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Chapter One
Jonathan
I tossed my glasses onto the mountain of manila folders and loose documents and massaged my eyes as I reclined in my home office chair. My eyes ticked to the clock on the bottom right corner of my laptop, and I sighed.
Twelve hours. My God. Where has the day gone?
My cell phone rang urgently. It was only one of two people; if I were honest, I could go without hearing from either of them. A complaint was waiting for me on the other line, and quite frankly, I wasn’t in the mood. However, I knew failure to answer would result in future misery. It was better to get it over with now.
“Hello?”
“How much longer are you planning on keeping my fiancée hostage? It’s past 8:00, Jonathan.”
“I’m sorry, Anthony. I didn’t mean to keep her so late. I lost track of time.”
“That’s been happening a lot.”
“I know, but this one case I’m working on has been giving me hell.”
“It’s only giving you hell because you need a vacation. Now, tell me how these nanny interviews are going.”
A gentle knock at the door interrupted us.
“Hold on,” I said, setting the phone down. “Come in.”
I smiled when my children and Nori came filing into my office to bid me goodnight.
“Daddy, I don’t want to go to bed,” Casey grumbled as he fell into my open arms. I rolled my eyes, knowing he’d fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
“Why not?”
“Because you didn’t play with me today like you promised,” he explained with a pout. I looked away. It was the same pout his mother gave me when she wanted something—usually money. But unlike Eliza, Casey wanted my time, not my money.
Granted, he doesn’t fully grasp the concept of money, but you get it.
“Tomorrow’s Friday. You know what that means?”
“You’re working a half day?” Casey answered hopefully.
“That’s right. I’ll pick you guys up from school, and then we can go to the park.” I whispered goodnight to him, received a kiss, and reached for my eldest.
“Is Mom picking us up tomorrow?” Grant asked.
“That’s the plan.”
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. He was extremely intelligent for five, and getting one over on him was difficult. He knew that more likely than not, Eliza would call at the last minute with some excuse as to why she couldn’t pick them up for the weekend.
It’s tragic how busy Eliza suddenly became after I was given full custody of the children, and she no longer receives child support. Funny how that works out.
“What do you want to do this weekend if your mother is busy?” He shrugged. “Oh, well, we’ll think of something. I love you.”
“I love you, too. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight. Daisy, you’re up next.”
“Night, night,” my youngest told me, around her sippy cup. I leaned down to hug my daughter and kissed her on a rounded cheek.
“Night, night, Daisy.”
