“Like boyfriend and girlfriend?”
Judge smiles. “Yeah, like boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“Oh. I already knew that,” she says with a shrug.
Judge and I look at each other, both of our expressions showing shock.
“Umm….” I clear my throat. “How did you know we were together?” I ask.
She rolls her eyes, a smile pulling up her lips. “Because I’ve seen you come out of Dad’s room at night. I’ve also caught you two kissing in the kitchen when you thought I wasn’t around.” She giggles. “Y’all are really bad about keeping secrets.”
Judge chuckles. “I guess we are.” His expression sobers. “And you’re okay with it? Your mom and me being together?”
“Duh.” She draws out the word. “Why wouldn’t I be? It means we’ll be a family. Like a real family. Not like Stacy and her parents, where she has to go back and forth between her mom and dad.”
He squeezes her hand. “I don’t know who Stacy is, but yes, we’ll be a real family.”
She smiles brightly, her cheeks puffing out. “I’m super glad.”
I stand, pulling her with me, and wrap her in my arms. I never worried that she would have an issue with Judge and me being together, so her reaction comes as no surprise. Except for the fact that she already knew. That, I didn’t see coming.
Pulling back, I kiss her forehead. “Love you, sweetie.”
Her head falls back to look up at me. “Love you too, Mom.”
Judge swoops in and bear hugs her. She groans like she’s in pain, but we all know it’s fake. She eats up his attention every time she receives it.
Just as he lets her go, his phone dings with an incoming text. He pulls the device from his pocket and checks the screen, his jaw twitching at whatever he sees.
“Change of plans,” he says, looking up and locking eyes on me. “Maisy”—he turns to her—“how would you like to go to JW’s to visit Thea for a while?”
“Yah!” She bounces on her heels. “Can I spend the night?”
“It shouldn’t be a problem, but I’ll check with JW and Eden.”
“Okay. I’ll go grab some stuff.”
She flounces off, a bounce to her steps. Once she’s out of earshot, I regard Judge. “What’s going on?”
We were supposed to be having dinner at The Hill, just the three of us.
After typing something on his phone, he shoves it back into his pocket, leaving his hand inside. “Not yet. I want Maisy out of the house first.”
I frown and a knot of dread coils in my stomach.
“You’re worrying me, Judge.”
From his tight expression, he looks worried as well.
Pulling his hand from his pocket, he steps up to me, so close I can feel his breath fan my face. “You wanted to know what happened all those years ago. It’s time I told you, but I don’t want Maisy around when I do.”
That does nothing to ease my anxiety, but I’m forced to store it away when Maisy comes running back into the living room, a backpack thrown over her shoulder.
“I’m ready.”
“Your mom and I will drop you off.”
It doesn’t take us long to get to JW and Eden’s place, since they live less than a mile away. Out on the lawn, Judge pulls JW aside and they exchange a few quiet words. I’m saying goodbye to Maisy, but my eyes keep drifting back to the two men. The looks on their faces are kind of scary, and my worry mounts.