Tomorrow would bring more pieces.
But for now, she let herself sit in the quiet of the house and think. It was weighty to be relied on again. But in a good way. It had been a long time since that had happened.
She sighed. Morning sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, warm and bright, in complete contrast to the heaviness sitting in her chest. Outside, a few Colony residents were walking their dogs, the easy peace of the day at odds with the strain in her daughter’s voice still echoing in her ears.
Peanut was somewhere around.
Cece drank her lukewarm tea, picked up her phone again, and scrolled to Joe’s number. She knew he’d help and it was a good feeling.
He answered almost immediately. “Morning, Cece. This is a nice surprise,” he said, his voice pleasantly gravelly, as though he wasn’t fully awake yet. “How are you?”
“All right.” But even as she said the words, she knew her tone belied her actual mood.
“What’s wrong? You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said, moving out to the living room. She couldn’t just jump into this. “First, let me say that last night was amazing and honestly one of the best dates I’ve ever been on. Maybethebest.”
He let out a soft laugh. “I am very glad to hear that. I do feel a bit like I’m being buttered up for something.”
She smiled. “You’re not wrong. Do you have a few minutes?”
“For you? Always,” he replied, the gravel in his voice replaced by something warm and real.
Cece let out a slow breath. “It’s about my daughter. Natalie.”
“Ah.” The shift in his tone was subtle but unmistakable. Like he’d straightened in his seat and put on his lawyer hat. “Tell me.”
“She told Tyler this morning that she and Tyler’s dad aren’t getting back together and why,” Cece said. “About the divorce. About Jim leaving. About the cheating.” She rubbed her forehead. “Anyway, Jim wants to meet tomorrow. I’m guessing he wants to discuss custody expectations, which he will tackle like he’s negotiating a business deal.”
Joe made a low sound in his throat. “Of course he will.”
“Natalie didn’t get a good feeling from the family law attorney she talked to,” Cece continued. “So I told her I’d come up with some alternatives. She needs someone who won’t let Jim twist anything. I was hoping you might have referrals. People you trust.”
There was a small pause on the line. Then Joe said, “Cece, I handled family law for over a decade. Custody agreements, divorce negotiations, mediation. All of it. I can take her case.”
Cece’s mouth came open. That wasn’t what she’d been after. “Joe, I wasn’t angling for that, I promise. I know you’re retired.”
“I know and I am,” he agreed. “And if you were asking me to go argue in front of the Supreme Court, I’d politely decline. But this?” His voice warmed. “Helping your daughter ensure her son is protected? That she’s taken care of? I can do that.”
“Oh, Joe,” Cece said softly. “That’s above and beyond. I don’t think I can ask you to do that. I didn’t mean for you to feel obligated?—”
“Obligated?” he repeated, almost amused. “Cece, I spent half my career fighting for families who deserved better than the mess they were handed. Allow me to say this: your daughter deserves better than Jim’s sudden interest in fatherhood. And you deserve a little peace. The knowledge that your daughter and grandson are in good hands.”
His words touched her more deeply than she expected, and she pressed her fingers to her temple to steady herself. “You’d really do this?”
“It would be my privilege,” he said gently. “Let me help her.”
Cece closed her eyes, a wave of relief loosening the tightness in her chest. “Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll tell her.”
“Good,” Joe said. “And Cece?”
“Yes?”
“Take a breath. I can tell you’re holding the whole world on your shoulders. You don’t have to do that now. I’m right here with you.”
Her eyes burned a little. His kindness was easily his most attractive quality, and he had a lot of attractive qualities. “One of these days, I’m going to learn how to hide that from people.”
“I sincerely hope you don’t,” he said.
