Maybe that’s why I loved Houston so much—it was messy, effervescent, chaotic, and soalive.“I think I’m going to want to continue working,” I told him.“But I’m going to want to be around for Bree, too, so I don’t know what that future will hold.But it’ll be here.Here in Houston.”
“You’re sure?I mean, I know the city holds bad memories—”
“I’m sure.”I heaved a breath.“I’ve always loved the city.I love Ida Jane and the CATS.It’s my father I feared.But with you, I’m not scared of him anymore.”
Luka smiled, his fingertips grazing my cheek.“I’m glad to hear that, sweetheart, but you understand I may get traded.”
“I understand that.But you won’t be traded to Sri Lanka.”I opened the box.“I want us to be a family, hopefully here, but wherever we need to go.I want Bree to know how loved she is, every day.And I want you to know how loved you are by me.Every day.”
I scooted closer to better show him the thick platinum band, inset with a tiny channel of rubies.“Since we’re both June birthdays, I went with our birthstone, but if you hate it—”
He lunged forward, his hand cupping the back of my head, and kissed me.The ring went flying, but I wasn’t worried.We’d find it soon enough.
After an intense make-out session that ended with my toes in pins and needles and the rest of my body primed for more than we could do safely, Luka crawled around on the floor until he found his ring.
“Put it on?”he asked.
I slid it past his knuckle.“I wasn’t sure if you’d want a wedding band, too—”
“Yes.Both.Allof it.”He grinned with such joy, my breath caught.“I’m fucking engaged!”he crowed.
Bree shifted and then cried.We looked at each other and laughed.
“I’ll change her and then we can talk plans while you nurse her, okay?”
I nodded.
“Good.”He paused, suddenly seeming shy.“I have ideas about the wedding.”
“I want to hear them,” I said.
“And I want to go back to Colombo, but not to live.”
I smiled.“No, not to live.But we’ll visit.It’s a magical place.”
“I want to get married soon.”
“Then we will.”I kissed him, and he kissed me, until our daughter squawked again.
Keelie and Ida Janeinsisted on watching our eight-day-old daughter for Luka and me while we went to a meeting our lawyer, Jonathan Dresden, had set up with my father.I was grateful, but leaving Bree with my besties almost made me more nervous than facing the man who’d lied to me for years.Though bringing Bree along would have definitely been worse.
I pulled the lapels of my suit jacket over my breasts as we waited at the conference table, hoping I didn’t have another milk accident like the one yesterday.Luka must have been thinking the same thing because he leaned in and whispered, “I’d pay ten grand to see you hit him in the eye.”
I laughed but also gagged a little.I didn’t want my father in contact with any part of me, even my breast milk.
A minute later Chasten Jones strode into the room like he owned it—with Trent and the smarmy lawyer from the hospital in tow.I reached for Luka’s hand, and he held on, letting me know he was there.I glanced over at him, accepting his slight nod.He’d let me handle this—we’d already talked about that—but he offered the vote of confidence I needed.He believed in me.
“Mr.Jones,” I said, my voice whip sharp.“Mr.Cox.And…attorney.”
“Millicent,” my father said, evidently accepting my use of his surname as his due, as opposed to the distance I was putting between us.“Andre Castinelli is my legal counsel.”
“Right.Well, this shouldn’t take too long.Jonathan, if you’d like to explain,” I said, looking his way as the others took their seats.
“My pleasure, Millie.”Jonathan passed Andre a brief, and the other lawyer picked it up lazily.“My client is suing you for the entirety of the funds designated for her in the will of her mother, Allison Seymore Jones.She’s also suing for damages created by the lies told to her regarding her mother’s illness, the subsequent forced removal from her home, and the emotional cruelty created by the attempts to coerce her into a conservatorship.”
“That’s ridiculous—”
“Actually,” Andre said, setting down the document.“It’s legal.And smart.”He scowled at Chasten.“Based on your deceased wife’s will, Ms.Millicent Jones was the sole beneficiary.That’s not the will you shared with my firm.”
