"Exactly!" Tina snaps, her gaze hardening. "I would’ve expected you to respond with a punch to her jaw."
I exhale slowly. "Believe it or not, I got more satisfaction from the look on her face when she failed to get a rise out of me. She was livid."
"But she still took Hannah," Tina says, frustration creeping into her voice.
"The last thing Cal needs is for me to try and stop Meghan from taking her own child with her," I reply, trying to steady my breath.
Tina rubs her temples. "You're right," she admits reluctantly. "She could call the police and forcibly remove Hannah from your care. It’d result in a police report. The fewer waves we make, the better it'll be in the long run."
She stands slowly and begins pacing the floor, her steps measured, as if she’s working something out in her mind. I can almost see the wheels turning.
"What is it?" I ask, breaking the silence when she doesn’t speak after a few seconds.
"Nothing," she says. "I’m just wondering if Vince even knows about what Meghan's been up to."
"Maybe he knows and just doesn't care," I point out. "Maybe he supports Meghan’s decision to take Hannah."
"I bet he has no idea," Tina says. "I could find out."
"I don’t think that's a good idea," I reply. "The last thing we want is to make things worse for Cal?"
"Don’t worry," she says, offering a small, reassuring smile. "I’d never do anything to hurt the people I care about."
Chapter 32
Cal
"Vincent just approved all the prototype pieces I created for Fletcher Enterprises," I tell Nate, the satisfaction settling in. "Eight are now in production, and two are set aside as one-of-a-kind pieces for his private office."
Nate glances at me, raising an eyebrow. "So, Vincent’s happy with your work, but he still doesn’t know you’re the one behind it?"
"Exactly," I reply, feeling a sense of pride in the anonymity. "Fletcher Enterprises signed off on everything, but Richard made sure my name's not attached. Jackson & Co. Woodworks is mentioned in the fine print, but it’s not something he'd even notice."
"I'm proud of you," he says. "All your hard work and determination are finally paying off."
"Thanks," I say, unable to hide the grin that spreads across my face. "This win feels good."
"I'm sure there will be plenty more in your future," he adds. "You’ve got a talent that few do. The fact that it’s also making you money is the cherry on top."
"The last few days in New York were exhausting," I say, massaging the back of my neck. "But it was worth it."
Nate stretches out, leaning back on the sofa. "Now you’ve got the kind of success to match the quality of your work. This new couch, for example. It looks incredible in this space. I delivered it myself."
"Did you happen to see my girls while you were here?"
"The only one I saw was Tina," he replies, his smile vanishing. "She stopped by to grab Hannah's favorite blanket."
I smirk, crossing my arms over my chest. "Tina, huh?"
"Don't start," he murmurs, avoiding my gaze.
I chuckle. "Please tell me you two didn’t christen my sofa before I even had the chance to sit on it."
"Thanks for painting such a vivid picture of the reason why you wanted to get rid of the last one," he counters.
"It was old," I say. "Six years, to be exact."
"Enough said," he replies, catching my meaning. "Old memories you'd rather forget, I take it?"
