On our way home, I text Charlie to let her know, and she texts back she’ll take Hazel to her house so Georgia can rest.
When we walk inside, Georgia goes straight to Hazel’s room. “Where is she?”
“I had your mom take her to her house so you can have some time.”
Georgia frowns. “I appreciate that, but I’d like for her to come home.”
I step over to her. “Don’t you think maybe you need a little bit of time to mourn? You just lost a baby. I know we only found out yesterday, but it still fucking hurts.”
“I know, but losing the baby makes me appreciate what we have that much more.” Tears fill her eyes. “I just really wanted to hug our daughter.” She wraps her arms around her torso and I pull her into my arms, once again falling deeper in love with my wife.
“We’ll go get her later. We don’t want her to see either of us upset.”
“You’re right. You should probably get to work. You’re already late.”
“I called out. I’m not going anywhere. Get into bed and I’ll run out and grab us some breakfast.” There’s no way I’m leaving her side right now. I have no experience with this sort of thing, but it feels like she’s still numb, and I’m worried when the numbness wears off, she’ll release every emotion she’s keeping locked away right now.
“Can you also get me pads, please? I forgot I don’t have any.”
“Of course.”
She climbs into bed and I kiss her forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”
On my way to the store, I get a call from Alec. “Hey, man.”
“How’s Georgia doing?” Lexi’s mom must’ve told them.
“She’s hanging in there. I’m going to get us breakfast right now.”
There’s a moment of silence before Alec speaks. “So, um, this is a bad time, but… Victoria is here and she’s refusing to leave until she can speak to you.”
Fuck. She can’t be serious showing up at my goddamn workplace.
“I’ll swing by there.”
“Sorry,” he says. “I tried to get her to leave, but she’s being stubborn, and the only other option I’d have would be to call the cops, but I wasn’t sure you would want that.”
“I’ll handle it. Thanks.”
When I pull up, I see the Mercedes I bought her parked in the drive. I’m hoping I can get her to leave quickly so I can get back to Georgia. When I step inside, I find her waiting at the table. Her long black hair is up in a tight ponytail and she’s wearing a face full of makeup. When she sees me, she stands, exposing her body. She’s wearing a tiny yellow tank top, distressed jeans, and a pair of heels. She looks good. Clean. Sober. Good for her. But if she thinks she’s going to waltz in here and make demands, she’s about to be disappointed.
“This is my workplace,” I tell her. “You don’t come here. Ever. Well, unless it’s to drop off my daughter.” She flinches at my words, but I don’t have it in me to feel bad.
“You didn’t leave me a choice,” she says softly, very unlike her. “I don’t know where you live and you blocked me.”
Not wanting a scene to be made in the station, I nod for her to walk outside with me.
“When someone blocks you that means they don’t want to speak to you,” I point out once we’re standing in the back. Since the fire station is a home that was remodeled, it has a backyard. We put a swing set out here so the kids can play on it when we hold family barbecues.
Victoria steps closer to me, and I immediately see the look in her eyes. Seduction. Not over my dead body. “I’m married.” I lift my left hand to show her my ring. Her eyes bulge out of their sockets. “And my wife legally adopted Hazel.”
She splutters, shaking her head, at a complete loss for words.
“You didn’t really think you’d come here months after abandoning my daughter and I would get back together with you and we’d be some sort of happy family?”
She clears her throat. “I messed up. Please, Chase. I just want to see my little girl.”
I don’t even have it in me to laugh at her audacity. Georgia is home, waiting for me to bring her food and pads because she just lost our baby while this bitch is begging to see the baby she left on a doorstop.
“I gotta go.”
“Wait, please.” She places her perfectly manicured hand on my arm. “Can I at least see a picture of her?”
“No, you don’t deserve to see anything or hear anything regarding her. You don’t even deserve to breathe the same air as her.”
“Chase. C’mon, please,” she whines, her tone grating my last nerve. “I was in a bad place. I’m better. I was scared to live without Raymond, but he’s gone now, and you’re… married,” she chokes out. “All I have left is Hazel.”