“You’re right.” I sigh and kiss her temple, breathing her in. “It’s not fair to you to do that. I apologize, and I’ll do my best not to do it again in the future. Just call me out on it if I fuck up, okay?”
“Okay. I can do that. Now, talk to me.”
She drags her fingertips down my cheek. That I’ve made Noel feel anything but loved and cared for tears me up inside.
She deserves so much more than that.
“I’m scared out of my mind,” I admit and swallow hard. “Piper’s only been with me for a few months, but she’s mine, you know? I don’t think I could love her more than I do. And the thought that some strangers could come in and just snatch her out of my hands has me debilitated with fear.”
“Reed,” she says with a sigh. “They can’t do that. I don’t know all of the ins and outs of the law here, but Shannon at Cherry Street has a foster daughter, and I’ve learned a little bit about the process from her. Yes, sometimes, the court will give grandparents rights to a child, but Reed, you’re her father. You’ve provided a wonderful home for her, she’s loved and respected. There’s no way a judge would pull her out of your home to give her to people she’s never even met before. They’d only do that if she were in foster care.”
“I know that. I spent the morning researching and making some calls to a couple of clients who happen to be attorneys, not to mention, my own attorney spent an hour on the phone with me. But, Noel, what if something crazy happens? What if the judge is stupid, or the grandparents sue me for custody of her?”
“Then we fight it,” she says fiercely and cups my face in her hands, her eyes pinned to mine. “We fight it with everything we’ve got because the only place in the world that Piper belongs is right here, in this house, with you.”
“You said we.”
“Hell, yes I said we. And those people will know, without a shadow of a doubt, when we walk into that office on Monday that if they think they’re going to try to take Piper from us, they’ll have the biggest fight of their lives on their hands.”
“Wait.” I tip my forehead against hers, absorbing her strength. The fierceness in her face right now is astounding. “You’re coming with me?”
“Of course.” She frowns. “I mean, I was planning to. If you’d rather I not, I understand. It’s really none of my business.”
“Stop talking.” I tilt her chin up and kiss her silly. “Of course it’s your business. It just didn’t occur to me that you’d want to go with me, but I want nothing more in the world than to have you by my side.”
“Then I’ll go.” She smiles happily. “It hurts my heart that you’ve been worrying so much about this, Reed. You’re not going to lose your daughter. There’s just no way.”
“I love you.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. But, damn it, I’m not sorry.
I do love her, and it’s about time I told her.
“And not just for this, but for a million reasons. Thank you, so much, for everything you do for us, and for all the ways you show me what it means to have a partner.”
Her eyes well with tears again.
“Don’t cry.”
“I love you, too,” she says, her chin quivering. “I love you both.”* * * *“Thank you for meeting with us,” Ms. Hale says as she greets Noel and me at her office Monday morning.
Sunday was more relaxed, but the worry hasn’t totally left me, despite Noel’s pep talk the other night.
I’m ready to get this meeting over with so we can move on with our lives.
“This is Noel Thompson, and she’ll be with me today,” I reply, leaving no room for argument.
“Hello,” Noel says. We’re led to a conference room where an older couple already sits. They’re both gray-haired but look to be in good health.
“I’m Reed Taylor,” I announce, taking charge of the room. “And this is Noel Thompson, the love of my life.”
Noel gasps and squeezes my hand, then nods at the couple.
“I’m Les, and this is my wife, Betsy.” They both shake our hands, and then we all sit. Les takes a deep breath. The other man looks tired. “I want to tell you, first and foremost, that we’re not here to disrupt our granddaughter’s life. I looked into you, Reed, and I can see that you’re a successful man.”
“But we want to make sure that her emotional needs are met as well,” Betsy adds and dabs at a tear. “And we’d like to meet her.”
“I have some questions,” I reply, not agreeing or disagreeing to Betsy’s request. “Why were you estranged from Vanessa?”