Chapter 21
There wasone good thing about living in such a small town—the courthouse had more availability than those in the city. Grant had expected to wait months for this issue to be resolved, but in the end, someone had pulled some strings to get it before a judge sooner.
It might have been due to both parties being ready for the hearing, or it might have simply been that a spot opened up, but Grant had only needed to wait until the end of the week.
That hadn’t stopped him from visiting Nick, though he hated that the visits had to be supervised. Nick mentioned that his grandmother had visited, too. Grant hated that even more.
Today, he would be forced to stand in front of a judge and plead his case. He would have to explain why he hadn’t been in Nick’s life until recently. He’d have to prove he was a good father.
None of it felt fair, especially after his restless night. He couldn’t sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he worried about Nick’s well-being. When he wasn’t concerned for his son, he thought about Bella and how everything had gone down.
Over the last few days, he’d realized one very important thing. He couldn’t blame Bella for anything. She was only trying to help. He had no right to be mad at her. Heck, he missed her. In the days after Nick had been taken from him, he’d wanted to call Bella and vent to her. He wanted her to listen to his concerns and be there for him.
He wanted what they’d had.
Unfortunately, he’d blown it and he knew it. He couldn’t look at himself in the mirror after what he’d allowed to happen. Grant hadn’t been worried enough about Charlotte. There was so much on his plate with the vandalism and Bella, he’d let himself lose sight of why he’d come to Rocky Ridge in the first place.
Grant stared up at the modest courthouse. It had to have been built long before Billings was even founded. This town had deep roots. But just like the other old buildings in this town, this one was sturdy, strong, and unyielding. It would be a nice place to go to battle against the woman who should have been on his side.
He still couldn’t believe that Charlotte was so concerned about losing her grandson that she wouldn’t give Grant the chance to do the right thing. Since when did grandparents insist on taking custody of their grandkids?
His throat closed up as he considered everything Charlotte might throw at him. Grant slipped his finger into his collar and tugged, but it didn’t relieve the choking sensation. The tie wasn’t too tight; it was his emotions that were cutting him off from the oxygen he desperately needed.
A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, causing him to jump and move a step away as he turned. His lawyer offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. It’s going to all work out.”
“You don’t know that,” Grant said. “Charlotte is making decisions based on how she feels about losing her daughter. A mother’s love can move mountains.”
John gave him a stern look. “Don’t go in there acting like we’ve already lost. She’s not Nick’s mother. Just because she was listed as the person Dee preferred to raise Nick doesn’t mean it’s set in stone. That kid needs a father, and you know it.”
Grant wasn’t going to argue. The man was the best family lawyer he knew.
John moved past him, patting him on the shoulder again. “We’ve got a solid case. Those letters will be what puts us over the edge, I guarantee it.”
Watching the man who held Grant’s future in the palm of his hand made him just as sick to his stomach as he had been when Nick was taken away from him. The ache from that night cut deep despite having seen his son since then.
There were so many things he should have done to prevent this. He could have taken Nick away at the first sign of trouble. He could have fought Charlotte harder to settle the custody issue. He could have told Bella who he was right from the beginning. He”d made so many mistakes.
Then again, maybe none of that would have helped anyway.
Grant turned at the sound of a car door shutting and saw Bella heading toward him. She wasn’t in her uniform, and it was refreshing to see her in an outfit that accentuated her natural beauty. Based on the way she looked at him, she was intent on speaking with him. His heart exploded with nerves. He wanted to apologize. He wanted to talk to her, but he didn’t know if he was ready.
The second she reached his side, he held up his hand. She snapped her mouth shut with surprise, but he didn’t give himself any extra time to hesitate.
“You were right,” he spit out.
She didn’t respond right away.
“Everything you said was right,” he reiterated. “I shouldn’t have stuck around when things got dangerous. I don’t know how Charlotte is going to spin things, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she takes advantage of all the stuff that’s been happening to make sure I never see Nick again.”
His fears burst to the surface. He couldn’t contain them anymore. He needed support, and right now, Bella was the only one that made sense.
“I know you’re upset with me, and I’m sorry?—”
“Hey,” she said softly. “It’s okay. I promise.”
He shook his head. “It’s not, though. I can already see that this is going downhill and fast. You don’t know how manipulative Charlotte can be. Dee complained about her constantly. I don’t even know why she put her mother as the person who should take Nick. It doesn’t make sense.”
