Prologue
Flo’s sons were raisedto respect and appreciate a female.While she could not guarantee they had always done so, she had tried.Her youngest son, Darren, considered a visit.He'd split up with his wife and somehow managed to get the kids.He hoped to come home and sort things out.He was trying to sell his house and get everything sorted before coming home.
It was hard to deny that Flo was pleased he would finally be out of the terrible situation his marriage had put him in and in a position to do something for his children.She was glad she hadn't had to interfere to get the result she wanted.Unfortunately, Darren had said it would be several months before he could visit.She hoped that Carlos would find the house they would live in by then, so Darren would have a place to stay since all these rooms in her old house were taken.If they were able to move out, that would free up some room.
Darren knew she had remarried, but she hadn't shared any details because she didn't know how he'd handle it.Flo would tell him after he arrived.There had also been an issue with security, and when they knew for sure what time Darren was arriving, they would need a nanny and some security for him and his children.
Flo found out Darren would be arriving in two weeks.Didn’t he understand it was hard to plan things at the last minute?Carlos had come through once more.He’d found a nanny trained to protect that even had a bit of magic.Harry had heard of her and approved.That meant a lot to Flo.One of the guest cabins would be vacant then, and Darren and the girls would move right in.That was such a relief.
Chapter 1
Better Days Ahead
Darren was ready forthe long trip ahead.His two daughters sat in the back watching cartoons on the TV there.His girls were ten and twelve, and they were well behaved.He was a stockbroker and made a good living, and he would admit he spoiled his girls.Maybe more than he would have if their mother had been a better parent.Blossom had been an awful mother, and had he known more about her to begin with, he’d never have had a relationship with her.
He found out way more than he wanted to know about Blossom after they were married.Darren was young and just wanted to have fun, and he'd never intended to have a serious relationship with her.She agreed that all she wanted was a little fun, and then they would go their separate ways.He'd worn condoms, and she said she was on the pill, so he was surprised when she became pregnant.It was hard to believe that there was any way the baby could be his, so he had her tested, and it turned out that the baby was his.
With that fact, there was only one thing he could do, and that was to marry her.After that, he discovered that Blossom was an exotic dancer, and he suspected she had also sold herself on the side.She lied about being a college student, and she was only taking one class, so she had a reason to hang out around the college.She must have seen him coming a mile away, and after the baby was born, he discussed the possibility of them separating, but she had insisted that she would get custody, and he would have to do without his child.His next surprise came about a year and a half later, when she said she was pregnant again.
The mistake he'd made then was drinking a little bit too much and ending up in her bed because they slept separately, which was coming back to haunt him.He decided that he was going to be stuck with that woman forever, and he needed to avoid sleeping with her, or they would have a whole house full of children, and he would never be able to leave.Darren finally spoke with a lawyer, who told him, based on all the information he had gathered about Blossom, that Darren would get custody.The only thing was that he would have to pay her off and have a contract to prove it.
Darren finally felt free, but maybe he had waited too long.She came to him after the divorce was finished and the custody arrangement had been reached to make a deal with him.Blossom had found someone who was willing to pay $1,000,000 for each of his girls.That showed what kind of mother she was because she saw nothing wrong with selling her children.
“Think about what a wonderful life we could have with all that money.”She'd explained.
“Are you crazy?They may not mean much to you, but they mean everything to me.”
“They'll never be safe.This is a scary dude, and they are on his radar now.We can take the money, or he'll take them anyway, and they'll be gone.”
“I'm glad I have my daughters, but I wish I'd had them with anyone in the world but you.I want you to leave and never come around us again.”Darren admitted.
He had a feeling that even though she had left, he hadn't seen the last of that woman.Darren also realized he would have to get some protection for his girls.He was sure it was this white wolf nonsense that was coming back to haunt him, no matter how much he tried to make it go away.This was something he would have to discuss with his mother, and he hoped she would have a solution for him.He didn't want his daughters to be dragged through whatever kind of mess Blossom could involve them in.
Darren took a deep breath and exhaled.His daughters were in the back singing some silly song along with the cartoon they were watching.They deserved to be happy, and the best way for that to happen was to get them away from New York and back home, where he had roots.He wasn't afraid to admit that family could help him protect them.He wasn't sure what his new father-in-law was like, but he had to be better than Darren's own father.
His mother sounded happy with her new life, and she deserved it.Ray Junior seemed to be doing better now that Shiloh, his sister, had brought her kids home.Even his niece seemed to have improved, and all that was from their coming home.Darren could only hope the same would happen to him and his kids.They stopped for the night a little over halfway there.The girls were excited, so he took them swimming in the pool for about an hour.After that, they ate supper and went to bed.He was in the same room in one bed, while they shared a bed right next to his.
