The Texan Quartet (Books 1-4) Omnibus

by Claire Boston

  ***

  Elle got a call from her lawyer on Wednesday morning.

  “Dean wants a meeting with you to discuss matters. He said if you can come to an agreement, he won’t take it to court.”

  Elle closed her eyes. As much as she didn’t want to see him, she didn’t want the matter to go to court either. “What do we do about the restraining order?”

  “I’ll sort it out,” Victoria promised.

  “All right then. Tell me when.”

  “He wants it tomorrow morning.”

  Of course he did. Dean was never good at waiting. “I can do three o’clock.” She wasn’t sure how long the meeting would take and she couldn’t leave the café over the lunch period. There wasn’t enough time to get a replacement, not with a lot of people heading out of town for the Fourth of July weekend.

  “I’ll call you back to confirm.” Victoria hung up.

  Elle took a seat in the café. She wanted time to plan what she was going to say to Dean; figure out how she could convince him she wasn’t going back to him. But she didn’t want to anger him enough that he’d fight to get Toby away from her out of spite. She had no doubt Lindsay would advise him to get custody, promising she would take care of the boy.

  But it wasn’t how it should be. Sure, Toby needed his grandparents, but not as stand-in parents. Dean wasn’t interested enough to fill a parental role. George had done more in the month she’d known him than her ex had during the whole of Toby’s life.

  She sighed.

  First thing was to find someone to babysit Toby while she was at the meeting.

  “Elle, can I get some help?” Nora called.

  She got to her feet. Her worries would have to wait until later.

  ***

  The next day at five to three, Elle walked into Victoria’s office. She was dressed in her suit and was determined to keep the whole matter as business-like as possible. Toby was her primary concern – she had to make sure that whatever was decided was right for him. She’d spoken to him the night before about whether he wanted to spend time with his father and he’d been adamant he didn’t.

  The court wouldn’t necessarily listen to a five-year-old if it came to that but hopefully she could get Dean to come to his senses.

  Sarah had picked Toby up from the café after collecting her own children from school and taken him back to the apartment building where they both lived.

  Victoria came out and greeted her with a hug. Her suit today was a sunny yellow and she looked fantastic. “Are you ready?” she asked.

  Elle nodded. “I’d like to get this resolved as soon as possible.”

  “I know. Come on through; they’re waiting in the meeting room.”

  Victoria led the way to the room and as she and Elle entered both Dean and his lawyer stood up.

  Dean was wearing an ill-fitted black suit that probably belonged to one of his brothers. His gaze at Elle was intense.

  She nodded a greeting and went to the opposite side of the table to take a seat. She didn’t want to encourage him by smiling, or shaking his hand.

  “Elle, you look amazing,” Dean said, giving her a head-to-toe appraisal.

  Elle’s skin crawled. “Thank you.” She would be polite but no more.

  “Let’s get straight to business,” Victoria said. “My client has separated from Dean Williams and seeks full conservatorship of their son, Toby.”

  Dean’s lawyer held up a hand. “Now, wait a minute. There’s nothing to say the separation is permanent. It’s one of the issues Dean wanted to discuss today.”

  Elle’s spine went rigid. “Let me assure you, sir, there is no way I will ever go back to Dean. The separation is definitely permanent.”

  “Now, Elle. Don’t be so hasty. We had an argument and you got your feelings hurt. It doesn’t mean we can’t make up.”

  Had Dean always been this delusional? Considering their time together, Elle realized, yes, he had. This meeting could be more difficult than she’d expected.

  “My client has no desire to reconcile,” Victoria said.

  “Let Elle speak for herself,” Dean snarled.

  Elle sat straighter in her chair. She stared directly at Dean and said, “I am not coming back to you, Dean. I refused to be abused, controlled and manipulated any longer. I don’t like you, I don’t want you and I don’t need you.”

  Dean sat back as if she’d struck him. “You can’t mean it. You’re my soul mate. We’re meant to be together.”

