Chapter 10
DONOVAN
The next few days consisted of countless phone calls, official forms and paperwork, meetings, a mountain of frustration, and a fuck ton of worry.
My first phone call was to Kennedy, whose tone was cool with me at first, but then gradually warmed up after I explained what had happened.
Apparently, my mam had already blabbed to Tristan on a long-ass phone call during her car journey here, so I didn’t have to explain the entire ‘who’s the daddy’ story.
Kennedy went over what we needed to do and then rang off with the promise of calling me back after she’d spoken to Tia and they’d obtained an emergency court hearing date.
My second phone call was to Rosie, and fuck my life if the sexy bitch didn’t read me the riot act. The instant the call connected, I felt the frost in her voice all the way from Nebraska.
The first four words she bit out were so icy, I felt my balls freeze up.
“I can’t believe you.”
I lay back on my bed in the hotel room and grinned. “I know. I’m a cunt.”
“Hmm.” She sniffed.
I adjusted the crotch of my jeans because even her haughty attitude made my balls ache, but not from coldness that time.
“It’s only because Tristan told us about your little girl that I even unblocked you,” she declared in her sexy school-mistress-type tone, and I wondered if she’d one day give me some of that in the bedroom.
“Posy,” I began. “When Callum called, I ran outta the gym without a charger, and of course, my phone died pretty much immediately because I’d stayed at your place the night before and hadn’t charged it.
Then we missed the stores; though I admit, by the time we got back to the inn and ate something, my head was fucked to hell and back anyway.
I went out first thing this morning to buy more clothes and a charger, and when I finally saw your message from last night, my ass gave way.
” I lowered my tone. “I’m so fucking sorry, baby. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
I heard her sigh, then she murmured, “Oh, it’s alright. Some things take precedence. It was an asshole move, but I can forgive it in the circumstances. But do that shit to me again, and I’ll string you up by the dick.”
“Thank you, baby,” I said softly. “I knew you’d get it. All I can think of right now is Imogen and getting her home with us.”
“Imogen,” she repeated softly. “Such a pretty name.”
An ache shot through my chest, and I muttered, “You wanna see her, Rosie. She’s fucking beautiful.
She’s blonde and pretty and feminine like a real little princess.
Her foster mom told me she’s got an old soul, and she’s right.
My girl just looked at me, and I felt like she knew me.
” I laughed softly, “God only knows what the hell I’m gonna do with her.
I’m fucking clueless about women.” I sucked in air to calm my emotions and croaked, “She has my eyes.”
“Oh, Donovan,” she whispered. “I’m so happy you have this, and you get to experience being a parent. There’s nothing like it. The lows are as low as you ever get, but the highs are magnificent.”
I smiled at her words and the softness in them. “Don’t you care?”
“Care about what?” she asked.
“That I’m bringing a kid into the mix?”
“Stop being an idiot,” she said snippily.
“I’m bringing two angsty teenagers and an asshole ex into the mix.
One nine-month-old will be a piece of cake compared to my bullshit.
Oh, and by the way, you’ve been struck off DJ's Christmas card list. He doesn’t like his mom sitting at the kitchen counter, all dressed up with nowhere to go. ”
“Fuck,” I muttered. “Can you explain it to him? Actually, don’t. I’ll do it. It’s my fuckup.”
She laughed softly. “Actually, on this occasion, I think I should explain. They’re gonna hear gossip around town, especially since Tristan’s in the loop. I don’t want DJ and Gabby blindsided when you turn up with Imogen.”
“Okay,” I agreed. “Do what you think is best, but in the future, I’ll do my own dirty work.”
“Deal.” After a brief pause, she asked. “So, how are you coping with everything? It’s a lot to take in for me, so I can only imagine how you’re feeling right now.”
“I think I’m okay. I had a wobble last night, but you’re right, it was a lot to take in.
I didn’t sleep well and started to have doubts about whether Imogen would be okay with me.
Then Mam turned up and gave me one of her pep talks, and I finally got to see my girl.
..” My voice trailed off, and I had to clear the emotion from my throat.
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Rosie murmured.
“Same,” I agreed. “I’ve got Kennedy on the case. She’s gonna represent me in the family court here in Nebraska. I gotta pull together all my checking and savings information and somehow get the accounts for the bar and the gym couriered over.”
“I can do that,” she offered.
I stilled. “Really?”
