31. Alex
31
Alex
Alex checked his watch for the third time in less than five minutes. Melissa had texted that she would be there at four o'clock, and she was now almost half an hour late. Was she deliberately keeping him on edge? He wouldn't put it past her.
"She'll be here," Juno said softly from where she sat on the couch with Lena. They were flipping through a photo album that Roxanne had put together, filled with pictures from Lena's first weeks in Autumn Lake. Alex was certain his mother had already taken more photos of Lena than he had seen of himself throughout his entire childhood.
"I know," he replied, trying to keep the tension from his voice. He didn't want Lena to pick up on his anxiety.
Roxanne emerged from the kitchen with a tray of cookies and iced tea for the adults, milk for Lena. "I thought we could use a little something while we wait," she said, setting it on the coffee table. "Lena helped me make these."
"Snickerdoodles," Lena announced proudly. "They're Juno's favorite." She beamed at Juno, who returned her smile with genuine warmth.
Alex watched them together, his heart both full and heavy. In the week since the fundraiser at the Garden Gate, Juno had become a constant presence in their lives. She'd been there for bedtime stories, impromptu picnics at his parents' dock, and quiet evenings sitting close together on the sofa after Lena had gone to sleep. It felt right having her there—like she'd always belonged with them.
And now Melissa was coming to take Lena away. Howard had managed to secure a temporary order preventing her from leaving the state with Lena, but that meant she could take her out of Autumn Lake, which is what she intended to do, according to her last text. She'd already used up her allotted time at the condo, and because she couldn't afford to stay at the resort, she'd told him she'd be taking Lena to a hotel somewhere. She wouldn't tell him where, even though Howard had assured him that she had to, and he was not looking forward to the conversation he'd be having with her when she finally arrived.
It was why Lena and Roxanne were there. In case things got heated, Roxanne would take Lena on a walk and Juno would remain behind as a witness. He would also tell Melissa he was recorded everything, and hopefully, that would dispel the worst of it, but he didn't want to be alone with her for this very important conversation.
Because they still hadn't determined custody, there was nothing he could do to limit how long Melissa kept Lena, either, and that meant he also needed to try to keep things civil so that he could negotiate some details with her.
He felt like he was walking a tightrope without a safety net.
The sound of tires on asphalt outside made Alex's stomach clench. He moved to the window and watched as Melissa's sleek rental car pulled into the driveway. She emerged wearing oversized sunglasses and a flowing maxi dress that couldn't quite hide how much thinner she looked than when he'd last seen her. Or how much more enhanced her cleavage was. He suddenly had a good idea of what she'd been busy doing while he'd been spending these last several weeks with Lena.
"She's here," he announced, turning to the room.
Lena set down the photo album and stood, her small face suddenly solemn. "I don't want to go," she whispered.
Roxanne knelt beside her granddaughter. "It's just for a little while, sweetheart. You'll be back before you know it."
"Your mom misses you," Alex added, crossing to her and resting his hands on her shoulders. "And you've missed her too."
Lena nodded reluctantly. "But what if she tries to take me to Greece?"
"She won't," Alex assured her, hoping his confidence wasn't misplaced. "The judge said you have to stay in Indiana, and your mom knows that."
A knock at the door interrupted them. Alex gave Lena's shoulders a gentle squeeze before going to answer it.
Melissa stood on the porch, her expression unreadable behind her sunglasses. When she removed them, Alex was startled by the puffiness around her eyes. More cosmetic surgery? Or had she been crying?
"You're late," he said, then immediately regretted the accusatory tone.
"Traffic," she replied simply, although the excuse was ridiculous. There was no such thing as traffic in Autumn Lake. Her gaze moved past him to where Lena stood flanked by Roxanne and Juno. Wariness flickered across her face, and Alex couldn't blame her for being worried. The two women looked a little threatening, he had to admit.
"Come in," Alex said, stepping back to allow her entry. "Melissa, this is my mother, Roxanne, and my girlfriend, Juno."
Melissa hesitated for a fraction of a second before walking inside. "Hello, Roxanne," she said with a politeness that sounded rehearsed. "And Juno. You own the coffee shop, right?"
Juno nodded and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Melissa."
"Come give mommy a hug," Melissa said to Lena, wobbling a little as she crouched down and opened her arms. Alex almost stepped forward to give her a hand, but he held himself in check.
