“Yep.” He looked miserable. “She intends to claim that she’s healthy now and lives a life out of the public eye, so she’d be the better parent to care for Katie.”
“Oh, Will.” She reached between them and took his hand. “I’m so sorry she’s putting you through this. I assume you’ve been in touch with your attorney?”
“Yeah. Sharon’s on top of it. She’s hiring a private investigator to get involved. I want to know everything about Katie from the time she was born until she came to me. I know in my gut there’s more to whatever caused her trauma than just Carol Ann abandoning her. We need every shred of support we can get. I won’t risk losing Katie.”
“Of course not. You can’t possibly think Carol Ann stands a chance.”
“She isn’t wrong about the public spotlight or the potential danger to Katie right now,” he pointed out. “And she’s her mother.”
His apparent doubt and worry lit a flame to the hot coal of anger that had formed within her as he spoke. She took his bottle of beer and set it and her wine glass on the table between them. Then she leaned forward so she could capture both of his hands in hers.
“Now you listen to me, Will Campbell. We both know there is no way that conniving, thieving woman who left a little child alone and unprotected on your front porch actually gives two shits about Katie. You can’t tell me that her showing up here shortly after that video went viral is a complete coincidence. She sees Katie as leverage and an opportunity to get money from you, either to buy her off so she’ll go away or as child support if she somehow manages to get custody, which no sane judge would ever allow. You have countless people in your life—not to mention professionals who have worked with Katie—who can attest to what a wonderful father you are and how much progress she’s made while in your care. So don’t you let that manipulative bitch win by having even the slightest doubt that you will kick her ass. Even if you don’t, I sure as hell will for putting you through this.”
He looked into her eyes for a long moment after she finally stopped to take a breath. She read so much in that single glance.
“You really do love me,” he said.
“Of course I do. You love me too.”
“Of course I do.”
For the first time all afternoon, he gave her a genuine smile. Her anger dissolved, replaced by everything she felt for him. When he gave her hands a tug, she rose and moved over to his lap. Her arms went around his neck as she settled against him and pressed her forehead to his.
“How could I not love you?” she asked in a soft voice.
He brushed his lips over hers. “You have no idea how long I’ve been hoping to hear that.”
“Then I’ll say it again. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She ran her hand along the stubble lining his jaw. “Which means we have each other’s backs, and we both know the two of us will never, ever let anything happen to Katie. Everything you dealt with today is scary and frustrating, but we’ll face it together. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Attending the pool party at Evan and Sierra’s complex was actually Jasmine’s suggestion. Will had mentioned it to her two days ago, the day Carol Ann dropped her custody bomb on him. It was because of that “bomb” that Jasmine insisted they should go.
“One of her arguments is that Katie can’t live a normal life right now,” she pointed out when he expressed hesitation about going. “By taking her to this party and letting her have fun, we’re proving that wrong.”
His dad and Gareth both agreed, so Will approached Ryan about it. The security specialist had gone over to the complex himself to check out the potential security risks. He was satisfied enough with the on-site security and Ordinem’s ability to oversee the event space that he gave his approval to attend.
With his daughter’s safety less of a concern, Will had texted Evan to confirm they’d be there and to ask if there was anything he could bring. Outside of any particular beverages he and Jasmine might want, Evan said everything was covered.
On the day of the party, one of Ryan’s associates from Ordinem drove an SUV with tinted windows to Will’s dad’s house and parked in his garage. Will, Jasmine, and Katie were loaded