Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
DEREK
T he house is quiet. The sun is trying to peek out through the morning clouds, but it’s a dull, gray morning. Only the chirping birds can be heard. It’s peaceful—precisely what I need. After the day I had yesterday, a cup of coffee and quiet is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Sleep didn’t come easy. I tossed and turned all night. I know it kept Sutton up late, but I know she fell asleep sometime after midnight.
After that, I had to get up to make sure Troy was okay. I think I checked on him five times. How anyone was able to sleep, I don’t know.
“Hey.”
I turn my head, seeing Sutton shuffle outside. Pillow lines are embedded in her cheek. The matching black-and-white pajama set shows off her long legs.
“Hey. Is Troy still asleep?”
She nods, dropping down into my lap. “He is. I checked on him before I came out here.”
“Good.” I rub my hand over Sutton’s leg. “I’m hoping he’ll sleep for a bit longer. ”
“Did you get any sleep?” Sutton cards her hand through my hair.
I lean into her touch. “Maybe an hour?”
“Derek.” Warm lips press against my temple. “You have to be exhausted.”
“I’ll be okay.” I drain the last dregs of my now lukewarm coffee. “Nothing a little coffee and you can’t fix.”
“And maybe some sugar.”
“Oh yeah?” I look up into Sutton’s warm, blue eyes.
“Yeah. Maybe we can take Troy out for donuts when he wakes up.”
I smile up at her. “You know, we can’t keep spoiling him. He’s going to have to eat a vegetable soon.”
She shrugs. “He can at least get donuts this morning.”
“You’re so easy.” I tickle her side.
“Stop it. I am not!”
“Are too. If I asked for donuts, would you give them to me?” I ask.
“Yes. You know I can’t say no to you. To either of you.”
“Are you saying I’m your weakness?”
That earns me a laugh. “You Hollins men are too charming for your own good.”
“Mmm.” I drag my nose up the long, graceful column of her neck. “I think I might try to use this to my advantage later—that is, if you are going to be here.”
“Spending the day with you? Yeah, I’ll say yes to that.”
Sutton’s skin is warm. I want to wrap myself up in her, but I know that won’t happen until at least tonight.
“I might have to meet with John today.”
“Is that your lawyer?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Have you heard from him?” Sutton cups my cheek.
“Not since I called him yesterday.” The minute I got home last night, I made a call. There’s no way I am going to let this drag out. Not that I have a lot of say in the matter, since I’m at the mercy of the courts, but I wanted to make sure my lawyer was looped in.
“It’s going to be okay.”
“Will it?” I ask. “What if it’s not?”
Sutton presses a warm kiss to my lips. “Don’t think like that.”
“My head has been spinning all night. What if they find some loophole for Missy to get custody? I can’t live knowing if Troy is going to be left in a car somewhere.”
“She was so cavalier yesterday. Like it wasn’t a big deal at all. I think that’s going to help your case.”
I blow out a breath. “I can’t lose him, Sutton. I can’t.”
It’s my biggest fear. Troy is the best thing that ever happened to me. From the minute he came screaming into this world, everything changed. I gave up my career for him. Moved away from the toxic city of Vegas.
Without my parents, I don’t think I would have made it through that first year. But we did. Troy and I are thriving now.
We have Sutton. And Lydia.
I just got this family of mine and there is no way I’m going to go down without a fight.
“You won’t. I will do everything I can to make sure he stays with us.”
That has a grin spreading across my face. “With us?”
Sutton nods. “I’m not going anywhere. No matter what.”
“Daddy. Where are you?” Troy’s voice echoes throughout the house.
“Outside, bud,” I call. Tiny footsteps patter outside before my mini me is standing in front of me. “How’d you sleep?”
“I had funny dreams.”
“Dreams about what?” Sutton lifts him up onto her lap. All three of us are sharing the seat outside.
Panic swirls in my gut. I don’t want Troy to have any memory of yesterday. There’s no need to remind him of this .
“Ducks were playing hockey with footballs.”
“What?” Suttons laughs. “Ducks can’t play hockey.”
“Purple bears were also playing.”
Troy’s face is happy, hair sticking out every which way.
“You’re right. These are funny dreams.” I tickle him and his laughter rings out, bright and happy. Yeah, he’s okay.
“I’m hungry, Daddy. Can we have pancakes for breakfast?”
“Would you settle for donuts?”
Troy spins in my arms. My parents are standing in the doorway with a bright pink box in their hands.
“Grandma. Grandpa.”
Wiggling out of my arms, Troy runs over and wraps his arms around their legs.
“What are you guys doing here?”
Sutton and I both stand and walk over to them.
“We figured donuts were called for today. And we brought some guests too.”
Walking inside, Sutton’s mom and Lydia are already in the kitchen. Troy runs in and climbs onto the chair next to her.
“Can they read our minds?” Sutton asks. “It’s like they knew we were going to get donuts and brought them over.”
“I guess it’s a parent’s superpower. One less thing to worry about.”
“For now.” After I drop one more kiss on her lips, we head inside with the rest of the family. Lydia and Troy are sitting at the table with a donut in front of each of them and a bowl of fruit.
“Thanks for not making breakfast all sugar.” I drop a kiss on my mom’s cheek as I grab a few more cups of coffee.
“I’ve raised children. I know how this is done.”
“How are you, son?” Dad asks, taking a cup of coffee from me.
“Still reeling.”
Sutton is sitting at the table with Mom and the kids .
He claps me on the shoulder. “Let’s go outside.”
I nod and follow him outside. Sutton is talking with our moms. Troy is telling Lydia about his dreams.
It’s the happy voices of my family that are the balm I need right now.
“There’s no worse call you’ll ever get in your life.” I stare into the darkness of my coffee. I don’t know if I can ever get rid of that panic that I felt when I got that call.
“Did you know you and your mom were in a car accident when you were three?”
“We were?” I ask.
He nods. “You were okay, but it was the worst call I’ve ever gotten because you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“I never knew that.”
Dad moves to stand beside me. The two of us are staring out into the back yard. Troy’s toys are all over the place.
“You never know what’s going to happen. That’s life.”
“What if…” I turn my back to him, letting the warm air flood my veins. “What if Missy gets custody of him? I can’t lose him.”
“Don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow, son.”
“I’m doing a pretty damn good job of it.”
He bumps my shoulder. “You’ll always worry as a parent. But worry about the things you can control. Like Troy being a good person.”
I smile. “I think I have that one covered.”
“See? One less thing to worry about. Now, you know what you need?”
“What’s that?”
“You need a donut.”
“Sugar can’t fix everything, Dad.” I laugh.
“Says who?” He shrugs a shoulder. “Whenever I wanted to talk to you in high school, I could always bribe you with ice cream.”
“Damn. I was a sucker. ”
“See? It worked then. Let’s go see if it still works now.”
Before he goes back inside, I stop him and pull him in for a hug. “Thanks for being here, Dad.”
“I love you, Derek, and we’re always here for you. No matter what.”
By the time the two of us go back inside, it’s chaos. Troy and Lydia are playing a game of hockey. Tiny, foam pucks are flying. I’m not sure who is winning because they both keep firing at the goals.
Sutton smiles at me from her spot across the kitchen. Looking around, I know there’s a fight ahead. But as long as I have all of these people in my life, I know things will be okay.