Lena let out a little whimper and ran into her mother's embrace, throwing her arms around Melissa's neck in a fierce hug.
"Oh, baby. I've missed you so much," Melissa murmured into Lena's ear.
"I missed you so much, too, Mommy," Lena returned, not quite crying, but clearly overwhelmed by her emotions.
They stayed like that for quite some time, rocking side to side a little. The sight of the two of them, so alike and so different, reuniting in such a transparent display of emotions, softened Alex's heart toward the woman who had kept his daughter from him for the first several years of his life.
When Lena finally released her mother and Melissa rose, she lifted her chin in that defiant gesture she seemed to use a lot around him, and asked, "Why are they here?" Her question wasn't accusatory, but it was obvious she hadn't been expecting anyone but Alex and Lena.
"We need to talk," Alex explained. "Just you and me. They're here to keep Lena busy while we work some things out."
"Lena's bags are all packed," Roxanne said, breaking the tense moment. "Would you like something to drink, Melissa? We have iced tea, water, or coffee, if you'd prefer. And your daughter made these delicious cookies, too." She picked up the cookie platter and held it out, and Alex realized his mother was just as nervous about how today would go as he was.
"No, thank you." Melissa shook her head, then rested her hand on Lena's shoulder. "Actually, that's good. I mean, that you have someone to play with for a little bit, Lena." To Alex, she said, "I want to talk to you, too."
Alex hadn't expected this. Juno gave him a subtle nod.
"Of course," he said. "Why don't we go into the kitchen?"
"Lena, honey, come show me which pictures are your favorites," Juno suggested, picking up the stack of photo albums from the couch and leading the girl into her bedroom. Roxanne followed, giving Alex a fierce look that he understood perfectly. His gentle mother wouldn't say it out loud, but if Melissa was here to cause trouble, Roxanne wanted him to know she had his back.
I am a lucky man, he thought as he watched his three favorite ladies head off down his short hallway.
In the kitchen, Melissa leaned against the counter, her arms wrapped around herself in a defensive posture. She looked smaller somehow, more vulnerable than he'd ever seen her.
"You look well," she said after a moment. "Fatherhood suits you."
"Thank you." Alex kept his distance, unsure of her mood or intentions. "I appreciate you saying so. Lena is, well, she's a real miracle, isn't she?" Now he was starting to sound like his mother. "Is everything okay, Melissa? Have you—" He gestured at his eyes, hoping he wouldn't offend her. "Have you been crying?"
She let out a short, humorless laugh. "Crying. Freaking out. Getting work done while I've been stuck in this one-horse town." She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and Alex noticed her hand trembling slightly. "I hope Daniel will be pleased with his investment," she added, dipping her chin toward her cleavage.
Alex said nothing, nor did he allow himself to let his eyes wander where she so obviously meant for them to. "I'm sorry you've been upset," he said, and he meant it. "I really want to talk with you about custody. I don't want to fight with you, especially not over Lena. I'd like us to come up with a solution we both can agree on."
Melissa sighed, then moved to the table and dropped bonelessly into a chair. She waited until he took a seat across from her. "I'm not going to fight you for custody, Alex."
The words took a moment to register. "What?"
"I'm not blind," she continued, her voice strained. "I can see how happy she is with you. With all of you." She gestured vaguely toward the living room where she'd met his mother and Juno. "She has a whole village here—grandparents, friends, even a surrogate mother in your coffee shop girlfriend, if I'm reading your lovesick gazes correctly."
"Melissa—"
"No, let me finish." She took a deep breath. "I love Lena. I do. I'm not a bad person, Alex. But I've never been good at motherhood. Not the day-to-day stuff. The routine, the consistency... it's not me."
Alex was stunned into silence, watching as this woman revealed a side of herself he'd never seen. One she probably shared with very few people. If any.
"As you know, Daniel left almost three weeks ago," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "I was supposed to go with him—Lena and I, both," she added, as if just remembering her original plans had included her daughter. "But then all this happened with you." She shook her head, but he could see she was more sad than angry. "He had to go. He couldn't wait for me to figure things out."
"I'm sorry," Alex said, and was surprised to find he actually meant it.
Melissa wrapped her arms around herself, the gesture achingly fragile. "I'm afraid if I don't go to him soon, he'll find someone else." She met Alex's gaze directly. "I can't lose him, Alex. I really like him, and I think I could be good for him."