  It was the puppy dog look that had sucked her in so many times before. It wasn’t going to this time. “No we weren’t. I’ve moved on, Dean, and it’s time you did too.”

  “There’s another man, isn’t there? The asshole in the park.” Dean’s face went red and his fists banged on the table as he stood and leaned over. “Have you fucked him yet?”

  Elle didn’t answer but she held his gaze. She didn’t care if he took it as a sign of aggression or assertion. She wasn’t going to be cowed by him any longer.

  “You have, you whore. You’ll pay for cheating on me.”

  “That sounded like a threat, Mr. Williams,” Victoria said calmly. “Please note it is on record.”

  The other lawyer put a hand on Dean’s arm and whispered in his ear.

  Dean snatched his arm away but sat down again. “I don’t know what I ever saw in you. You’re a naïve, frigid bitch and you got yourself knocked up to keep your claws in me.”

  Elle wasn’t sure why she was so surprised by the words coming out of his mouth. He had never been the most rational of people.

  “I never wanted you anyway.”

  His tune had changed but Elle was fine with that. If she could convince him she was the enemy, he’d stay away from her.

  “It is clear to me the separation issue has been resolved,” Dean’s lawyer said. “Miss Carter no longer wants to be in a relationship with my client. We should now discuss the matter of the child.”

  “Who cares about the fucking kid? He’s nothing but a whiny pain in the ass. Why should I be stuck having to look after him?”

  Elle’s heart hurt for Toby, and that his father could speak about him in such dismissive terms, but the logical part of her rejoiced he was admitting it in front of the two lawyers.

  “Then we have agreement that Miss Carter will gain full conservatorship of Toby Carter?” Victoria asked.

  “God, yes,” Dean said. “Where do I sign?”

  Victoria pushed over the legal forms that Elle had asked her to prepare, explaining what each one meant. Dean grabbed a pen and his lawyer put a hand on his arm once more.

  “Don’t be so hasty. You should read the forms and make a decision when you’re feeling calmer.”

  “Fuck off,” Dean snarled. He scrawled his name on the signature page and Victoria pointed out the other sections he needed to sign. Then she passed the document to his lawyer to witness.

  The man sighed and added his signature.

  Elation bubbled up inside Elle, threatening to burst forth in a scream, but she controlled herself, clenching her hands together to prevent fist bumping the air. The forms were just the first part of the process – it still had to go to court – but Dean had signed the waiver and agreed to the terms of the order. He’d basically given Elle sole custody of Toby.

  “Thank you, gentlemen,” Victoria said. “I believe we’re finished here.” She stood up and walked them out.

  Elle got to her feet, too elated to sit. She paced up and down the room until Victoria returned.

  “We did it,” Victoria said. “We’ve got that asshole out of your life.”

  “He can’t claim he signed under duress?”

  “Hell, no. His lawyer advised him to read it first and he didn’t. I’ll let you know when the court hearing is, but it should just be a formality.”

  “Thank you.” The words came out as a whisper and the relief flooded out of her body in the form of tears.

  Victoria hugged her. “It was you who took that firs
t step. You achieved this,” she said. “If you have any other worries, you come back and talk to me.”

  Elle found a tissue in her bag and wiped her eyes. “I appreciate all your help.”

  “I know, honey. Now why don’t you go home and tell your little boy the good news?”

  Toby.

  She wasn’t sure he would fully comprehend what had happened today, but it would be enough for him to understand he didn’t have to go back to his father again.

  Elle would decide what to do about his grandparents at a later date.

  ***

  Her phone rang as she walked out of Victoria’s building.

  “Elle, it’s Sarah. Toby left his astronaut toy at the café and he’s pretty distraught. Are you able to pick it up on your way home?” In the background Toby was sobbing.

  “Of course. I’m on my way home now.”

  She drove straight to the café, picked up Toby’s toy and continued home. Sarah’s apartment was on the ground floor, so she stopped there first to pick up Toby.

