“Yeah. It’s a video game.”
“Can I play?” Ruger asked.
“Sure. It’s in the playroom,” Leo said.
“I want to play,” Lola said.
“You can play, too. And we got trains and puzzles and all kinds of things to play on. We’ll show you,” Leo said.
“Can we Daddy?” Lola asked.
“Sure. I’m going to come, too. Mommy and Miss Giada are going to have an adult conversation.”
“You’re an adult,” Lola said.
“That’s not what Mommy says,” Ruger said as they followed the kids out of the reception area.
“You mind if I go with them?” Havoc asked.
“No, go right ahead.”
“Listen to what Analise is going to tell you. I was a real asshole, and came with an unbelievable amount of baggage, and she chose me anyway. You never know how your life is going to turn out.”
“Is that what that nod was about?” Giada asked.
“Yep. Just making sure it was alright with both of us to share it with you,” Havoc said, then jogged lightly toward the double doors as he hurried to follow the kids to the playroom.
Giada watched him go then turned to Analise. “You have a beautiful family.”
“Thank you. They mean more to me than anything in the world.”
“I can understand that, especially after seeing you all together.”
“There was a time that I didn’t believe Havoc and I would end up together, in fact was so sure of it that I didn’t come home for six years just in case he and his daughter were here.”
“I thought she was your daughter,” Giada said.
“She is now. But back then she was the result of an affair he had when we were teenagers. We’ve known each other since we were babies. Our families are like family themselves. We’d always been very close and very special to each other. When we were in high school, he cheated on me. She flaunted it in front of me, and then she turned up pregnant. He was as devastated as I was. I applied to colleges as far away from here as I could get, and planned to leave. I just couldn’t look at him, muchless them together, and our families live in the same private neighborhood. He found out about it and refused to allow me to be driven out by his actions. He took her to live with his sister’s family in Missouri. I went away to college anyway, and stayed away. He stayed away, too. Eventually, she deserted them, but he stayed in Missouri — he’d built a life there. When Harley was about 6, he decided to come home for Christmas. I did, too. Neither of us knew the other would be there. I defended Harley against her mother in town before I ever made it home and didn’t even know who she was. That was when he walked into the store. We had to learn to deal with each other that Christmas because both of our families were so excited that we were there. Long story short, he broke my heart. He broke my soul. But our love was still alive somewhere under all that pain. And we found our way to each other again. Harley is as much my daughter as if I’d given birth to her. I cannot imagine my life without her. If he’d never cheated, we wouldn’t have Harley, and that’s just completely unacceptable. So, if we can find our way through all our baggage, and believe me, I had more than my share, too — trust issues after the fact I had to overcome, then anyone can find a happily ever after despite their baggage. And if you might somewhere in the back of your sub conscience wonder if Ronan might be able to look past your baggage — he already has. His age is only a factor if it’s a factor to you. Nobody else has even considered it. He’s a good male. He’s Havoc, but without all the craziness,” Analise said laughing. “If you think you might even be a little interested, don’t miss this opportunity. There is nothing you can say or do that our families haven’t had to deal with before. You will not ever have to face anyone that’s hurt you, or even wants to hurt you. The males in our family don’t allow their females to stand in harm’s way. They’re a unique kind of protector.”
“I thought I was being protected before, I was being controlled, and abused, and forced into what he wanted me to be.”
“Our males aren’t happy if we aren’t happy. We do what we want to do as they stand beside us and offer support and cheer us on. If anything or anyone becomes a danger, that’s when they step in. Otherwise, we kind of drive the relationship car where we want it.”
Giada nodded. “Sounds too good to be true.”
“It does, doesn’t it? I mean, don’t get me wrong, we have our fights and disagreements just like everyone else. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve locked Havoc out of the house with just the clothes on his back — and sometimes that’s just his underwear.”
Giada laughed.
“But there’s no violence. They respect us. We respect them. We are free to live our lives, as are they, knowing that we are loved and treasured and have the best cheering section. It’s the way things should be for everyone, and it’s very distressing that it’s not.”
“Yes, it is,” Giada said. “Love is disguised as so many things that it’s not meant to be.”
“It is indeed. And I’m not telling you what to do, but if you think you might be even slightly interested in Ronan, don’t miss this opportunity.”
“You said that before,” Giada said with a slight smile.
“I want to be sure you heard me. I love Ronan. I want him to be as happy as Havoc and I are, and I think you might be the one to give him that.”
