“Roan wants to take you to the circus tonight.”
Maddie lit up like a Christmas tree.
“But hang on a second, sweetie. I can’t go with you two. I have work. You’d have to go by yourself.”
“I’ll be good. I promise I’ll be good,” she answered immediately, squirming in her chair with instant excitement.
“I know you will, but you have to stay with him. You can’t wander off, Maddie. He’s not used to having to watch a little girl. You have to remember to always stay right with him,” Presley pressed, letting her worry drive the point home.
“I will. I promise,” Maddie said, hopping around in her seat now. She was just too cute in all her anticipation. “I’ll be good, Momma. I promise.” Maddie turned toward Jessica, beaming. “My Roan has a house. And there’s a bedroom for me whenever I feel comfortable sleeping there. Right, Momma?”
Presley nodded as a pit formed in her stomach. Only Kady and her mother and sister had ever watched Maddie. Could Roan handle her for an entire evening by himself? She’d have to lay out all the ground rules, make sure he was ready for something this monumental.
“That’s cool, squirt,” Jessica said, rising to refill her coffee cup. “I’ve gotta get ready for work.”
“Can I go, Momma?” Maddie asked.
“Let me talk to Roan, and I’ll tell you, but if he’s good with everything, then yes,” Presley said.
“Thanks, Momma!” Maddie jumped off the chair, heading for the bedroom, no doubt to get ready for something that was still many hours away. Presley didn’t make her empty her cereal bowl or clean up her mess. She’d just do it herself.
Presley lifted the check, staring at all those zeros. Fifty thousand dollars. Hmmm.
Child support without her even asking. What was going on?
At close to eleven that night, Roan saw the headlights move across his living room, indicating a car had just pulled into his driveway. Most likely Presley. Roan left the kitchen where he’d made a small dinner in hopes of enticing Presley inside the house for more than just a pickup and run. Going for the garage, he hit the opener that automatically lifted the overhead door before Presley got too far
up the walkway to his front porch. He stayed in the open door of the kitchen, waiting.
When he saw her poke her head around the side of the house to look into the garage, Roan grinned at her hesitancy, lifted an arm, and motioned her into the house that way.
“Maddie’s passed out. She hadn’t made it inside more than a few minutes before she snuggled up on the sofa and went to sleep.”
“She must have had a great time; since she’s been going with me to the gym at night, she’s rarely gone to bed this early,” Presley said as Roan stepped back, not wanting to crowd her, letting her inside the house before reaching a hand out, hitting the button to lower the door.
“I think she did. She seemed to enjoy it.” Roan trailed behind a scantily dressed Presley, watching the rise and fall of her ass under a pair of well-worn, tight-fitting Soffe shorts. She was beautifully made and didn’t seem to notice Roan’s interest, but that was nothing new. She had never noticed his insanely intense focus on her in all the years he’d known her. Presley went straight to the living room, took a good look around before glancing back over her shoulder.
“You got new furniture,” she whispered the obvious before walking over to Maddie curled up under a blanket he’d laid over her. All of her treasures from the circus, including the stuffed tiger that was as big as her, lay close by.
“I did. Can we talk before you wake her up?” Presley had been leaning over to Maddie, reaching down for her and just stopped in mid motion, pulling back. The casualness she’d had since entering the house faded as her back went ramrod straight. She tilted her head, her long ponytail swinging to the side when she looked him up and down, then stood straight again. Instead of saying anything more, he extended a hand toward the kitchen before turning that way himself. He prayed she’d follow. He tried for casual too, going to the refrigerator, taking the salad he’d made to the table. When he sensed her behind him, he spoke quietly.
“I made dinner.” Only then did he look over his shoulder and grin as he spoke. “I’m not a good cook. I just thought you might not have eaten.”
Presley gave him no clue what she might be thinking. Instead, she just stood there, staring at him, her face devoid of any emotion.
Okay.
Instead of letting her attitude thwart his plan, Roan went around her, heading to the stove where he’d warmed a rotisserie chicken. “It’s not much. More a peace offering.” She still didn’t move or speak, just stared skeptically at him. He guessed that was a start, better than the no emotion from moments ago. He placed the chicken on the table before facing her. Clearly, Presley planned to make him work for a truce.
Yeah.
On a deep sigh, he squared his shoulders. “Look, you gutted me yesterday. I started my day yesterday morning wanting to date you. I found out I had a child and then you explained clearly to me how I ruined my own life and hurt you with all my assumptions.”
“I don’t want to date you,” Presley said in no uncertain terms.
“I get that. I’d agree with that if I were you, and that’s okay. But I’ve got to make this right, and I’m on limited time. I’m in off-season now, training every day. In about a month and a half, I’ll be leaving for training camp then the season officially starts. I’ll be focused solely on football for hopefully as long as six months. I don’t have time to ease us into this,” he said, motioning his hands back and forth between the two of them, “once everyone’s comfortable.”
Roan paused, waiting for any reaction. She gave no clue whether she followed his line of thinking or not. She just blinked at him, making Roan furrow his brow, trying to figure out what else to say. “You got my check this morning?”
“I did, and if you think that’s just going to make—”
He immediately lifted a hand, stopping her. He’d heard enough to see she still had her protective fortress firmly in place, strong barriers solely designed to keep him at a distance.
