Chapter 40 #2
Ryan, however, still required more boundaries than others.
Over the last few weeks back at the museum, I had moved into my new office—basically a storage room with a door.
Blythe and Kate had been thrilled to have me back, and good old Rick even helped me clear out the dusty boxes that had been stored in my office.
Thankfully, no more forged canvases were discovered in the process.
After everything was settled, Val helped me hang my vibrant hummingbird painting above my desk. I stood back, wrapped in the arms of my future, smiling at my past. Who once was a young girl in a dusty white tent was now a full-fledged art curator.
Unlike my budding career, Barbara’s “freelancing” came to an unfortunate demise.
After a proper investigation, the authorities had uncovered so much more than Lake Attersee, which she later admitted had been a sort of trophy after being fired.
Barbara had only attended the Felix Andreas gala to watch everyone fawn over a fake.
In addition to the botched Cormac Padraig robbery, Barbara and multiple accomplices—one being a museum security guard—pled guilty to three accounts of grand larceny and two other attempts. Her nationwide “curating” had given her access to hundreds of museums.
Any hope of mine to soften her punishment had lent way to a sense of justice and peace with my decision. The day the real Lake Attersee was rehung, as I watched hand in hand with Val, was one I’d never forget.
My now eleven-year-old came wandering into the living room, lanky as ever. He tried to smooth down his light brown cowlick, but it bounced right back up like Dad’s used to.
“What’s up, Mom?”
“There’s a friend here I’d like you to meet. I’ve been working with him at the museum.”
I opened the door to reveal Val’s towering form, fidgeting slightly, on our front step.
“Anthony, this is my friend, Val Russo. Val, this is my son, Anthony.”
Val offered a warm smile, his brown eyes twinkling. “Hey there. It’s nice to meet you.” Val held out a hand, but Anthony’s freckled frown stayed firmly in place, his blue eyes sweeping over Val as if sizing him up.
“So you’re the guy dating my mom?”
My jaw dropped. “Anthony Frank Willis! Where did you hear that?”
“Grandma talks really loud.” He shrugged, a devious smile breaking through. “It’s okay if you date; I’m fine with it.”
Anthony swung back to Val with a stony expression. “But if you hurt my mom, I’ve got a load of buddies just waiting to go.”
Val grinned, his shoulders shaking with a suppressed laugh. “I can respect that. And I promise I won’t hurt your mom.”
After a moment, Anthony finally shook Val’s large hand. “Deal. And I already know you’re taking us paintballing.”
I dropped my hands to my side in exasperation.
“Are there no secrets in this house?”
“Nope.” Anthony laughed and gave me a hug. “Plus you never wear that shirt unless you’re getting messy. I’m great at noticing stuff. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be a detective when I grow up.”
Val and I exchanged a look.
I expelled a shaky laugh. “Well, Val, come on in, I guess.”
Anthony pulled the door wide, making room for Val to step inside.
“Yeah, come on in, Valentine.”
I clapped a hand to my face.
Later that evening, Val and I sat on my living room floor in another impromptu picnic, leaning our backs against my new couch. Of course I had to purchase another clone of Val’s. Who was I kidding? Val’s couch had ruined me for life.
I nudged the empty pizza box with my fuzzy sock. “We should probably clean this up, huh?”
Val scoped the hallway, making sure Anthony was still packing to go to Ryan’s. With the coast clear, he tossed a brawny arm over my waist and tugged me flush against his body.
“Forget the cleaning. There’s no time!”
The urgency with which he pressed his lips to mine made me laugh mid-kiss. I loved how thoughtful he was being, easing our relationship into Anthony’s life at a comfortable pace.
After fully savoring his mouth with mine, I pulled away.
“Did you seriously just tell me to forget cleaning?”
A grin tipped the corner of his lips. “I did. And I will every time if it means I get to kiss you, Adams.”
A door creaked down the hall and Val shot out of my arms.
“I’m all packed, Mom.” Anthony lugged his black duffel bag down the hall. I recognized the square indent of his first birthday’s picture frame pressing against the cloth. A warm blanket wrapped around my heart.
