Chapter 28
“Sometimes love feels like riding a carousel with smugglers yelling sea monster noises.”
Sloane
I check my phone for the tenth time in the last minute. Still no news from Zane.
This morning is the custody hearing. I wanted to go with him to show my support but Zane’s lawyer, Siena, cautioned against it. She’s seen things get nasty at a hearing when a new partner shows up.
I didn’t want to, but I accepted her advice. I won’t do anything to jeopardize Zane’s chances of keeping Adele.
Usually, I spend my mornings caring for Adele while Zane is at work, but there was no way I could stay home with nothing to do this morning. Which is why I’m currently in the storage room at Rumrunner doing inventory.
Harper pats my hand. “It’ll be okay. No one’s taking Zane’s baby from him.”
I blow out a breath. “The waiting is killing me. I want to be there with him. Supporting him. I’m failing at being in a relationship.”
“You’re not failing. You’re giving him what he needs.”
“I never knew you were good at pep talks.”
She shrugs. “I never had time for pep talks before Kai.”
Her love for him shines from her. She fought Kai long and hard – he’s eight years younger than her, which was a no go for her – but he wouldn’t give up. He kept pushing and pushing until she finally gave in. They’re now engaged to be married.
“I’m happy for you.”
“And I’m happy for you.”
“Whoa.” I hold up a hand. “Don’t jump the gun. Zane and I have barely started dating.”
“Zane’s never dated before. But he changed his ways. For you.”
I wave her comment away. I have enough worries at the moment. I’m not adding worrying about Zane returning to his playboy ways to the list.
“I wish he’d call.”
“Come on.” She drops her clipboard on a shelf. “Why don’t I show you how to use the HR management software.”
My eyes widen. “The HR management software?”
“You’ll need to know how to use it when you’re the assistant manager.”
Excitement bubbles through me. Assistant manager is the position I’ve been angling for. Harper’s been reluctant to promote me because I might have had time management issues in the past.
I’ve been trying to prove to her I’ve changed. That I can handle the extra responsibility. That she can rely on me.
My hard work is paying off.
“Okay. Let’s do this.”
I follow her to the office and sit next to her behind her computer. “It’s pretty intuitive, but if you get stuck, there are videos online to help.”
She shows me how to log in to the software before giving me a tour of the features. There’s recruiting, onboarding, time and attendance tracking, performance reviews, benefits administration, and payroll. It’s a lot more than I expected.
She’s showing me how to log someone’s hours when the back entrance of the bar bangs open. Zane charges into the office a few seconds later.
“Zane!” I rush to him. “What happened? Did you get custody?” I glance behind him. “Where’s Adele?”
“Adele is in the car with Mom. I insisted we stop here before going home.”
“What happened?”
“She didn’t show. Daisy didn’t fucking show up to a custody hearing for her own child.”
“This is good, right? You’ll definitely get custody now.”
He purses his lips. “Siena says it isn’t a given. The judge still needs to ensure I’m a fit father. And this judge leans heavily toward mothers keeping their children.”
“What a bunch of malarky! Daisy abandoned Adele and didn’t even show up to the custody hearing. She shouldn’t get visitation rights. Let alone custody!”
“I’m trying to comfort myself with those thoughts, but Siena said I shouldn’t get my hopes up.” He threads his hands through his hair and pulls.
I’m a horrible partner. Here, Zane is worried he’s going to lose his child, and I’m getting all riled up about what a bitch Daisy is. I should be supporting him. Not adding to his problems.
I grasp his hand and squeeze. “Did Siena indicate when you’ll hear from the judge?”
“It could be a few days or a few weeks.”
“I’m certain the judge will side with you. Were you able to give evidence about how you’ve been caring for Adele for the past two months?”
He nods. “Even though Daisy didn’t show, the judge asked us to present our case.”
He tears away from me to pace the office. Harper isn’t behind her desk. She must have slipped out and I didn’t realize.
“I don’t know what I’ll do if they take my baby girl from me.”
Distraction. He needs a distraction. Otherwise, he’ll spend the entire day worrying about the custody hearing. There’s nothing he can do about it now anyway.
“Why don’t we go on an outing with Adele?”
“An outing?”
“We can visit Mermaid Mystical Gardens. I bet she’d love it. We’ll invite the whole family.”
