Talk about feeling deflated. She didn’t think she had ever been as disappointed in her life! It had been ages since she had enjoyed a wonderful kiss, and every instinct told her that Caleb was an amazing kisser. Those lips of his didn’t lie. Sophia burst out laughing at the direction of her thoughts. This is what happened to a person when they went too long without romance in their life.
Over coffee and treats at Charmed, Sophia had found out a lot about Caleb. Being on the reality show had clearly been a misstep, one that continued to affect him. And it wasn’t fair that Caleb had been made to feel as if his dreams couldn’t come to fruition simply because of a reality show that had presented a slanted view of him.
“That’s okay, Caleb. You’re going to be a rock star by the time I’m through with you,” Sophia said. She felt such a burst of confidence about shooting Caleb and him being the star of the ad campaign. She knew from having watched him on television that the camera loved him.
There was nothing she loved more than a challenge when she was doing photo shoots. Bringing people out of their shells, making a plain person pop on film, creating magic out of the ordinary. But Caleb was extraordinary, and with the right setting and wardrobe, he could really take off as a brand ambassador. With his looks and personality, he would do well in commercials and interviews. It had been a burst of genius from Hattie to pick Caleb as the spokesman. For a woman who was counting down her days, Hattie Stone wasn’t resting on her laurels. She was continuing to make an impact.
Just getting her grandsons to come back to Moose Falls after a twenty-year absence had been miraculous. And everyone in town wanted to give her a standing ovation for bringing three of the hottest men in creation to Alaska. Sophia tried to keep her sadness at bay at the reality that their return wouldn’t completely be a happily-ever-after. Hattie was slipping away from them, more and more with every passing day.
I’m dying, but I’m still living.Hattie’s motto came to mind, serving as a reminder that Hattie still had a lot of living to do. Sophia totally wanted to be a badass like Hattiewhen she grew up. She wished that she could be more like her—fearless and bold.
When she pulled up in front of her house, she was surprised to find Donny standing by his parked car. She had no idea what he was doing here, unannounced and unwanted. Sophia groaned as she stepped out of her vehicle. This day had started out so well, but now it had taken an unpleasant turn. Nothing good ever came from Donny’s surprise visits.
“Donny. What are you doing here?” she asked as she walked toward him.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in? It’s cold out here.” Donny flashed her a dazzling smile, the same one that had caused Sophia to fall head over heels in love with him. Lily had the same stunning smile on a heart-shaped face.
“You can come in, but I need to pick up Lily soon at her playdate.”
“Well, that’s what I want to talk to you about. Lily.”
Something about his expression told Sophia he was serious about whatever had brought him here. She turned toward her house and walked down the snow-covered path until she reached her front porch. Donny trailed behind her, his feet making a shuffling sound in the snow. Once she was inside, Sophia ushered Donny in and led him toward the den.
She looked at her watch. “I would offer to make you some tea, but I’ve barely got ten minutes before I need to get on the road.”
Donny sank down into a leather chair while Sophia sat in the matching love seat next to him. “What’s going on? You mentioned Lily,” she said, waiting with bated breath for him to speak.
He fiddled with his hands and let out a nervous cough. “I-I want to set up a formal custody agreement with you.”
“We already have one, Donny,” she said with a sigh.“And the majority of the time you don’t honor it. I had to stop even telling Lily you were coming to get her so her little heart wouldn’t get broken when you didn’t show up.”
Donny winced. “I hate that I did that to her, but that’s all in the past now. Lily and I had a great time together, and I want more moments like that with my daughter.”
“Well, start showing up when you’re supposed to,” she snapped. “That would be a good start.”
“I want joint custody, Sophia.”
BAM!His words exploded like fireworks.
“What?” she shouted, thinking she must have misheard him. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
He clenched his teeth. “I’m serious. I want to make a commitment to our daughter.”
“Wh-where is this coming from?” she sputtered. “You’ve barely spent any time with her at all, and now all of a sudden you want joint custody.”
“I don’t want to miss out on any more of her life. It may seem hard to believe, but I’m being sincere.”
Sophia shook her head, filled with disbelief. “This isn’t a game, Donny.”
“I’ve retained an attorney, Sophia. If nothing else, that should show you that I’m serious.”
She couldn’t believe his nerve. All this time and she had never once resorted to retaining an attorney. Not when he’d missed child support payments or bailed on visitation. Yet now, out of the blue, he was making demands and throwing down the gauntlet.
“I-I think you should leave my house,” she said, gritting her teeth.
“Sophia, let’s not make this adversarial—” he began.
“Stop trying to gaslight me!” She jumped up from her seat, clenching her hands into fists at her side. “That sailedout the door when you went to consult an attorney before having the decency to talk to me first.”
