Chapter Forty-four
Kenna
Life as I’ve known it hasn’t been the same the past few weeks.
To say I’m happy is an understatement. Okay, so my dad hasn’t reached out.
And he hasn’t cashed the check. I suspect it sits shredded at the bottom of a dumpster.
I never really expected him to cash it, although I’d have been happy if he had.
But I did hope he might, for Amelia’s sake, try to forge a reconciliation.
And while it may be true that the love I feel for him is ingrained in the fact that we share blood, I can’t help but still dream of a father who could be proud of me instead of ashamed.
Who inspires instead of discourages me. Who loves me despite all my shortcomings.
Can’t he love me for the simple fact that I’m his daughter, and I’m trying?
I’m truly trying. But I fear the book has closed on that chapter of my life.
I get a welcome distraction from my thoughts when Carter walks through the kitchen and stops to kiss my neck.
And I realize there is a man in my life who inspires me.
He inspires me a lot. Especially when I sneak up to his bed around midnight.
When I’m with Carter, nothing else matters.
How fortunate I’ve been to find a man who matches me so completely.
We had to tell his siblings about the money. They had a right to know who paid off the loan.
They were understandably stunned, but mostly they were happy that Carter wouldn’t be leaving the family business or this town.
I’m sure the rest of the town will find out soon enough.
And while Carter assures me everything will be fine, there’s still that worry niggling in the back of my mind that everyone will want a piece of me.
Case in point, the other day when we were on a date in a nearby town, someone recognized me.
It was scary. I was sure the woman would be waiting for me, possibly with a pointed gun and ransom bag, when we left the restaurant.
But she wasn’t. Carter assured me that even if I’d given away all the money, there’s no way people would know it, and they’d still ask for money as if I’d had the full and total amount at my fingertips.
He’s right of course. And Allie has been a big help in calming those fears, having grown up with more money than I’ll ever have.
It’s started to sink in that I’m going to be wealthy. I’ve never been more relieved, however, that I took the annuity. It’s giving me time to ease my way into that upper echelon of society, something I feel I’ll never fully embrace no matter what my bank account says.
The best news is that Cyrus never made bail.
He’s sitting in a local New York jail awaiting trial, and that might not happen for six months to two years.
Jonah has been keeping us apprised. He said Cyrus was held without bail due to him being considered a flight risk based on the amount of debt he’s in.
Not to mention with his track record, there wasn’t a bail bondsman alive willing to loan him the money.
And apparently, while ninety-five percent of attempted murder cases are resolved through plea agreements rather than going to trial, Cyrus’s ego has him not only going to trial, but defending himself—a point that Jonah says definitely works in our favor.
Now that he’s out of the picture, I’ve been able to enjoy all aspects of my life, not just the nocturnal ones.
Life feels almost normal, aside from the fact that I’m still living in the basement.
Or, more accurately, sleeping there. The rest of our days are spent upstairs.
Eating, playing, cooking… living. Carter was bringing up those sleeping arrangements almost daily since we came back from the cabin.
But as soon as I offered to move out and into a rental, he stopped bugging me.
Secretly, though, I love how passionate he is about moving forward with the rest of our lives.
I’m getting there. I really am. Amelia loves him, that’s for sure. So do I. There’s no question about that. I just need to be sure we mesh as a couple out in the real world, not just in our little bubble.
My walls are wearing thin. He’s wearing them down. And I’m letting it happen. Because every time I see him with Amelia, it’s evident he wants the title of Daddy.
The kids are also adjusting. Amelia started pre-K this week, which she loves.
And we took both kids on a shopping trip that resulted in me spending more money on new clothes for them than I’ve collectively spent on a wardrobe in my entire life.
It was a foreign feeling for sure. But what good is having money if you can’t spend it on the ones you love?
What’s made me feel the best by far was the elation of making that first large donation to the CP Foundation.
Christian was over the moon when he found out about it.
He even told me he loved me. Needless to say, I said it back.
In truth, I fell in love with him almost as quickly as I fell for his dad.
The donation just proved how much I meant it.
And time moves on. The house has been painted.
I’ve submitted my application to enroll in summer classes at CCU.
And I’m interviewing potential babysitters.
But who am I kidding? I’ll never find ones as good as Christian and Bug.
Convincing both parents to let them babysit together is something else altogether.
But I get it, they’re young and in love.
As it stands, they’re only allowed to watch Amelia during the day when she’s awake.
The three of them come inside after swimming in Bug’s pool. It’s only mid-April and it’s still chilly outside, but the pool is heated. And Asher was keeping close watch.
“Mommy, I can hold my breath to five!”
I tug Amelia close and bundle the big fluffy towel around her. “Wow. You’re going to turn into a fish.”
“One fish. Two fish. Red fish. Blue fish,” she says, hopping onto my lap and drenching my lounge pants.
Carter laughs behind me. “I’m not the only one who quotes Dr. Seuss, I see.”
I smile and sigh, loving how he’s rubbing off on her in the best of ways.
“Dinner will be ready in a half hour,” I tell Christian on his way back to his room.
He stops. “What can I help with?”
I love that about him. Always willing to pitch in, even when it’s physically hard for him to do so.
“We’ve got it covered, son,” Carter says, sprinkling seasoning on some meat.
Christian’s eyes go to Carter. He studies him, then Amelia and me, then smiles. “I like this,” he says, nodding. “I really really like this.”
Carter and I simply look at each other and smile.