Chapter 12 Vance #3
“Right. Of course.” She moved toward the door, but I blocked it slightly.
“What were you photographing?”
“What? Nothing. I was just checking messages.”
“I saw you taking a photo.”
Her smile turned cold. “The lighting in here is beautiful. I was capturing it for design inspiration. Beautiful home Seraphina has. Lila’s lucky to have such supportive friends.”
It wasn’t what she said but the way she said it. Like she was cataloging information. Like she was building a file.
“The bathroom’s down the hall,” I repeated, my tone firm.
“Right. Of course.” She moved past me, but not before I caught the look in her eyes.
Cold. Calculating. Dangerous.
A few minutes later, Lila and I walked down the beach path together, hand in hand. I hesitated to tell her what I’d seen. She was having such a nice time, and this would kill the mood. But I had to.
“I saw Kenzie just now—in Seraphina’s office. She was taking photos of the kids’ group picture on Seraphina’s desk.”
“What? Why would she do that?”
“I don’t know. Something’s not right. I think you should go to Carol,” I said.
“This is starting to scare me.”
“Me too.”
“Let’s talk about it later,” Lila said. “I don’t want the kids to pick up on anything.”
The bonfire was blazing. The kids were scattered around it—some on logs, others on blankets.
Tyler was playing guitar, his fingers moving easily over the strings.
The girls were roasting marshmallows. Madison sat next to her brother Robbie, who appeared to be teaching her the proper roasting technique.
Margot sat between Bella and Mia, looking at one, then the other, with clear adoration. And she was smiling—that pinched look around her mouth finally gone. Just another one of the kids.
Margot glanced up and saw us. For a second, her expression wavered, as if she were afraid I’d be mad at her. I waved, smiling. She looked at me a few seconds longer, shoulders hunched. Why would she think I’d be angry?
I walked over and knelt beside her. “You having fun?”
She nodded. “Is it okay?”
“For sure. I’m having fun too,” I said.
“Margot’s a really good marshmallow maker,” Mia said.
“I always burn mine because I’m too impatient,” Bella said. “And I tell my brother I like them that way. Otherwise he bosses me around.”
Margot giggled. I kissed the top of her head and let them be. But as I headed back to Lila, I heard Mia say, “When we’re real sisters, I won’t boss you around.”
“I wouldn’t mind,” Margot said.
Tyler strummed a new song, slow and sweet. Grace started singing along, her voice clear and lovely, giving me goosebumps.
I took Lila’s hand and we wandered down the beach a ways, until Grace’s singing grew fainter.
We walked in comfortable silence, the sound of waves filling the space between us.
When we were far enough away that the bonfire was just a distant glow, Lila stopped.
She turned to face me, and, in the moonlight, she looked ethereal.
I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her waist. She looked up at me, her eyes reflecting the moonlight.
“Thanks for being here tonight.”
“Your friends are great,” I said. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“Kenzie’s ruined it for me. The show was a dream come true, but it’s becoming a nightmare—Beau, Kenzie, the stalking. I don’t know how much more I can take.”
“Then quit,” I said. “Walk away.”
“I can’t. The contract—“
“We’ll fight it. Together. I’ll hire the best lawyer. We’ll get you out of this.”
She looked up at me. “You’d do that? Even though it would be messy and expensive?”
“For you? For us? Absolutely.” I cupped her face. “I’m not going to let these people hurt you. Or use you. We’ll find a way out.”
“I don’t know. Let’s think about it some more,” Lila said. “I can talk to Carol.”
“Whatever you want to do, I support you.”
“Oh, Vance, you’re so good to me. I didn’t even know how lonely I was until you came into my life. Having you by my side makes everything seem okay.”
I pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. “To think—you were here all along and I didn’t know.”
“Tonight, I want to do more than sleep.”
I gulped down a yelp of surprise. “I’m in.” I kissed her then—soft and slow, tasting champagne and ocean salt on her lips. She melted into me, her hands sliding up to link behind my neck.
“Lila, I think I love you,” I whispered.
Her eyes filled with tears. “I think I love you too.”
We kissed again, longer this time, until voices drifted down from the bonfire.
“We should really get back,” Lila said reluctantly. “It’s late. We should get the kids home.”
“The sooner I get you home, the better.”
We walked back hand in hand, and, when we reached the fire, several heads turned. Esme and Grady were with the kids now, sitting side by side on a log.
Mia grinned. “And where have you two been?”
I felt Lila grow warm next to me. “Just walking,” she said.
Robbie turned to look at us. “I counted at least two kissing sessions. You were doing more than walking.”
The kids laughed. Even Margot smiled, her eyes bright in the firelight.
“Okay, Sherlock,” Lila said, blushing. “Time for you to work on your marshmallow technique.”
We settled onto a log, Lila tucked against my side. Seraphina and Delphine joined us, then Alex and Gillian. Tyler started playing again—something soft and melodic. The stars were out now, thick and bright above the ocean.
This was it. This was what I’d been missing all those years in Paris. Not just love, but belonging. Community. Family.
Margot looked over at us, her smile soft. Then she turned back to Mia and Bella, whispering something that made them giggle.
I closed my eyes, letting the moment sink in—the crackle of the fire, the sound of the ocean, children’s laughter, Lila’s warmth against me.
Perfect.
About an hour later, the fire had burned down to embers, and the younger kids were getting sleepy. Madison was curled up against Robbie, eyes drooping. Margot yawned, leaning into Mia’s shoulder.
