“Veronica … I’ve never stopped you. I’ve never even threatened to stop you.”
“I know, and I told them that, but they said it was better to have the extra legal protection.”
“So ask for joint custody. This document asks for full.”
“I want full, Dylan.”
Fuck. “You won’t win.” I waged a war in my head about how down in the mud I should go. “You have a career image to consider, Veronica.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“This will make the news and gossip rags, you know it. I won’t be talking to them, but it will get out that you were the one that left her. That you haven’t seen her.”
“You’re an asshole.”
“Maybe. But there’s nothing I won’t do to protect Maisie. Nothing.” I hung up, feeling a little sick to have threatened to ruin her image, and yet my desperation couldn’t stop it.
I sat in the car, working to calm myself so I could go home and act normal for Maisie. What the hell could I do to ensure she stayed with me? Why wasn’t it enough that I’d been her sole provider for nearly three years since Veronica decided she’d rather be a supermodel than a mother? Why would her claim get more weight than mine?
“With a new husband, that will be in her favor.” The lawyer’s words came back to me.
I’d stayed single for several reasons. One was that I didn’t want to take my focus off Maisie. I didn’t want to have her grow up with a step-parent that didn’t love her like a parent. But I also didn’t want to put my own heart at risk again. All the reasons I wasn’t married again were going to hurt me now in my attempt to fight for Maisie. Maybe what I needed was to get married.
“Ah, fuck,” I said as I turned down my street. What a dumbass response. I had no prospects for marriage. While my lawyer said these cases can go on for months, even years, chances were low that I’d meet a woman I liked enough in time to make a difference.
I pulled into my driveway, parked, and headed inside.
“Shhh … he’s here,” Maisie’s loud whisper said.
I looked around and saw blankets strewn over the couch, coffee table and a chair.
“I’m sure he won’t find us,” Tessa’s voice came from inside the makeshift fort. A wave of emotion filled me. What were the odds Veronica would do something like mess up the living room to make a fort? When we’d been married, she’d created one of those living rooms that were only for show, but that you couldn’t actually sit in or use. There was no way she’d allow this type of mess.
“Huh … I wonder where Maisie and Tessa are?” I tossed my keys on the table by the door.
I heard Maisie snicker and giggle.
“I wonder if she’s in the kitchen.” I walked past the tent, stopping right outside the opening.
I heard a little squeak.
“Is that a mouse? Do I have mice in the house?”
Another little snicker came from the tent.
I heard movement. “Boo, Daddy!”
“Argh!” I jumped back and put my hand over my heart. “Maisie, you scared me. Where were you?”
“In here. We made a fort. Do you want to come in? Tessa and Mr. Whiskers are here too.”
“Really? I can come in?”
“Yes. Come on.” She crawled backwards into the fort as I dropped down to my hands and knees. Inside, I saw Maisie smiling so happily it made my heart stop. Next to her, Tessa had a little tea set, and the stuffed cat, Mr. Whiskers, was next to her.
“We’re having tea. Would you like some?” Tessa smiled as she held up a teacup.
In that moment, clarity came like a lightning bolt. Who better to be the perfect wife and step-mother to Maisie than the woman who’d been the perfect friend to both of us for the last year?
13
Tessa
Dylan looked weary and sad when I’d first peeked through the blanket hanging over the furniture to see him enter the house. When he bent down to come into the fort, I saw the father who loved his daughter more than life itself.
He looked at me when I asked if he wanted tea and something flashed in his eyes. I wanted to believe he had an epiphany and realized I could be a woman who cared for him, but that was stupid.
“I’d love some tea.”
Our fort was spacious for me and little Maisie, but Dylan was humongous. Or maybe it was just the tight quarters that had me close enough to feel his warmth and inhale his sexy scent. It made me yearn for what I couldn’t have. Because that hurt, I wanted to get away.
“I’ll tell you what. You have a tea party with Miss Maisie and Mr. Whiskers, and I’ll go whip you guys up something for dinner.”
“Can we eat in here? Pahllleeeesssseeee?” Maisie clasped her hands over her heart and looked at me and then Dylan.
He looked at me. “Is it conducive to fort eating?”
“Ah … how about grilled cheese?” That seemed fairly safe.
“Yes. I love grilled cheese,” Maisie bounced, her little head poking the blanket roof.
“Grilled cheese it is.” I started to crawl out.
“Why don’t you stay and eat with us?” Dylan said before I could stand.
I looked into the fort, surprised by his offer.
“Yes. Stay, Tessa.” Maisie said. “Mr. Whiskers wants you to stay too.”
I smiled, even though inside I hurt a little bit, because I knew he was being nice. His offer didn’t mean he wanted me. “Yes, that would be fun.”
I whipped up four grilled cheeses, including one for Mr. Whiskers knowing Dylan would eat it. I also cut up some fruit and made a veggie plate as I knew Dylan always wanted Maisie to have fruits and vegetables with her meals. I put everything on a tray and carried it to the fort, where I heard Maisie and Dylan chatting away. I hated how much