“It was probably before… when she didn’t know if she was going to tell you.”
“Yeah, maybe,” he said. He glanced toward the courthouse. “I’m going to lose my son today, Bella.”
She reached for his hand and held it tight. “You’re not going to lose him. You’re a great dad. Nick is lucky to have you. The judge is going to see that the second you walk in those doors?—”
Her phone’s ringtone cut her off.
Grant motioned for her to take it and she hurried off a few feet to answer. He watched her for a moment, noting her slight smile—perhaps even relief. Whatever it was, she was getting good news. At least one person who deserved it was going to have a good day.
When Bella returned, she looked shaken. “That was someone from the Billings police department. There’s a job for me there. It’s my chance to become a detective.”
Her announcement was like a kick to the gut. “Wow.”
“I know,” she said. “I only came out here as a favor to a friend, my mentor. I figured if I paid my dues, maybe I’d get to move up. I… This was unexpected.”
“You deserve it.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t even solve your case.”
“You kept me out of jail for a DUI. That’s something. I’m sure that if you hadn’t been there, this would only be fuel added to Charlotte’s fire.”
“Maybe,” she said.
The battle going on in her head was well on display. The opportunity was too good to pass up. But something made her want to stay.
He understood that. This was now her home just like it had become his. Some part of him knew that from the very beginning. Once he’d stepped foot in Rocky Ridge, he hadn’t wanted to leave—not even to move back to Nashville.
“Your case still isn’t solved.”
“I’m sure someone else can handle it.”
Bella stared at him hard. “I don’t trust anyone else to do it right.”
He gave her a sad laugh. “After today, I don’t think it’s going to matter much. If Charlotte gets Nick, I might just head back to Nashville.”
“No, you won’t!” she snapped.
He stared at her in surprise.
“Nick needs you. A father like you doesn’t just leave.”
“You’re forgetting that I have the money to fly here as often as I want. I’ll work out some sort of visitation arrangement.”
She glowered at him. “That’s not good enough.”
What could he say to convince her she was wrong? This was officially out of his hands. He didn’t have a say, and staying here when he couldn’t see Nick every day would end up being too hard.
“You can’t just give up like that,” Bella insisted. “I won’t let you.”
He shook his head. There was absolutely nothing he could say to her.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she snapped. “I know you, Grant. I know how much you love that boy, and I know how much he loves you. My hands might be tied when it comes to the law, but I will stand by your side every second you fight for Nick.”
“But—”
“No buts,” she shot back.
As much as he wished this was her way of telling him that she still cared about him as more than just a friend, he had to be realistic. She might say he was a good father. Heck, she might even believe it. But the truth was, she didn’t trust him.
Being a good dad didn’t mean he would be a good boyfriend or a good husband. He’d already shown his worth when he’d been married to Dee, and he’d failed. He’d failed so bad that she’d hidden a pregnancy from him.
If he wasn’t already feeling so broken down by everything he was going through, he would have told her that he wanted another chance. He would have promised over and over that he would do better. There were so many things he would have changed about their lives that might change the outcome this time around.
Instead of saying any of that, he kept those feelings locked away in his heart. She was a good person who deserved someone who could give her what she wanted. And he wasn’t that guy.
One thing at a time. At least, that was what he would tell himself.
Grant smiled at her, hoping it would be convincing enough to make her drop the subject. He had already accepted his fate. “Thanks for the pep talk.”
She smiled back. “It’s going to be okay.”
“That’s what everyone keeps telling me.”
“Well, it is.”
She glanced down at where she still held his hand and it was then that he realized just how natural it still felt to be with her. He”d be immensely happy spending the rest of his life in this town, with this woman, raising his son. It was too bad that life never ended up the way he wanted it to.
Bella withdrew her hand and fiddled with her hair. Her eyes darted toward the entrance of the courthouse. She nodded in that direction and he followed her gaze. “Looks like they’re ready for you to go inside.”
Grant’s stomach roiled. He wasn’t ready. He would never be ready for this.
“It’s going to be okay,” she repeated. “You and Nick are meant to be a family. I just know it.”
Grant shot her one last fleeting look. “I’ll see you in there.”
She nodded. “I’ll be right in.”