  “How did it go?” Sarah asked.

  Elle had told her what the meeting was about. “Perfectly,” Elle said. “Dean agreed to me being the sole managing conservator of Toby.”

  “Congratulations. I hope you and that spunky George celebrate with champagne tonight.”

  Elle hadn’t had a chance to tell George about it. He’d been busy arranging a show for a client the night before and she hadn’t spoken to him since.

  Toby clutched her hand and said, “Can we go?” His shoulders were drooping and he was obviously tired.

  “Sure. Thank Sarah for having you.”

  “Thank you, Sarah,” he said.

  Sarah smiled. “You’re welcome.”

  When Elle got into her apartment she sat on the couch and pulled Toby on to her lap. “How was your day, Toby?”

  He shrugged. “OK.”

  “Did you do anything nice?”

  “We helped Harry pack for his vacation. He’s going to …” He screwed up his face, trying to remember.

  “Florida?” Elle suggested, knowing that’s where Harry was headed.

  “Yep. Is it far?”

  “It’s a ways,” Elle told him. She jiggled him on her lap so she could see his face. “Toby, I met with your dad today.”

  His eyes widened and he bit his bottom lip.

  “We had a meeting with some lawyers. They’re people who help solve arguments.”

  “Do they stop Dad hitting you?”

  “In a way. They’ve made sure we don’t ever have to visit him again if we don’t want.”

  Toby sat bolt upright. “Really?” There was so much hope on his little face.

  “Really. If you meet your dad you don’t have to go with him and you don’t have to speak to him. But,” Elle had to add, “if you change your mind and want to see him, you need to tell me, all right?”

  “Does it mean I don’t have a dad any more?” He frowned.

  “No. He’ll still be your dad. You just don’t have to live with him again.”

  “Oh. I thought maybe George could be my dad then.”

  Elle froze. That was not good. She knew Toby liked George but she hadn’t realized he’d got so attached. She and George were nowhere near making that kind of commitment. She didn’t want that kind of commitment: not yet anyway. Elle wasn’t sure what to say so she shifted Toby off her lap and stood up. “How about we get take-out for dinner?” Sarah was right. The day deserved celebrating. Maybe she should call George and see if he wanted to bring over a bottle of champagne.

  She groaned. Hadn’t she just decided she didn’t want a commitment? That she wanted to take things slowly? So why was George the first person she thought of when she had good news?

  Oh hell. She didn’t want to think about it now. She wanted to enjoy this victory and if George were available, she’d celebrate with him.

  “Yay. Can we get Chinese?” Toby asked.

  “Sure.”

  Her phone rang as she was about to call George.

  “I was going to order some take-out and thought if you haven’t eaten already, you might like some too.” It was George.

  Elle smiled. “Funny, I had the same thought. There’s a Chinese restaurant around the corner that Nora says is good.”

  “Why don’t you order and I’ll pick it up on my way over?”

  “Any preferences?”

  “Just you,” he said.

  He made her smile with his silly comments. “Can you pick up a bottle of sparkling wine as well?” she asked.

  “Are we celebrating something?” George asked.

  “Yes. I’ll fill you in when you get here.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  She hung up. “George is coming around.”

  “Yippee.”

  Elle knew Toby wouldn’t mind but she was still a little concerned about how he’d latched on to George. Perhaps it was normal for a child who hadn’t had a father figure to put any kind male in the role.

  She placed her order and wondered how she should raise the subject. Or perhaps she should ignore it. When Toby went to school at the end of the next month, he’d be surrounded by other people to admire.

  She was probably getting worried over nothing. Today wasn’t a day for worrying – it was a day for celebrating, and so she would.

  ***

  When she opened the door to George a little later, she flung her arms around him and kissed him. He took half a step back, wrapped his free arm around her and slid his tongue between her lips, deepening the kiss.

  Elle broke away and smiled at him. “Hi.”

  “Hi, yourself. If that’s the greeting food gets me, I may bring take-out every time I come over.”

