“I made a plan!”
Bane looked at us in confused amusement. I explained, “You might not have known her long enough to know that Nola never makes plans.”
“You know, I think I already caught up on that when she was staying in that condemned building until they brought the wrecking ball,” Bane said.
Seemed like Nola had had a busy little life as well. “You mean you’re not mad about Nate and me?”
“I’ve been trying to figure out how to get the two of you together. Why would I try to break you up?” She scowled at us.
I ran a hand through my hair, careful of the waves. “You mean to tell me, you want Nate and me to date?”
“You idiot. Why did you think I was always making you guys go do things together in high school?”
“I knew you weren’t on your cycle all those times!” I exclaimed.
Nate laughed and stood up to hug his sister and plant a kiss on her cheek. “Thanks, sis. You’re the best.”
“Now that we have that out of the way, I have years to catch up on with my best friend.” With that, she latched onto my arm and tugged me with her out the door.
I had some explaining to do.
Chapter Twenty-TwoRiley
“I think that went rather well.” Nate smiled at me as I flopped down onto the wicker couch beside him outside the trailer. Sam and Elise had finally gone inside. They’d been outside, watering their plants, when Bane and Nola left.
“You would think that. You weren’t the one who was in trouble.”
Nate pulled me close, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. Why was he so perfect?
“Thank you for picking me,” he whispered against my hair.
“Hmm?” I mumbled from where I pressed my face against his chest.
“You kissed me. In front of Nola. Before we knew she wanted us to be a couple. You picked me.”
“Nate, I told you I would always pick you. I love Nola; she’s my best friend, and she will always be special to me. But there comes a point where I have to make a decision for myself, and other people are going to have to be okay with that. And I pick you.”
He chuckled. “Well, I picked you first.”
“Not everything has to be a competition. But if it was, I’d win.” I smiled up at him and latched my arms around his middle.
A car engine drew my attention away from Nate. With a loud revving, a large white SUV pulled into my driveway behind my Jeep. The car looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I’d seen it... Then, I recognized the people in it.
It was Frank and his new girlfriend, Tia, and she was driving. It must have been her car, because I couldn’t imagine Frank having that kind of money.
“What are they doing here again so soon? He usually doesn’t visit this often.”
Nate stood up with me, and I was grateful he was standing there holding my hand. I was already emotionally raw after reuniting with Nola. I wasn’t ready to try to deal with Frank or Tia. Thankfully, Wren was over babysitting Kristin’s brood while she ran to the grocery store. It earned her some extra cash and gave Kristin some much-needed sanity.
They climbed out of the car, Frank hitting his head against the frame. He muttered as he slammed the door. Tia glared at him as she carefully shut her door.
She turned to us with a smile pasted on her face. “Hello, honey! It’s so good to see you, sweetie pie.”
She came toward me like a wrecking ball, her arms outstretched and rolling as though nothing could stop her.
Nate pulled me close to his side and shoved his hand in front of us. “Hi there, I’m Nate. I haven’t met you yet.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding when Tia paused her hugging mission to shake Nate’s hand. “Oh, how wonderful to meet you! You must be the man who takes care of Riley.”
Nate snorted. “Trust me, Riley doesn’t need anyone to take care of her. I’m merely along for the ride.”
Frank shifted from foot to foot behind Tia. He lifted a hand in awkward greeting.
“Did you come to see Wren?” I asked.
Frank studied the hand he’d waved at us with, as though he were wondering where it came from.
“We’re here to get Wren!” Tia said with a giant smile that grated on my nerves.
“Get her?” I asked with a frown.
“Yes, I’ve set up her room for her and decorated it.“
I latched onto Nate’s arm, squeezing it. “What are you talking about?”
Tia continued, “Wren will come live with us now! I’ve always wanted a bigger family. I’m so happy I’ll be getting it now.” She clapped her hands together in excitement.
I turned to Frank, completely ignoring Tia. “You can’t be serious.”
Frank shrugged. “It’s what Tia wants.”
I shuddered as my words caught in my throat. They wanted to take Wren away from me. They wanted to take her from me. I couldn’t let that happen.
“You can’t.” My eloquent rebuttal would have to come later.
Tia frowned at us, her drawn-on eyebrows wrinkling comically. “He’s her father. He can have her if he wants her!”
Nate’s arm tightened around my waist, and I wasn’t sure if it was necessary to hold me up before I fainted, or to hold me back if I decided to attack Tia.
“You have no right to her,” I managed to get out calmly—and by calmly I mean I sounded like a chain smoker who lit one cigarette off the end of another.
Frank cleared his throat and took a step forward. “She’s my daughter, Riley. I have a right to her.”
“You need to leave right now,” Nate cut in. “You are not Wren’s legal guardian. You take her now, and you’ll be charged with kidnapping.”
My shaking legs steadied. “Frank, you gave up any legal rights to Wren two years ago. You will not be taking her with you. I’ve allowed