“Time to head back up,” Seraphina said, standing. “I think we’ve got some tired children.”
The group gathered blankets and thermoses, heading up the beach path toward the house. I lifted Margot into my arms. She was too tired to protest, just resting her head on my shoulder.
“I had fun, Papa,” she murmured.
“I’m so glad, mon c?ur.”
The adults walked together, kids trailing ahead. Mama linked arms with Gillian, the two of them chatting about the upcoming school year. Alex and Grady carried the coolers. Lila walked beside me, her hand on Margot’s back.
Then I saw her. Kenzie stood on the patio, phone in hand, filming. Not the party. Not the decorations. She was filming us. All of us. Walking up from the beach. The kids running ahead. Margot in my arms. Lila at my side. Our private family moment.
I stopped abruptly. “What are you doing?”
Kenzie lowered her phone, that bright smile fixed in place. “Just getting some behind-the-scenes content. The network loves this kind of thing. You know, real family moments.”
“This isn’t content,” I said, my voice hard. “This is a private party.”
“But you’re part of the show now. And the fans want to see—“
“I never consented to being filmed here,” I said. “And neither did any of these children.”
Seraphina stepped forward. “Kenzie, I’m going to ask you once to delete that footage and leave my property.”
“I’m just doing my job.” Kenzie widened her eyes as if completely innocent. “There’s no need to go ape on me.”
“Your job doesn’t include trespassing and filming children without their parents’ permission,” Alex said, his voice quiet but dangerous. “Delete it. Now.”
Kenzie’s mask slipped. For just a second, I saw something cold and ugly flash across her face.
“Fine.” She made a show of deleting the video, but I noticed she didn’t hand over her phone for verification. “I was just trying to help build buzz for the show. For Lila’s career.”
“By invading our privacy?” Lila asked.
“By making you a star.” Kenzie held her phone close to her chest. “You should be thanking me. I’m the one who will eventually get the network to buy six episodes. I’m the one pushing your content. Without me, you’ll still be a nobody designer in a small town.”
The patio went silent.
“Get out,” Seraphina said. “Now. Before I call the police.”
Kenzie looked around at all of us. Her smile was thin and venomous.
“See you Monday, Lila. Early call time.” She looked at me. “Both of you. The network wants more footage of the homeowner and designer working together.”
She walked away, heels clicking on the stone path. After she was gone, no one spoke for a moment.
“That woman is unhinged,” Delphine said finally.
“She’s scary,” Esme added. “Did you see the way she was looking at everyone? Like she was cataloging us?”
I set Margot down gently. “Go inside with Mia, sweetheart. We’ll be right there.”
After the kids went in, I turned to Lila’s friends. “We need help. Kenzie’s been sabotaging the renovation, leaking information to gossip sites, stalking Lila’s house. We called the police, but they can’t do anything without a direct threat.”
“Then we document everything,” Seraphina said. “Every interaction. Every incident. Build a case.”
Alex pulled out his phone. “I have a friend who’s a private investigator. Former FBI. Specializes in harassment cases. If you want, I can make a call.”
I looked at Lila. She nodded, eyes glistening.
“Make the call,” I said.
As we walked to the car, Mama, Lila and Mia behind us, Margot slipped her hand into mine.
“Papa?”
“Yeah, mon c?ur?”
“I like it here. In Willet Cove. With you.”
My throat tightened. “I like having you here.”
“And I like Lila. And Mia.”
“They like you too. Very much.”
“Bella said it takes time. To feel like you belong in a family. But that it happens eventually if you’re open to it.”
“Bella’s a smart girl.”
“She said her new mom never gave up on her. Even when she was mean.”
I glanced down at her. “Are you worried about being mean?”
“Sometimes I don’t feel like talking. Or I get sad and I don’t know why.”
“That’s okay. You can be sad. You can be quiet. Or loud. You can feel however you feel. I’m not going anywhere.”
She looked up at me, her eyes shining in the streetlight. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Do you think Lila would be my new mom if I was really, really good,” Margot asked.
“You don’t have to be good. You just have to be you. And she will love you.”
“Mia said her mom never yells at her. Or says mean things. Do you think she would be nice to me too?”
“I know she would. That’s just how she is,” I said.
“Bella said she’s going to be a big sister because her mom’s having a baby. If you and Lila have a baby, will you still love me?”
I stopped, kneeling on the stone pathway.
“I want you to hear this and take it into your heart and keep it there. Nothing in this world will ever stop me from loving you. You’re my daughter.
My little baby girl. I’m always going to be your Papa.
Even when you’re all grown up. No one’s ever going to take you from me again. ”
Margot wrapped her arms around my neck so hard, I almost choked. The other three caught up to us then. I rose to my feet, bringing Margot with me. And then something unbelievable happened. Margot opened her arms wide and at the same time she and Mia yelled out, “Group hug.”
“Was that the right way, Mia?” Margot asked when we all separated.
“That was perfect,” Mia said. “You nailed group hug on your first try.”
Mia and Margot clasped hands and skipped ahead of us, giggling all the way to the car.
I wanted to get down on my knees and thank God but instead I started to cry, my face buried in my hands. Mama and Lila came on either side of me, wrapping their arms around me, patting my back, until I got myself together.
“The lord’s been good to us today,” Mama said. “He sure has.”
Although I agreed, I couldn’t help but fret over Kenzie. What was she up to? And why?