“I haven’t lost my shit.”
“You’re gripping the door handle hard enough to leave fingerprints in the metal.”
I forced myself to let go. “I’m fine.”
“You’re shit scared, mate.”
“What?”
“You’re shit scared, bricking it. You’re terrified that Child Services is going to show up, see the chaos, and decide Megan would be better off with Tonya.” He glanced at me. “And you’re petrified of losing Cate.”
“This isn’t about Cate.”
“Codswallop. This is entirely about Cate.” He took a turn fast enough that I had to brace myself against the door. “You’re in love with her.”
“I’m not.”
“You married her.”
“For the custody case.”
“You married her,” Fitz repeated, “because you couldn’t stand the thought of her leaving. Because somewhere between the skateboard incident and the dinner she made and the way she looks at Megan, you fell for her. Hard.”
I didn’t respond.
Because he was right.
I had fallen for her.
Somewhere between her anxiety spirals and her stress-baking and the way she turned my controlled, organized life into beautiful chaos, I’d fallen completely and irrevocably in love with Cate Brennan.
Cate Lyon.
My wife.
“So what are you going to do about it?” Fitz asked.
“Right now? I’m going to make sure my house doesn’t look like a disaster zone when Child Services arrives.”
“And after?”
“After, I’m going to win this custody case. I’m going to keep Megan. And I’m going to convince Cate that this marriage doesn’t have to be temporary.”
Fitz grinned. “There’s the Gabriel I know. Decisive. Determined. Slightly terrifying when he sets his mind to something.”
“I’m not terrifying.”
“You’re absolutely terrifying. It’s one of your best qualities.”
We pulled into my driveway at 12:14 PM.
Forty-six minutes until Child Services arrived.
Nathan and Hayden pulled in behind us. Julien was already on his phone, hopefully calling for reinforcements.
I stood there, staring at my front door, and felt something close to panic rise in my chest.
What if it’s not enough?