"Melissa," Alex said, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the table. "You're afraid he'll find someone else while you work out custody for your daughter? Is that the kind of man you really want?"
"You don't understand," she said, her voice getting stronger. "Daniel has so much to offer someone like me. I'm not getting any younger, Alex. And he'll marry me, even though I have Lena."
Alex sat back and crossed his arms. "You say that like he thinks Lena is a necessary evil. Extra baggage. Melissa, that's not okay. And I don't even know this guy. I've never met him, and as you already know, I'm not okay with you taking Lena out of the country again. Now that I know I have a say in things, it's not going to happen, Melissa. I'm sorry."
Melissa sighed and looked away, reluctant to meet his gaze. "Look, I need time to figure out what I want, Alex. I want to go to Greece. I want to take some time to just be me for a while. Not a mom, not an aging ex-model." She waved a hand up and down the length of her. "Just me."
Alex pressed his lips together, afraid if he opened his mouth, he'd say the wrong thing. Melissa wasn't going to Greece as Melissa. She was going as an altered version of herself that had been customized to meet what she believed were Daniel's specifications. She was a beautiful woman still, but if all Daniel saw was what his money could pay for, he'd hurt her eventually, because she wouldn't be able to live up to the impossible standards he apparently had.
"And while I need to be in Greece, while I need time to figure things out, Alex, our daughter is too young to worry about all of that."
If Alex had his way, his daughter would never have to worry about any of that. He studied Melissa's face, looking for signs of manipulation or deceit, but found only exhaustion and a kind of defeated acceptance. He took in the more defined angle of her jaw, the new hollows beneath her cheekbones, the obvious fillers in her lips. She believed that her youth and her beauty were the only currency she had.
"I know that Lena needs stability," Melissa continued. "She needs a home, a routine, people who are fully present for her. That's not me. Not right now. Maybe not ever." The admission seemed to cost her something. "I want to sign over primary custody to you."
Alex blinked, certain he'd misheard. "Primary custody?"
"You'd be her primary residence. I'd have visitation rights whenever I'm in town or whenever we can arrange for her to visit me." Melissa's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I hate myself for not being good at being a mom, especially since Lena is the perfect, perfect child. but I can't seem to change that about myself, no matter how hard I try. Maybe this is why I reached out to you in the first place. I just didn't realize it until now. I can't do this parenting thing alone. I don't even think I could do it with help."
The raw honesty in her voice struck him. How much courage had it taken for her to admit that?
"Melissa, you don't have to give up being her mother—"
"I'm not giving her up," she interrupted sharply. "I'm giving her what she needs. What I can't provide on my own." She wiped at her eyes. "I want to be part of her life, Alex. Just... maybe not the center of it."
Alex thought of his own parents, how they'd struggled after Jason's death. How they'd pulled back from him when he'd needed them most. People could love their children deeply and still fail them.
Alex nodded, mulling over everything she said, trying to sort through it all so that he'd be able to share it with his attorney. He wished he'd been recording this all along, but he'd forgotten to take his phone out, and since Melissa was being so agreeable, he wasn't about to stick his foot in it now.
"I just have one stipulation," Melissa said, straightening her shoulders. There went that chin again.
Alex waited, not sure he was going to like the line she was going to draw in the sand between them.
"I don't want to pay child support. I know that's not fair to ask of you, but I don't really have an income, Alex. Not one I can count on."
He didn't bother telling her to get a job.
"I'm the kind of person who needs to be taken care of," she continued, as if that explained it. "My financial situation is determined by the merit of whoever is taking care of me."
Angry for her, that she thought so little of herself, Alex wanted to argue, to tell her she was worth so much more than what men like Daniel had to offer her. But it was clear by the set of her shoulders and the expression on her face that she wasn't there to be talked out of the lifestyle she'd chosen for herself.
She was there because she'd done the right thing. She was there because she wasn't going to make Lena live that lifestyle with her. For that, Alex would be eternally grateful.
"Can we agree on that?" Melissa asked, a hint of her old forthrightness returning. "If so, then I'm ready to settle this out of court. Just us and our attorneys."
He didn't need her money to provide for Lena. Between his job and the support of his parents, Lena would have everything she needed. And if things continued with Juno... well, that was another layer of security for his daughter's future. It was a no-brainer.
