Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Joe carried the stack of papers to the kitchen counter and pulled out his phone. While the popcorn popped in the microwave and Ally hunted through the streaming menu for the movie Elf, he scrolled to his lawyer’s number and hit call.
“Grant Meyer,” came the voice on the other end.
“Hey, Grant. It’s Joe Dalton.”
“Joe, it’s been a while,” Grant said, his tone already shifting into business mode. “What’s going on?”
“I just got served by Ted Garrison.”
“The DA?” Grant whistled. “What for?”
“I was doing a job for him. He signed the standard contract you created for me. I dropped him when I found out he wasn’t acting in good faith.
I’ll shoot a copy of all the conversations I had with him to your email.
He’s trying to get me for breach of contract, slander, and interfering with his family visitations.
He’s also going after Ally Wilson, his ex, who I’m currently seeing, for defamation.
He has several other outstanding lawsuits out against her that she’s been dealing with for a few years. ”
Grant let out a sharp breath. “Sounds like a harassment tactic. He’s known for this shit.” He sighed.
“Exactly. The man’s been using his power in the courts to keep her under his thumb since the divorce five years ago. He’s got his dirty laundry closed up tight and sealed away from the public light. I want to hit this hard and fast.”
“Send me copies of the paperwork,” Grant said.
“I’ll get the motion to dismiss filed by morning.
He’s wasted the court’s time on a few other cases recently, so the judge will see right through him.
Unless you get Judge Brampton. That man is in Garrison’s pocket.
” He could hear Grant clicking. “I pulled up the cases since they’re already in the system.
” He was quiet for a moment. “Good news, you have Judge Lewis for now. If he requests a change, I’ll keep you posted. ”
“Good.” Joe glanced toward the living room. Ally was sitting on the sofa, helping Charlotte untangle a blanket. “She doesn’t have the money for another fight, Grant. If there are any additional fees, I’ll cover them.”
“Understood,” Grant said. “I’ll handle it.”
“Thanks,” Joe said quietly, then he ended the call and emailed photos of the documents. He took a deep breath, forcing the anger down before he rejoined them.
By the time he walked back into the living room, Elf was already playing. Charlotte was giggling at the screen with her mouth full of popcorn. Ally glanced up at him, searching his expression.
“It’s taken care of,” he said softly, sitting beside her and taking her hand. “Let’s enjoy the movie.”
“Thank you.” The relief in her voice nearly undid him.
He took a handful of popcorn and sat back to enjoy his evening.
As the movie rolled on, the storm outside deepened. The windows fogged, and the fire crackled, filling the house with warmth. He kept adding more logs as the night went on.
Charlotte slowly inched closer to him and then ended up between them, with her head resting on his shoulder.
Before the movie was through, she was fast asleep with the half-empty popcorn bowl in her lap.
“I’ll take her up,” he whispered.
“Are you sure?” Ally asked. She was tucked under a blanket and looked comfortable.
He nodded and smiled. “Why don’t you make us some coffee?”
She nodded and shifted as he stood up.
He slid his arms beneath Charlotte, lifting her easily. She stirred once, mumbling something about Santa, then settled again. He carried her upstairs and tucked her beneath her blanket, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Night, kiddo,” he murmured before turning off the light.
When he came back down, Ally was curled up on the sofa, the firelight dancing over her features. She looked up at him, eyes warm but tired. Two cups of hot coffee sat on the coffee table.
“You didn’t have to take care of everything,” she said softly.
“Yeah,” he murmured, sitting beside her and pulling her close. “I did. I like taking care of you and Charlotte.”
She leaned into him, her head resting against his chest. For a long time, they didn’t speak. They just listened to the wind howling outside, the soft pop of the fire.
It felt… right.
The world outside was chaos, lawsuits, snow, fear. But here, in this small pocket of warmth, Ally and Charlotte were safe.
Joe tightened his arm around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
“I just wish it would stop,” she said, her voice barely a breath.
He wanted to promise her that someday her ex would forget about her. That he’d finally run out of ways to get to her and hurt her. But instead, he just held her tighter, watching the fire burn lower. He knew one thing for sure—whatever came next, he couldn’t walk away from them now. Maybe not ever.
“I have a surprise I have to pick up tomorrow,” he admitted.
She shifted and looked up at him. “What kind of surprise?”
He cupped her face. “The kind that comes with a collar and a leash and barks.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “A dog?”
