“Yes, my love, as you wish.”
“Now?”
“I think you’re right, no hand holding ever.”
We’re barely dressed before Justin comes home. Once we sit down to dinner Drake brings up the adoption. We had discussed it while dressing, it was time to talk about Justin about the plans we were making and to make sure he felt he had a say in them.
“Justin, I wanted to make sure you knew once Ria and I get married we’ll be filing for adoption of you. We’ll be putting a legal stamp on what’s basically been in place. We wanted to make sure you were good with all of this. Legally, you’ll get my name, it’s up to you if you want to use it. I’ll also be adding you to the family trust as a way of providing for you if something should happen to me.”
“So how much did she get out of you?” Justin asks with a smile.
With a heavy sigh, “Fifteen thousand.”
“Drake!” I can’t believe he said it out loud.
“Ria, he has a right to know. Besides, things like this have a way of coming out. Lying or prevaricating would only make it worse.”
“You really are a dragon. Fifteen thousand, when you would have been willing to go up to more. She must have been way hard up. One time she found us and stole all the money out of Ria’s purse and my piggy bank. I mean, who the hell steals money from a five-year old’s piggy bank? Ugh, then another time when Ria found her, she came to see me at school and said Ria had given her money for me. I wasn’t worth much to Ria, but she’d take what she could get. I knew she’d come around again once the pictures of you two hit the papers. This time she’d be looking for a much bigger payout.”
“Yes, she has warrants out for her arrest. She was looking at serious time. I didn’t give her much choice, take the money and walk out. If she didn’t, then she’d walk into jail, we’d still get you legally; it would just take a little longer.
You’re right, I was willing to go to two million. My lawyer advised the fees would run to about that much in the year he thought it would take to show her as an unfit parent. When they found the warrants, I knew it wasn’t going to be necessary. She had signed that legal guardianship for you years ago, and while it wasn’t worth anything, it would help the case.”
“Two million dollars, for me? You really would have paid that? I was thinking like fifty grand or something. Are you really that rich?”
“Yes, and you’re worth more than that to Ria and to me.”
“Cool, thanks Drake. I’m glad you love Ria enough to think so. I’d be happy to go by Hawthorne, it’s better than going by her last name.”
“I’m glad you said that. I was hoping you would. Ria and I are trying to have a baby and I would like all my children to have the same last name.”
“It’s been really obvious how much you guys are trying to have a baby and I’m pretty sure it won’t take long. I was thinking you guys were going to tell me that tonight when you got all serious. But I don’t have to change dirty diapers, do I?”
I’m so embarrassed I can’t look up as Drake tells him no, he wasn’t expected to change dirty diapers.
We settle into the movie room and Justin climbs onto the couch beside Drake. I try not to be jealous I’m not the one in the middle, it fades as Drake pulls me close. Okay, maybe snuggling on the couch isn’t so bad, but I’m still drawing the lin
e at holding hands.
Chapter Eleven
I’m woken by the sound of the bathtub filling, to see Meredith come out of the bathroom. On the bedside table there’s a tray of toast and coffee.
“Good morning, Ria, I hope you slept well. Drake wanted to make sure you had time for a relaxing soak before Carla came to do your makeup. Your friend Latisha called, she’ll be here within the hour.”
“Thank you, Meredith.” With a smile she closes the door behind her. I sigh as I melt back into bed. Rolling over, I inhale the scent of Drake on his pillow. Last night he had sent me to bed not long after dinner—alone. I’d argued against it but he’d held fast. Lying in bed, I’d cursed him long and hard, until he snuck in. At first he’d been hungry and we’d both been breathless for long minutes. Then he’d made love to me, gently and slowly, and with so much love I cried as he held me close. With a kiss, he’d let me go and pointed to the clock. It was just before midnight when he closed the door and I slept deeply and happily.
Humming as I bathe, I’m relieved Drake handled the planning so well. Our vows are at eleven and we’re being married by a local judge. Then lunch would be immediately served. He was positive we would be able to kick people out by six. Then we would be on the jet for Boston by seven and in bed in our suite for the night before we were tired. I’m still hesitant about leaving Justin with Meredith and Enrico. Justin, however, had pleaded not to be taken on a honeymoon where he would have to be around us being all loving. He was content to allow us to pick out the house and not visit MIT until we moved. For now, we are planning on at least a week, Drake is trying to persuade me to two weeks. I’m pretty sure he’s going to get it but I haven’t told him that yet.
Drying off, I pull on a silky robe and go into the walk-in closet. Picking out the underwear I had chosen for the day, I lay it out on the bed. A visit to the store where I’d bought the negligee had resulted in the perfect set. It was achingly beautiful, more importantly, something Drake hadn’t seen me in. There’s a knock on the door and I slide the robe back on. I open the door to Latisha.
With a squeal, she hugs me tight. “Girl, I’m so happy for you. Finally!”
I laugh, leaning against the bed. “Yes, I was stupid letting us both go so long. Please don’t remind me, Drake does it often enough.”
“Is this it?” She’s at the black carrier bag delivered and hidden from Drake weeks ago. I had tried it on when it was first ready. It had been perfect, but I hadn’t even dared look at it again.
“Yep, that’s it. Go ahead and open it. You’re going to have to help me with all the buttons.”