"Absolutely," he said, nodding slowly. "I get primary custody, you don't pay child support. But I want everything signed, sealed, and delivered with our attorneys before you leave the country."
Melissa nodded, relief washing over her features. "Yes. Of course."
"And I need you to understand up front that Lena will not be leaving the country." He'd seen the Liam Neeson films and there was no way on God's green earth that he was sending his daughter around the globe without him. "And you have to agree to tell me where you'll be at all times when Lena is with you, and if you're going to be late picking her up or dropping her off, I need to know about it before it happens."
"I understand," Melissa got in before he continued.
"No last-minute changes or disappearing acts. No ignoring my calls when you have her."
He could tell by her expression that she was beginning to get exasperated. "I get it, Alex. I'll do my best, I promise."
He opened his mouth to challenge her, then thought better of it. As someone who'd made promises and broken them, he understood only too well how important it was for someone to believe in him.
"I promise," she said again, sounding worried now that he might be having second thoughts.
Alex nodded. "Okay. Thank you. I'll hold you to it."
Melissa fidgeted in her seat for a few moments, then said, "I think it might be better if Melissa didn't come with me tonight. I'm heading up to Indianapolis tomorrow morning to see my doctor." She gingerly touched one corner of her mouth. "To get the all clear to travel," she expounded. "I was going to take her with me and spend a few nights up there, but I don't think that's such a good idea."
Neither did Alex, but he wasn't going to say so in case she changed her mind.
"When I get back from Indy, I'd like to have her with me at the resort for a few days, if you're okay with that. Daniel has a room for me there, since my allotted time is up at the condo."
Alex was fine with that. Lena would be just across the lake and a few days would feel like a party to her. Without Daniel there, Melissa could focus solely on Lena for some much needed mother/daughter time.
"I'll be leaving in a week from now. I've already booked my flight." She held up a finger. "Only one ticket, don't worry." She pushed her chair back a little, like she was preparing to leave. "I'll ask my attorney to have everything drawn up by the time I get back in a few days."
"Sounds like a plan," Alex said, his tender heart aching for this lost woman. He cleared his throat, suddenly realizing that he had some things he needed to say to her. "Melissa, thank you. Thank you for trusting me with Lena."
Melissa started to shake her head dismissively, but he held up a hand to stop her.
"This was not an easy decision for you. I can tell. But to me, it shows how much you love our daughter."
Melissa's eyes glistened and she blinked rapidly, but Alex wasn't finished yet.
"I also want to ask your forgiveness."
"For what?" she asked, bemused.
"For what happened between us. For what I did to you all those years ago. I wasn't in a good place back then, and I treated you badly."
Melissa frowned. "That's not how I remember it. You've always been very sweet, Alex."
Now it was his turn to shake his head. "That's not true. I've been selfish and self-serving, and I took advantage of you, and it's past time I took responsibility for my behavior. I'm glad for Lena, Melissa, but I'm sorry I wasn't an honorable man with you. You deserved better. You still do."
Melissa looked away, but not before he saw the tears that trickled from the corners of her eyes. Finally, she whispered, "Thank you."
Alex crossed to the counter and grabbed a roll of paper towels off the counter. He handed them to her and she grimaced. "Sorry," he said. "It's all I've got. A little rough, I know."
Melissa tore one off and gingerly dabbed under her eyes. Then she took a deep breath and asked, "Would you be okay if I took her out for an early dinner right now? There's a little Italian place not too far from here and Lena loves their prosciutto and chicken involtini there."
Involtini? He'd have to look that up if it was something Lena loved.
Melissa grinned at him. "It's essentially a mini stuffed meat roll. It'd be a perfect place for a date night if you ever want to take her out."
"Thank you." Alex was touched by her suggestion. "I'll keep that in mind. Involtini. Got it."
"Anyway, it would just be a couple of hours, but I'd like to explain things to her myself."
A growing respect for her rose in Alex. Despite her flaws, she was trying to do right by their daughter in her own way.
"That's really good of you," he agreed, getting to his feet. "But Melissa? She's going to have questions. Lots of them. And she might be angry or confused."
"I know." Melissa rose, too, and squared her shoulders. She met his gaze with a somber one of her own. "I'll do my best to answer honestly, and I trust that after I'm gone, you'll be kinder than I deserve."