There was more to say. A lot more that belonged between Molly and him only. He’d just gotten started.
He joined his family and friends outside in the hallway and grinned. “I think love is going to win today.”
THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES after Drew burst into Molly’s custody hearing, Judge Reilly granted full legal and physical sole custody of Hazel McKinney to Molly.
She’d won. For her daughter. For her family. Molly sagged into her chair. Tears blurred her vision and dampened her cheeks. Her thank-you to Judge Reilly was waterlogged and sincere.
Judge Reilly slipped into her chambers and quickly returned without her customary black robes. She walked over to Molly’s table and held out her hand. “I have another hearing in less than ten minutes in this room.”
Molly set her hand in Judge Reilly’s and let the woman help her stand. “I’m sorry. I just needed a moment.”
Judge Reilly patted her hand. “My advice to you is to run out of this courtroom and into the arms of Mr. Harrington. And spend as many moments as you can capture with that man, who loves you very, very much.”
Molly wiped a tissue across her face. “That is advice I’m more than willing to take.”
“Good.” Judge Reilly opened a courtroom door for Molly. “Now, I’ve got five minutes to meet Chase Jacobs and convince him to sign an autograph.”
“He won’t need to be convinced,” Molly said. “He’s good like that.”
“You’ve surrounded yourself with fine people, Ms. McKinney.” Judge Reilly released her. “Don’t ever forget that.”
Molly found herself surrounded and embraced by those fine people. Her friends. And even more, her family. Hugs and well wishes given, the group dispersed. Plans had already been set in motion to celebrate in Brooke and Dan’s backyard. A volleyball rematch had also been agreed to and the menu determined.
Molly suddenly found herself in the hallway alone with Drew. “Why did you kiss me in there?”
“I wanted them to know.” He stepped forward and took her hands in his. “I wanted you to know.”
“Know what?” Molly tightened her hold on Drew.
“That I love you.” He tugged her closer.
“Drew, I...”
“I know I have a lot to make up for.” Drew squeezed her hands and locked his gaze on hers. “A lot more to apologize for. It wasn’t you I didn’t trust, Molly. It was me.”
Molly searched his face. Her heart—the one with so much love for him—swelled.
“I know you need time to forgive me,” he said. “I will wait. I’ll be right here.”
“I don’t need time.” She’d forgiven him the second he’d walked into the courtroom and announced he was her character reference. She’d fallen for him more with every impassioned word he spoke about her. “I love you, Drew. Always have. Always will.”
“You’re my home, Molly.” Drew set his forehead against hers. “My everything.”
“You’re the family I always wished for.” She leaned into him and kissed him like he’d kissed her in the courtroom. Heart-stopping. Breath-stealing. And with all the love inside her for Drew.
For the family of her own.
EPILOGUE
“I CAN’T BELIEVE you planned this.” Drew sat in his seat behind first base at the Bay Area Angel’s stadium, balancing his hot dog in one hand, his extra large French fries in the other.
Molly slid into her seat and kissed him. “I also have an engagement letter in my purse that I wrote up for us.”
“An engagement letter?” Drew dunked one of his French fries into Molly’s cup of ranch dressing. “Really?”
Molly laughed. “I figured it would be a good idea since our relationship started with an attorney–client engagement letter.”
“And now?” Drew chewed on his French fry and considered her. She just kept surprising him. From arranging this baseball outing to her keeping him laughing and guessing.
“Well, it would seem we have another kind of arrangement.” She bumped her shoulder into his. “I had planned to finish the custody hearing, track you down and state my case for us. I had worked out all the finer details.”
“We have time before the first pitch.” Drew waited for her to take a bite of her hot dog, then said, “You could state your case now.”
Molly’s cheeks deepened into an adorable shade of red. She chewed a couple of fries, swallowed and shook her head at him. “It was all part of my plan to win you back. But then you showed up at the custody hearing and beat me to it.”
“And won you back first.” He grinned and lifted his eyebrows up and down.
“Have I thanked you for that?” she asked.
“Every day for the past week.” He kissed her cheek. “But I want to know more about this engagement letter.”
“It was silly.” Molly wiped a napkin over her mouth. “I turned it into a relationship engagement letter detailing the scope, expectations and responsibilities of us being together.”
Drew finished his hot dog and wiped his hands on a napkin. “And this letter is in your purse right now?”
“The outside pocket.” She motioned to the floor near her feet.
Drew pulled out the piece of paper in question. He scanned the document. “Do you have a pen?”
She reached into her purse, pulled the cap off the ballpoint pen and then handed the pen to him. He signed across the bottom of the paper, folded it and handed it and the pen back to her.
“Just like that.” She eyed him. “No changes. No revisions. No edits.”
“Yes. Just like that.” He reached over and wiped the tiny spot of ketchup from her lip. “There’s nothing I would change about you. Or about us.”
“And you read the whole page,” Molly clarified.
He worked to keep his smile contained. “Is there a section you think I missed?”
“Under scope, I listed vacations.” Molly fiddled with the paper. “We have to take more than one every year. No excuses.”
“And I have to plan at least one of those vacations.” Drew nodded. “That’s manageable. I have ideas.”
“There was also a section about family.” Molly tucked the pen and paper into her purse. “You read that one too?”
“Expanding our