  Elle laughed and gestured him inside.

  He put the take-out on the table and Toby got them plates without having to be asked.

  “What are we celebrating?” George asked, holding up the bottle of champagne and a bottle of soda. “For Toby,” he said at Elle’s look.

  It warmed her heart that he would consider Toby as well. “Freedom,” Elle told him, searching for glasses. The champagne would have to be drunk out of their plain tumblers. With a shrug she put them on the table.

  “Whose?”

  “Ours,” she said. “Toby and mine.”

  “What happened?” Serious now, he handed her a glass of champagne and Toby a glass of soda.

  Elle was too excited to sit. She dished up Toby’s meal and then her own. “I met with Dean today.”

  George frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me? You could have been hurt.” He took one of her arms and examined it.

  She pulled back. “It was at my lawyer’s office.” With some of the elation seeping out of her, she said, “Victoria called yesterday to say Dean wanted a meeting today. We got together, I made it clear I wasn’t coming back and he was so angry, he signed the necessary forms for me to get sole custody of Toby.”

  George’s jaw dropped. “Really?”

  Elle nodded. “Yep. His lawyer witnessed the document. Victoria said it would be hard to fight it in court.”

  “Did he understand what he was signing?”

  “I really don’t care. His lawyer advised him to read it and he ignored the advice.” A gleeful giggle escaped. She hadn’t been sure Dean would sign, but she wanted all the necessary forms filled in just in case. Taking a sip of the champagne, she finally sat and let the bubbles lighten her head.

  Dean had always thought she was unintelligent. She was a little bit worried how he might react when he realized the extent of what he’d signed away but hopefully he’d be back at the ranch by that time. Unless his lawyer had insisted on explaining the whole document to him after they’d left.

  Either way it didn’t matter. Dean didn’t know where she lived or worked, and she had no reason to agree to meet him again.

  She was free.

  Taking another sip of champagne, she decided it might be fun to get a little bit drunk
. It was Independence Day tomorrow, the café was shut and they’d be going to Imogen’s about mid-morning. She had the opportunity to indulge and she deserved to.

  ***

  George read Toby his bedtime story and when he was asleep he returned to the living area, where Elle was reading a book of her own. She stood, took his hand and led him into her bedroom.

  She closed the door behind them and slipped her arms around George’s waist. “You can stay a bit longer, can’t you?” she asked.

  George’s heart contracted and he smiled at her. “You’ve had quite a bit to drink,” he said. She had a slightly tipsy looseness about her muscles, and it was quite adorable. If he’d known she had such a low tolerance, he wouldn’t have kept topping up her glass.

  “I have, but I feel fine. You can make me feel better.” She took his hands and put them on her breasts.

  Maybe she was more than a little tipsy. He ran his thumbs over her nipples and she groaned. He had to be careful: if she made too much noise, she might wake Toby and that wasn’t a situation George wanted to be caught in.

  He backed her over to the bed, kissing her lips and neck as he did so. When she hit the bed, she unbuttoned her shirt and flung it over her shoulder, before freeing her breasts from her bra.

  George’s good intentions of getting her into bed so she could sleep it off faltered. He bent his head to suck on one of her sweet nipples as she wiggled out of her skirt.

  She was killing him.

  There she was, lying fully naked on her bed, silently begging him to touch her. He kicked off his shoes, ignoring the throbbing down the front of his pants, and laid next to her.

  She flung her arms around his neck, pulling him in until her lips met his, demanding to be kissed. He gave in to the demand, indulging himself by tasting her, and teasing quiet moans from her.

  “George, you make me feel so free,” she whispered.

  Moved by an admission she probably wouldn’t have made if she were sober, he continued his exploration of her body, kissing, caressing it, and discovering what she liked the best.

  When he touched her between her thighs she arched upward and grabbed on to his hair, pulling hard.

  Aroused by her response, he focused on giving her as much pleasure as possible.

  “George, now,” she begged.