“And I found more of Grandma’s socks in the dryer.” His nose wrinkled.
I chuckled. “Toss them with the others. I’ll drop them by the condo tomorrow.”
He turned and threw them into a basket by the hall closet, brimming with odds and ends Mom had left when she moved out. That basket always gave me an ache in my chest, but she had insisted it had been time. Her condo was less than five minutes away, though, and we saw her almost daily.
I crossed my legs, pulling a second pizza box toward me on the carpet. “Do you want more pizza before you go to your dad’s, sweetie?”
Anthony’s mop of light brown hair flopped over his eyes. “Nah. I’m stuffed. Plus Vanessa always keeps a cupboard of snacks for when I visit.”
That same, strange relief filled me.
“I’m glad.”
The doorbell rang.
Val’s hot breath skimmed my ear. “You sure you want me here for this? I’m fine to meet Ryan, but I could take these pizza boxes out the back if you think it’d be better for Anthony.”
I melted at his consideration, but my spine straightened.
“No. I’m not hiding you for Ryan’s benefit. Today was incredible. Anthony is no people pleaser, and I can tell he really likes you.” I stood and dusted my hands on my leggings. “It’s going to be great,” I repeated to myself.
Val gave me an encouraging smile as if to say “You got this,” then reclined on the couch and crossed an ankle over his knee.
To my surprise, Anthony ignored the front door and walked right past me to Val.
“Hey, thanks for taking us paintballing. I mean, you need to work on your aim, but it was fun.” Anthony raised a fist and waited for Val to bump it. Val bumped his fist as he held back a laugh, the same way he’d held back in the paintball arena.
“Noted.” Val nodded seriously, leaning forward. “I’m gonna need your help with that, my man.”
Anthony’s face broke into an excited smile. “I have so many YouTube videos you could watch! I mean, they really helped me out when—”
The doorbell rang again.
Anthony walked backward toward the door, still rambling to Val. “They’d totally help your technique. Oh, do you like the Vikings? My gramps and I always used to watch them. They’re playing on TV next weekend—”
I laughed, grabbing Anthony’s shoulders and pulling him into a backward hug.
“We’ll have lots of time for that later,” I said, kissing the top of his head.
The touched look in Val’s eyes almost made me tear up. I hadn’t realized how deeply he had wanted to connect with Anthony—how much this meant to him. I had somewhat thought his enthusiasm had been for my benefit, but it had been also for his—the father figure who never got to be a father.
The doorbell rang for a third time.
I sighed and opened the door.
Ryan’s leather jacket faced the driveway, Ryan’s hands shoved deep in its pockets. He turned and leveled his ocean eyes with mine, his sandy blonde hair artfully styled like always.
“Is Anthony ready?”
“Yup.” Anthony answered as he lugged his bag across the threshold. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, bud.” A genuine smile bloomed on Ryan’s face as he tousled Anthony’s cowlick. “You ready to go? Did you remember to pack underwear this time?”
“Yeah, I packed them.” Anthony laughed even as he blushed, attempting to wrestle his dad’s much larger form. Ryan’s boisterous chuckle made Anthony beam with pride.
“Good. Go get in the car, bud, I’ll be there in a sec.”
Anthony’s two small arms squeezed me tight as the routine heavy sensation in my chest did the same.
“See ya, Mom.”
“Bye, honey. I’ll see you Sunday!”
Anthony’s car door had shut for a millisecond before Ryan turned back, all traces of amusement gone.
“Whose car is that?”
I hitched an eyebrow. “Uh, yours?” I pointed to where Anthony sat waiting.
“Not that one.” A muscle began to feather in his jaw. “The white Audi.”
Recognition sparked. I opened my mouth, but it was Val’s gravelly voice that responded.
“That would be mine.”
Only because I knew Ryan so well did I notice the flash of intimidation as Val joined me at the door. Ryan took Val in, fixating on Val’s arm wrapping around my waist.
“So you are dating?” The question was directed at me, though he didn’t deign to take his eyes off Val.