“He’s more of a puppy at this stage. I caught someone dumping him on the side of the highway. He would have frozen had I not seen it.”
“Oh no.” She shifted slightly and sat up. “Is it okay?”
He nodded. “I dropped him off at the vet, which I found out is Aiden’s mother.” He smiled. “She’s keeping him overnight and getting him up to date on shots and making sure he’s okay.”
“What happened to the man who dumped him?”
“Hopefully, he’s sitting in a cell now. Aiden and his crew are taking care of it.” He pulled her back into his arms. “After picking up the dog tomorrow, I’m also planning on looking at a property that I might put an offer in on. Do you and Charlotte want to come with me?”
She frowned slightly. “A property?”
“Well, my lease on my apartment in Portland was up at the end of the month, and I’ve sort of been offered a job by Aiden, here in town.”
“You’re moving to Pride?” She shifted fully to sit up beside him.
“If it’s not too weird.”
“Why would it be weird?”
He shrugged. “Because the two main reasons I’m moving here are sitting right beside me and sleeping upstairs.” She was quiet for a while so he added. “Is it too weird?”
She chuckled. “No, it’s… a good thing. I just… I’m not sure…”
He cupped her face. “If you tell me you don’t want to see me like this, then it ends. No pressure. But for the first time in a long time, I feel comfortable somewhere.” He glanced out the windows. “This town has something…”
“Magical,” she finished for him.
He nodded. “I was becoming bitter and overstimulated in the city,” he admitted, leaning his head back against the sofa and closing his eyes. “I like the quiet. The slower pace.”
“You’re going to be a cop again?”
“Yeah, but not a city cop.” He smiled down at her.
“Where’s the property?” she asked after a moment.
“A few miles from here. Aiden says it’s a good place. It might need a few repairs but nothing I haven’t handled before.”
She ran her eyes over him for a moment. “What are you going to name the dog?”
He smiled. “Olaf.”
She laughed. “You are doomed.”
He smiled back at her, then dipped his head and kissed her. “I’m crazy about her, and you.” He rested his forehead against hers.
“I’m glad. Because I think we feel the same way about you.” She kissed him. “Joe?”
“Hmm?” he sighed against her lips.
“Take me upstairs.” She ran her hands over his arms.
“Soon. I’m really enjoying this making-out-on-the-sofa fantasy I have going.”
She chuckled, then gasped when he shifted so that she was under him.
He wanted to take things slow, to fulfill that fantasy in his mind and prove to her that he was worth the risk of opening herself up to him.
But the more she touched him, kissed him, the more he wanted her.
His control slipped when she wrapped her fingers around him. He was about to lose all control.
In one quick move, he shifted and slid into her heat. Whatever happened now, this was home. She was the center of his universe now. He’d be damned if he let anything happen to her or to Charlotte.
When the fire was nothing more than embers and their bodies had cooled, he lifted her up, still naked, and carried her up the stairs to the bedroom they now shared.
He was walking by the window when he stilled. Something had caught his eye.
“What is it?” she asked, opening her eyes a little.
“Someone’s down on the beach.” He motioned toward the window.
He hadn’t turned on the lights in the bedroom, and they watched a flashlight beam dance over the sand far below them.
“That’s the private beach,” she said, stiffening in his arms. She nudged him until he let her down. She wrapped a robe around herself and returned to the window. Whoever had been out there was now out of sight or gone. “See, that’s where the secret cave is. Where they found the diamond.”
His eyebrows jerked up. “Okay, that’s… pretty damn cool. A secret beach?” He frowned, trying to remember if he’d looked out the window in the daylight.
“Yes. The only way in and out is by boat or…” She stilled and then rushed from the room. He followed her quickly into Charlotte’s room. They stopped when they saw her daughter happily asleep in the bed.
She motioned toward the door, and they both walked back out into the hallway.
“There are a few secret passages,” she whispered.
“One from the closet in Charlotte’s room, one from my brother’s office, and one…
” She walked over to a wall and reached behind a large picture frame.
She flipped a lock and, to his surprise, the paneling opened.
“Max had each of the openings secured with locks.”
“Where in Charlotte’s room is it?” he asked.
“In the closet,” she whispered.
“Show me. We’ll be quiet.” He opened the door and followed her into the closet. Sure enough, there was a dead bolt almost at ceiling height in the closet.
“It’s still secure.” She motioned for them to leave the room again.
He followed her out. “Show me the one in the office.”