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She set her glass down and reached for my hand. “I haven’t. Anthony showed up again, but we all just pretended we weren’t home.”
“Fuck.” I stiffened, lacing my fingers with hers as I pivoted slightly to face her. “Maybe you guys should come stay here for a while. Just until he gets picked up again or gets the hint.”
“I—” She looked down like she was nervous to continue. “I’ve been thinking about what you said ... about if I’d go back to Brisley with you, and I wasn’t entirely honest about why we can’t. He threatened me a long time ago that he’d go for custody if I ever moved away.”
Suddenly, like nine things made sense in my head. Why she was acting weird, why she said no, why I wasn’t able to accept an offer on this house. I knew exactly what I needed to do, I just needed to make sure she believed me and also understood she had options. “Okay. Finish your food, baby. We’re gonna have a bit of a long conversation when we’re done. I promise, one way or another, everything is going to be fine.” I kissed her hand, then nodded encouragingly at her food as I felt the tension leave my shoulders. “I mean it. Eat. We’re fine. This is fine.”
“I love you so much, Ollie. I don’t know why you put up with my shit.” Her lip quivered slightly before she started eating again, and I chose not to insult her by pointing out the ridiculousness of that statement. Her issues didn’t stem from her, they stemmed from an asshole — mine came right from the source.
She was the hero in that regard, not me.
We ate with our legs entwined on the couch, and by the time I’d cleaned the mess up and joined her to tackle that bottle of wine, I honestly felt a lot better.
“Now. I’m gonna ask a question I wanted to ask a while ago but didn’t think it was my place. What about your nephews? Is their dad around at all?”
Mia shook her head. “He passed away when the boys were really young. I’ve lived with them ever since.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m sure that wasn’t easy for anyone.” My heart broke all over again for those boys, and for Dinora, too. “But that means it’s just Anthony we’re dealing with, right?”
She nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. He’s only ever thrown the custody thing in my face a few times and it was always when he was using. I don’t think he’d win, it’d just be a battle.”
“Okay.” I nodded to show her I understood, then tried to tread carefully. “I want to help you. What that help looks like is up to you. I can either help you get your own lawyer or call in a favor from a lawyer back home who owes my family in a way you wouldn’t fucking believe, if you want to take this to the courts and make it official. I’ll be by your side every step.”
“Do you think that’s something Rio would understand when he’s older? I don’t ever want him to think I kept him from his dad.”
I kissed her knuckles. “I can’t answer that. I’ve never been in that situation as an adult or as a kid, and I’m not a parent despite the universe’s best attempts. But you’re already keeping Rio from Anthony, and it sounds like you have a damned good reason. I’d think that going through the courts and making it official would be less painful than trying to hide, and having to tell Rio he can’t make any noise because his dad’s outside and might hear him,” I said gently. “But Mia, I don’t want to pressure you into making any decisions there. All I wanted was to make sure you knew I had your back when you do.”
“I know, baby. I can feel you have my back, I feel it every day.” Those big brown eyes dropped to our hands. “I’d have went,” she said softly. “If it was just me, and I had no baggage to hold me here ... I’d go with you.”
“I know. Which is exactly why I’m staying,” I said quietly. “Right here. I’m going to call Jamie in the morning and tell him that if he wants to travel to Brisley, he can still sell one of my houses ... but he can’t have this one.”
“What?” Her gaze shot up to meet mine. “You’re staying here? With me?”
“Well, don’t flatter yourself, baby.” My eyes danced a little. “It’s not just you. It’s Rio and Jago and Valentino and Carlo and Alex and Dinora, too. But yeah. If you can’t come to me, I’ll stay here with you.”
Mia chuckled as she jumped into my lap and kissed all over my face. “Thank God! Fuck, I was so scared you’d leave, Papí. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Knew the fucking minute you made me eat spinach tears that I’d never leave you,” I mumbled against her lips. “Devil woman.”
“Devil woman!” She started tickling me, pinning me to the couch with those perfect thick thighs, but I wouldn’t have tried to get up anyway. I laughed until I was snorting and out of breath, then grabbed her wrists and held them above my head.
“Move with me. In here.”
I could see the yes all over her face as she nodded and whispered, “no” but my dumbass needed those two actions to match before I ever knew if we were on the same page or not.
“Baby, please,” I begged. “Make your face and your mouth agree for me. I’ll cry if you say no.”
“I’d love to, baby. I love it here.” She kissed all over my face and neck and hugged me so tightly it almost hurt. “But you’re going to have to convince my family. You know we’re a package deal, Ollie.”
I could’ve died in that moment and been happy, thinking about all of them living there with me. Having a full house full of life and love and women who would kick my ass on a daily basis. “I’m not worried about it, Mia. I’ve got plenty of room and they all already like it here. I’ll just pout until they all say yes.”
“That pout.” She kissed my bottom lip and then smiled. “You sure you’re ready for this place to be a madhouse?”
For a few moments, I didn’t answer. I imagined crazy mornings getting five kids ready for school, getting two amazingly strong women off to work, and cooking for eight instead of one. I imagined the bills, the broken windows when the kids played catch inside, the fights I’d have to break up as Alex and Carlo hit puberty. The rooms I’d have to redo again to accommodate all of them, and the absolute lack of personal space I’d have after years of mostly being alone.
I knew what a responsibility it would be, and how hard it would be. And yet ... I found myself nodding with every ounce of certainty I possessed inside my body. “I’m sure, baby. I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life.”
