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Leaning in, I kiss her forehead. “Between me and you and your attorney, and probably anyone who knows you and Clementine, no one is taking her from you. No one.”
“God, I want to believe it. Been telling myself the same thing since Monday morning. But every once in a while, doubt creeps in. With his money, the possibility of him pushing me hard is plausible.”
I tuck fallen strands of hair behind her ear. “Scarlet, all things are possible. Even the outcome being in your favor. Although it’s difficult, you have to believe you will win. Put the positivity out into the universe. You are a wonderful mother. Have done everything right by Clementine. You may not have an overflowing bank account, but money does not make a good parent. Providing a loving and safe home for them does. Making sure she goes to school and smiles and is happy, those are what matter most.”
“But...”
I press a finger to her lips. “No, Autumn.” I tip her chin up so her gaze meets mine again. “You are a terrific mother. Please believe it. Tell yourself you are. Make a list of why you are and read it when you doubt yourself.”
She nods as her eyes drift back to my lips. I close the space between us and press my lips to hers. They taste salty and sweet like kettle corn at the state fair. I savor the taste and remind myself this sadness is only temporary. A hiccup.
As long as Autumn and I are together, we can get through anything. And wewillget through this.
FIVE
AUTUMN
Being back in Jonas’s arms again is nothing short of bliss. Not even a full week passed and yet it felt as if we spent months apart. With every brush of his lips, the idea of taking our relationship slower becomes more of a challenge. With every calloused caress of his fingers along my skin, I question how I will take a step back.
Then I shut down my inquisitive mind.
We should slow down. Ineedus to slow down. Spending less time with Jonas will be difficult. But fighting to keep my daughter supersedes my personal needs. I only hope I don’t let Jonas drift too far and lose him in the process.
Seven-plus years have passed since I last saw or spoke with Leo. The Leo I knew in the past also didn’t remotely resemble the Leo I met last weekend.
Thinking back, I don’t recall Leo as pretentious and mighty. When we were together, he held a softer side. He had yet to be influenced by the patriarchy of his family. But life changes. Who you surround yourself with alters your perception of the world. And Leo has several larger-than-life people circling him.
What do I have? A group of overprotective tattoo artists, a goofy-ass friend, and a man who will do anything for me. Who will do anything for my daughter.
Is that enough? Is my small, yet consequential, circle of people enough to go up against Leo’s army. In all honesty, I don’t know.
Before visiting the attorney yesterday, I spent several hours online. Searching for anything and everything on Leo. News articles focusing on him and the business he and his family own. Is business good or bad? Has he been seen with women? His dating status was vital for several reasons.
One… if Clementine did spend time with him, who else would she be spending time with? What is Leo’s family like now? In our time together, he never spoke much about them and introductions never happened.
Two… is he in a long term committed relationship or does he play the field? Important because my daughter does not need to be subjected to a revolving door of playmates. And after my history with Leo, I don’t picture him committing to one woman for years.
Three… what types of women does he date? Are they bitchy and pretentious? Do they like children?
Ugh!
The questions constantly trickle in. The more research I did, the more questions I scribbled on paper. One photo of him, in particular, continues to throw gasoline on the slow-things-down-with-Jonas fire.
A professional photo of Leo alongside his father and two brothers, all wearing tailored five-piece suits that ooze money, smiling at the camera as they cut the grand opening ribbon on their fortieth luxury hotel in the state. Four-zero.
How do I compete with a family like his? How do I keep the most important person in my life when I have nowhere near the same resources as he does? His net worth is more than I will make in my lifetime.
Jonas runs the tip of his nose along the side of mine before dropping a chaste kiss on my lips. My eyes refocus and lock with his.
“What has you thinking so hard? Your cogs are in overdrive.”
A brief glance over my shoulder, I check on Clementine. In her own world, she curls up with Spartan, her head on his belly. Her little fingers wiggle in his fur as she watches the movie. And I take a mental snapshot of the moment. Of her happiness with her new best friend. Of her innocence.
For as long as I am able, I want to shelter her from the case. Shelter her from all the bullshit. The last thing Clementine needs is to stress over a battle she cannot fight. Or worry about a man she has never known.
I roll back to face Jonas again. His fiery hazels lock with mine, studying every move and expression. Gauge every fissure and twitch and almost spoken word, patiently waiting for my response.
God, I have never met someone so patient. Someone who will lie beside me, unspeaking for hours, and wait. Wait for me to find the strength and courage to speak or act in my own time.