“I don’t think anything like that, Presley. Please just have a seat so we can talk like reasonable people. You don’t even have to eat.” Roan pulled out a chair and extended a hand. Even then, it still took a minute before she reluctantly came forward, walking the few steps to take the seat. He tried to help by pushing her up to the table. When she didn’t move, just kept herself and the chair a foot or two away from the table and crossed one leg over the other, Roan gave up and sat down in the chair to her right, ignoring the dinner he’d prepared. She was determined to make him fight for every inch she gave.
All right. He repositioned his chair, turning toward her. Once he was settled, he rested his elbows on his knees, twined his fingers together, and silently stared at Presley while trying to decide where to start. Nothing he’d prepared had cracked her impenetrable shell, so he decided to wing it.
“I’m sorry, Presley.”
She started to speak, and he lifted a hand, stopping her. He hadn’t exaggerated. Presley had gotten his full attention yesterday. The recent changes he’d made to his life were nothing compared to the life-altering moment of finding out that precious little girl was his, given to him by the one woman on this planet who owned him body and soul. And he’d failed them both.
“I’m not sure what was wrong with me. I didn’t use you that night in Abilene. All I can think was that I had to watch you with Blaine for so long that I snapped that morning. I truly thought when I watched you holding him that you’d made up with him. I was wrong. I’m sorry, and I suffered greatly when I left you behind. That pales in comparison to what you’ve been through, but my life has been filled with so much contempt… I haven’t been whole, if that makes sense, but that all changed yesterday. Well, it started the night before—”
“Don’t bring it up,” Presley said with clear disgust in her voice, her arms crossing tightly over her chest.
“I have to ask about the lack of protection,” Roan said, standing his ground, not letting her throw him off course in his need to take care of Maddie and hopefully her.
“I took care of that,” she answered sternly. If a stare could maim, the daggers shooting from her gaze would have hit their target, right where he sat.
He nodded and looked down at his joined hands. “That’s unfortunate.”
Presley darted up off the chair, ready to fight, and he pushed back in his seat, his hands going up in the air, trying to calm her. “I mean, I had a really great time tonight. I think Maddie did too. She’s a great kid. That’s all.”
“Roan, if this is all you had to say, consider it said…” Presley said, bearing down on him. God, she was a spitfire, standing over him in all her disgusted fury.
“I don’t understand why you can’t give me fifteen minutes to say what I need to,” he countered.
“I don’t want to get back together with you. The money this morning isn’t enough to have me begging you back. I’m done with being that person,” she said, pointing a finger in his face. Roan forced himself to stay calm, remain seated, give her all the space she needed.
“I’m not asking you back, Presley. Please take a seat. Let me finish.” It took a second for those words to sink in, but when they did, that seemed to work at taking the bluster from her stance. Even then, she was hesitant. Slowly, she backed up, taking the edge of the seat. One muscular leg crossed over her knee, her foot bouncing while she waited. “Look, Maddie told me you’re looking for a place to live. She told me you two have been living with your mom and she just moved here, that you’re sharing a bed.”
“I’ve done the best—” Presley started, and with what seemed to have become their norm, Roan cut her off again.
“Presley, stop. Seriously. Let me speak.”
“I’m not sitting here—” Presley darted up again and this time, so did he, resting both hands on her forearms.
“Shhhh… Zip it. Let me finish.” Roan waited to see if she would let him speak, and when she remained silent, he finished where he’d been trying to get for the length of the entire conversation. “I want you to live here. Let this
place be yours.”
The confusion covering her face made him smile and lower his hands, taking his seat again. For the first time, Presley had no words. She opened her mouth then closed it, only to do that same thing again. She was cute in her uncertainty, and he grinned at that, too. He’d finally said something right tonight.
“Maddie told me that you two share a bedroom with her Aunt Kady. I’m guessing that’s your best friend from college.”
Presley stayed quiet, only nodding her answer.
“The house is yours, Presley.” Roan spread his arms, trying to convey how much he wanted to give her and Maddie. How he wanted to jump in and help Presley keep them afloat. He just wanted Presley to know he would never leave her high and dry again.
Presley kept her focus on him as she bent her knees, reaching back to the chair, making sure it was still there before she sat all the way down. They silently stared at one another. He could see her mind at work, so he waited, wanting to clear all the obstacles she could come up with, one hurtle at a time.
“I’m not sure I can afford even the upkeep.”
Good response. That meant she was considering the option. Finally, something other than argumentative.
“I’ll cover the costs. It’s not a problem.” He reaffirmed his statement with one single nod of assurance.
Presley tucked her arms together over her chest and stared at him for several long moments. He sat there and waited for whatever was coming next.
“If you’re going to give us your house, where will you be?” she asked.
Honestly, he’d have thought that would have been her first question.
“I’ll need time to find a new place.”
Presley immediately started shaking her head no.
“No, now wait. Listen to me. I’ll get some place else to live. Until I can get all that finalized, I’ll take the guest bedroom. You can have the master, and Maddie picked her bedroom out tonight before we left. She told me you always wanted her to have a pink bedroom, so we’re painting it pink. And of course, she doesn’t know any of this other part of the plan,” he explained. He left off the part where he hoped he wouldn’t be leaving, that they’d become a family. Those were need-to-know details that she didn’t need to know.
