“And in the morning, I woke up in your bed. Or at least I thought it was your bed,” she confirms to Chase before glancing at Colton.
The room fills with silence, the uncomfortable kind that makes me want to say something—anything—just to create some noise. Finally, it’s Colton who speaks first. “You can’t have him back.”
I hold my breath as Laura looks at him. “I don’t want him back. He seems very happy here, well taken care of. I want that for him, Colton, you have to believe me. I just… I’m just not that person to give it to him.”
“I’m that person.”
My eyes fill with tears as he looks over at the woman he created a life with.
“I had hoped,” she says with a sad smile. Laura stands quickly then and says, “Look, I’m fully prepared to sign over my rights. I, uh, spent part of the day at Family Support Services and told them my side of the story. They say the police may want to talk to me… about abandonment.”
“I can’t control that.”
“I know. I made my own bed, and now I have to lie in it.” She pulls out a slip of paper and hands it to him. “I’m staying at the Super 8 in town. This is my number. I’ll be there on Monday for the emergency hearing.”
Colton slowly reaches out for the paper, shoving it in his pocket. Laura turns and heads toward the door. “Are you going to change your mind?” he blurts before she exits the room.
The woman turns and gives him another sad smile. She looks at the baby behind him and says, “No, I’m not. I don’t want to be a mother.” The tears in her eyes make the ones I’ve been fighting fall. While I don’t understand her position, I can respect it. Especially because it leaves Milo with Colton, who will love and adore that boy for the rest of his life.
Colton seems to let go of the breath he was holding. “Thank you.”
She nods and turns to Chase. “I’m sorry for the confusion.”
Chase clears his throat. “I’m just glad things turned out the way they did.”
Laura nods again and glances back at Colton. “I’ll see you Monday.”
He doesn’t speak, but follows her to the door and closes it behind her. There’s so much silent tension in the room, you could cut it with a knife. When Colton returns, he goes over and picks up a sleeping Milo and cuddles him into his chest, as if needing to feel him against him.
“That was… wow,” Chase says, breaking the silence.
“No shit,” his brother responds.
“It sounds like the process should be easy,” I reassure Colton, considering the woman isn’t going to fight him for any rights.
Colton nods. “Yeah. Look, I’m going to give this little man a bottle upstairs and a quick bath. I think we’ll turn in early tonight, maybe watch that new Bruce Willis movie on TV.”
Chase laughs. “Dude, that movie isn’t new. It’s been out for two years.”
Colton just shrugs. “Well, when you’re stuck in a desert for months on end, everything is new when you finally get home. Getting my papers for discharge was easier than being a civilian and new dad,” he adds with a laugh.
We both smile at the oldest Callahan brother, who heads to the kitchen to fix his son a bottle.
Chase tucks me into his chest, his arm wrapping around my shoulder as he holds me close. “I can’t believe all that shit.”
“Me either, but at least we finally have some answers,” I tell him, inhaling the familiar scent that clings to his T-shirt.
“Yeah.”
After several minutes, both lost in our own thoughts, I finally pull back a little and look up into his blue eyes. “So what are you doing four weeks from tomorrow?” I ask, fighting my smile with everything I have.
“I’m not sure. I’ll have to check my schedule. I’m pretty busy,” he replies, running his hand through my hair and making goose bumps pepper my skin.
“I want you to meet a woman,” I tell him. That makes him pause. He looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“A woman?”
“Yeah, she’s pretty fabulous. Sexy as hell with dark hair and electrifying eyes. She’s a tad on the short side, but I think she’ll fit against you perfectly,” I tell him as realization sets in.
He smiles that dirty little grin and sends warmth flooding my panties. “Yeah? I’m intrigued.”
“She’ll meet you down at the lake, around six o’clock at night. She’ll be the girl wearing the white dress.” My heart hammers in my chest as I look up at the only man I’ve ever loved.
“I can’t wait to fucking meet her. Tell me more,” he says, pulling me even tighter into his chest, kissing my forehead.
“She’s very excited to meet you under the arch as the sun starts to dip in the sky.”