“Not dating.” I grinned up at Val. “More like relationship-ing.”
Val’s small snort and eye roll made me laugh.
Ryan found none of this funny. Still refusing to take his eyes off Val, he said, “Amantha, could I speak to you in private for a minute?”
I felt Val tense beside me, but I laid a hand on his muscular chest. “It’s okay.”
I pecked Val’s stubbled cheek and stepped out into the chilly night, closing the door behind me.
Goosebumps prickled my arms. The autumn weather, the black expanse of lawn, it all felt eerily familiar. My sight snagged on the bent sprinkler head by the edge of the driveway.
I sighed. “What’s up, Ryan?”
Ryan’s tight face stared me down. “I don’t like random guys being around Anthony.”
I tilted my chin to the star-dusted sky and closed my eyes. “He’s not random. And this is none of your business.” My flat refusal to submit seemed to only incense him further.
“Amantha, come on. Anthony deserves better than this. Here you go again being all selfish and—”
I let his rant dissipate, floating by me on the fall breeze. He’d tire out eventually.
My sight fell again on that bent sprinkler head. Two years ago, it had cracked my life open—cracked me open. Those memories came rushing back, but for the first time, I didn’t feel any pain.
I watched the echo of my father comfort me in that mud-filled puddle.
Heard the never-ending encouragement from my mom.
Felt the love from Anthony. The support from Kate.
Saw the opportunities from Blythe and Kendra.
Remembered the handsome future waiting for me behind the large oak door just inches away.
Most importantly, I felt the self-confidence that would never be ripped from me again.
“Thank you, Ryan,” I said quietly.
He stopped mid-sentence, furrowing his blonde eyebrows. “What?”
“Thank you. For everything.”
And I meant it.
For once, it seemed like Ryan the lawyer didn’t have a rebuttal. Didn’t have a clue about the beautiful second-chance life I’d been given. Didn’t realize that he had no power over me anymore.
I turned to go inside, but he stopped me.
“You know this is grounds for a custody rearrangement, right?”
My blood turned to ice as I swiveled back to his cocky smile.
He snapped his fingers as if only now remembering.
“That’s right. I tried to warn you, remember?
Any change to Anthony’s life gives me permission to re-file, or did you forget?
” The gleam in his eye held me right where he wanted me.
“Are you really selfish enough to risk that? Risk Anthony to be with that guy?”
I finally found my voice.
I snapped my fingers in my own mock epiphany, my eyes growing huge. “You didn’t seem to care about Anthony for the first nine years of his life, or when you tore our family apart. Remember? When you chose Vanessa over us? Or did you forget?”
His blue eyes widened a fraction before turning to steel. “I'm not messing around, Amantha. You know I have a top-notch legal team just waiting to go.”
I lifted my chin, squared my shoulders, and looked him dead in the eye. “I won custody once before. And I’d love to see you fail so miserably the second time around, so go right ahead.” Without another word, I turned, stepped inside, and closed the door in his stunned face.
Val immediately swept me against his chest.
“I’m so proud of you,” he murmured against my hair. “And don’t worry, Ryan has no chance at custody. Any judge will see that.”
“I’m not worried. Not anymore.” I nuzzled in closer, then pulled back to raise a teasing eyebrow. “Wait. Are you the one eavesdropping now?”
His unabashed eyes twinkled with humor. “Sure was.”
“Not you too! This house is gonna be a free-for-all of secrets, isn’t it?” I laughed.
“Once we’re married, yes.”
The thrum of anticipation sped my pulse, the way it always did when Val talked about our future. He was always so confident—like it was only a matter of when, as opposed to if. I found the degree of cockiness in his smirk insanely sexy.
“Oh? And what else should I expect when we’re married?”
Val lifted me flush against him, pressing his forehead to mine. I slung my arms around his neck, twining my fingers into his dark curls. Every square inch of my body that touched his tingled with awareness. His delicious chocolate eyes held mine captive.
“A bigger bed,” he said huskily, the closeness of his breath warming my lips. “We’re going to need a much bigger bed.”
I kicked my feet happily.
“Shut up, Russo.”