“You wanted me to do your bookkeeping anyway. If you tell me where everything’s kept, I’ll go in tomorrow after I finish work at the Speed Demons’ clubhouse and get everything in order for you. It shouldn’t take me more than a day to get everything filed and legible for the courts.”
My shoulders slumped with palpable relief. “I thought I’d have to come back for a day and was dreading leaving Imogen. It’s not like I can spend time with her right now, but I feel better being close, you know?”
“Yeah, I know. I don’t have access to your checking or savings, but if you send me your bank details and shoot them an email giving me permission to access your accounts, I can get everything you need.”
“You’re a lifesaver,” I told her. “I definitely owe you a dinner now.”
“You owe me more than a dinner, asshole,” she retorted.
“Oh, I’ll give you more than a dinner, baby,” I promised, my tone full of heat. “I’ll make all this worth your while.” My mouth hitched into a smirk. “What did you wear for our date?”
“A short leather skirt and thigh-high boots,” she murmured seductively.
“Fuck,” I ground out, adjusting my crotch again.
“You weren’t gonna get lucky, O’Shea,” she teased. “You’re gonna work for it. Remember?”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “But seeing you in those would have at least filled up my wank bank for the foreseeable.”
“Well, it’s not like I threw them in the trash, so...” She laughed softly.
“Fucking tease,” I cut out. “You make me feel like a damned schoolboy. Every time I think of you, boots or not, my dick develops a life of its own. It’s like I’ve lost all the self-control I learned over the last thirty years.”
“Same,” she whispered.
The line fell silent, but the air still felt charged even though she wasn’t in the room with me.
Jesus Christ, this female made me feel things I never knew existed. I hadn’t thought of another woman since she’d come back into my life, and okay, that was only two days ago, but believe me, I thought about the female form at least seven thousand three hundred and fifty-two times a day.
I flirted with shop assistants and waitresses. Even random girls I passed in the street got The Smirk. It was ingrained in me as deeply as breathing, but since I reconnected with Rosie, I’d completely lost the urge and the will.
“I like you.” I blurted out. “I like you a lot.”
She paused, then replied, “I like you, too.”
“I think what we’ve got is special, Ro. God knows I don’t have a lick of experience with this shit, but I feel it, you know?”
“Yeah,” she agreed. “I feel it too.”
“I thought about you and us,” I admitted.
“After we—” I swallowed. “When I went back to my unit, I thought about you and us. You have no idea of all the bad shit you got me through.” My gut contracted, and suddenly I felt uncomfortable when I realized I’d exposed too much of myself already.
I couldn’t take much more emotional turmoil, so I tried to lighten the mood and asked, “Do we get to have phone sex while I’m here? ”
“Fuck off, O’Shea,” she retorted playfully.
“Talk about ruin a sweet moment, and don’t think I can’t see exactly what you’re doing.
” Her voice softened as she continued, “It’s okay to be vulnerable with me, honey.
I get this week’s probably brought out some feelings that usually stay buried, and I also get you’re working through them, but I can help you with that.
Just call me and we’ll talk. I can come there if you need me. It’s no—”
“No,” I told her. “There’s no need. I’ve got my ma, and honestly, I’m so fucking worried about Imogen, I can’t think straight. I’d be shitty company.”
The line fell silent. “I don’t expect you to entertain me, Donny. You’re going through a lot, but I can still be there for you.”
My chest tightened. “I just wanna get this court date over with and bring Imogen home. You’re helping enough by organizing my accounts. The rest is up to me.”
“She’ll be with you soon,” Rosie assured me after a brief pause. “I can already tell you’re gonna be a spectacular father.”
That familiar fire hit the back of my throat yet again, and I croaked, “Hope so, babe. Just gotta get past the judge first.” I was about to start telling her about all the hoops I’d have to jump through when Rosie went and whispered something that almost brought tears to my eyes.
“Keep the faith, O’Shea. You two found each other for a reason. You and that girl are bonded, and I know when that judge meets you, they’ll see what everyone else sees.”
“What’s that?” I rasped, never expecting in a million years to hear the next words from Rosie’s beautiful mouth...
“He’ll see the light.”
—————
True to their word, Tia and Kennedy got an emergency hearing arranged for Thursday morning at the courthouse in Scottsbluff.
I was relieved it was all happening so fast, but it didn’t give me much time to prepare.
Still, I learned something important in a very short amount of time: It was amazing what you could achieve when you had Maureen O’Shea, Maeve O’Shea, Kennedy Stone, and Rosie Woods at your back.