The theme park has plenty of rides for young children. If Adele is anything like her dad, she’ll love it.
Harper peeks inside the office. “I’ll contact everyone. We’ll meet you there.”
I grin at Zane. “I guess we’re going.”
We drive to the theme park with Zane’s mom and stepdad. When we park and step out of the car, the Raider brothers are already arriving. This family can assemble quickly whenever fun is involved. His brothers and their partners join us at the entrance.
“What do you think of Zane’s dad-mobile?” Miles asks.
My brow wrinkles. “What dad-mobile?”
He points to the car we arrived in.
“I thought it was your mom’s car.”
“Nope. It’s Zane’s dad-mobile.”
“Did you sell your bike?” I ask Zane.
I hope he didn’t sell his bike. I haven’t gotten to ride on it yet. Mom had plenty of boyfriends who had bikes but I wasn’t ever allowed on the back of them. Mom didn’t care about my safety. She was worried about how much younger than her I was. In other words, she was jealous. Of her own daughter.
“No, but I needed a car for Adele,” Zane explains. “I couldn’t keep borrowing yours.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s not big enough for more kids.”
I gasp. “More kids?”
He chuckles. “When I plant my babies in you.”
My knees wobble. He wants to have children with me? I love our little family, but I’ve always wanted a big family. Maybe not six boys. Smuggler’s Hideaway can’t survive a second generation of Raider brothers. But three or four children sounds good.
I notice Zane’s brothers inching closer to us. Nosy little creepers.
I hold up a hand. “Zane Raider, you have lost your mind. We are not discussing this now.”
“Let’s go.” Miles herds everyone toward the entrance. “I want to ride the Atlantis Adventure first.”
“No way,” Zane grumbles. “The last time we rode through the lost city of Atlantis, we nearly got kicked out.”
“But we didn’t,” Miles sings.
“Only because I knew a secret exit,” Paisley adds. “We should go on the Enchanted Tide Carousel first. Stephanie loves it.”
The Enchanted Tide Carousel isn’t your usual carousel ride. Instead of horses, zebras, and unicorns, the ride has mermaids, mermen, kraken, sirens, and other mythical sea creatures.
“Good idea. We can teach Adele all about mermaids,” I say.
Zane laughs. “She’s a bit young for sea lore.”
“You’re never too young for mermaids.”
We make our way to the Enchanted Tide Carousel. “I’m not going on a carousel ride,” Henry, Harper’s dad, announces when we arrive.
“Good. You can guard the strollers.”
Within seconds, the poor man is surrounded by strollers and diaper bags. “I didn’t sign up for this. If anyone wants a free stroller, they can have it.”
Stuart sits down next to him. “I’ll help you guard the stuff.”
“Help me?” Henry snorts. “You’re on your own.” He points to the wheelchair he’s sitting in. “I can’t exactly chase anyone with this thing. But the kids said I couldn’t come if I didn’t use it.”
“Dad.” Harper sighs. “Do we need to discuss how you sit down at the most random and inappropriate places when you get tired while using your cane?”
“I don’t know what the big deal is.”
Harper crosses her arms over her chest. “They had to close the drive-thru when you refused to move.”
“Those cars could have driven around me.”
She throws up her arms. “I give up.”
Kai captures her hand and leads her to the line for the carousel. “He’s giving you a hard time and you’re letting him.”
“Whose side are you on anyway?”
The previous ride ends and the attendant opens the gate for us. “Who wants to play sound charades?” Miles asks as he rushes to ride the kraken. “Winner picks the next ride.”
“You’re on!” Kai slaps Miles on his back as he passes him to mount a Scylla – a six-headed, twelve-legged monster.
Zane and I settle on a carriage towed by two hydras – multi-headed serpent-like beasts – with Adele settled in between us.
“What are the chances we get kicked off this ride?” I ask once the ride begins and the siren song begins playing.
“Woof! Woof!” Kai yelps from atop the Scylla.
“About twenty-five percent,” Zane says.
Miles roars from atop the Kraken.
“Make that fifty percent,” Zane mutters.
I burst into laughter. Life with Zane and his brothers is never boring. I can’t wait to spend my life with the Raiders. Especially Zane. I love this man so much it scares me. But I’m no longer running from my fear. I’m throwing my arms in the air and enjoying the ride.
Come what may.