HOOKED ON YOU (Paradise Cove) (30 page)

“Are you threatening me?”

“I’m not threatening you. You’re threatening me. I’m taking my son and going home.” He reached out a hand. “Come, Jamie. Let’s go.”

The boy’s eyes were wild as he looked from one parent to another. “Stop fighting. Please stop fighting. Why can’t we all get along and be a family? We don’t need Dennis. You and Dad should stay together and we can all live together like we used to.” His eyes swam with tears. “Please marry each other. I don’t want to lose either one of you.”

Colt’s knees went weak as he grabbed for his son. He held Jamie in a tight grip, afraid that if he loosened it, he’d slip away and be gone.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Things happened quickly after that. The front door opened, and Dennis strode through. “What the hell?”

He rushed to Sharon’s side, and put an arm around her shoulder. “You okay?”

“No.” Her mouth trembled and she gasped. “No. Nothing is all right. Jamie doesn’t want to leave his dad, and Colt’s threatening me.”

“I didn’t threaten you,” Colt said in an exasperated voice. “It’s just not going to happen.”

Jamie lifted his head. “I’m not going anywhere, and you…you…you’re not wanted here,” he said to Dennis, tears streaming down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry, Jamie, but your mother has agreed to marry me.” Dennis reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of tissues. “Wipe your nose, and go to your bedroom. We’ll settle this between us.”

“Stay right where you are, son.” Colt stood up and confronted the man standing next to his ex-wife. “You have some nerve.”

“This doesn’t concern you.” Dismissing him, Dennis turned to Sharon. “It’s okay. Everything will work out fine. The lawyers can handle the details.”

Colt’s shoulders straightened and his chest hurt. “You want to take my son to Chicago, and this doesn’t concern me?” He took two steps and breathed down the shorter man’s face. “Son-of-a-bitch.”

“Tell him, Daddy. I don’t want to go away and live with him. I’m staying here with you.”

Dennis looked at Jamie. “Your dad is leaving now. He will be hearing from my lawyer.”

“You need a lawyer to do your battles? Not man enough to do it yourself?”

“You weren’t man enough to keep your wife,” Dennis said with a smug smile.

“That’s enough!” Sharon cried.

“This is the guy you want to marry?” Colt asked, shaking his head. “Thought you had better sense.”

“Jamie, go to your room,” Dennis said roughly. He reached out a hand and grabbed the boy’s arm.

“Let go of my son,” Colt hissed, pushing himself between them.

“Step back,” Dennis said. “I’m asking you to leave right now.”

“You afraid of me?” Colt asked, getting in his face.

In answer, Dennis drew back and then took a swing at him. Colt ducked, but the shorter man’s knuckles grazed his chin.

That was all the incentive needed. Colt didn’t like bullies. Especially when they thought their money could do the talking.

“That lawyer?” Colt said. “Here’s something else to tell him.” And then Colt let him have it right between the eyes. His nose spurted blood, and Sharon screamed.

Colt grabbed his son. “Let’s get out of here. I can’t stand the sight of blood.”

“Why you…” Dennis lunged for him, spurting blood over the cream-colored carpet.

Colt had an arm at Jamie’s back herding him toward the door. He glanced at his ex-wife who was holding a dish towel under Dennis’s nose. “I’m sorry,” he said, surprised that he actually meant it. “Send me the bill for the cleaning.”

Then he left.

That evening he sat home with his son, eating pizza and popcorn and watching old Rocky movies. Jamie thought his dad was a real live hero breaking Dennis’s nose, and bragged that he could probably outbox Rocky. Colt stopped the movie long enough to explain that getting into a fistfight was not a gentlemanly way to settle an argument. Still, even as he spoke the words, it didn’t take away the satisfaction he got reliving the vivid images of Dennis holding his nose, blood flying everywhere. If that made him a bad father, so be it. He’d fight to keep his son, and anyone who got in his way.

He excused himself long enough to call Taylor to tell her not to expect him at the cafe, and updated her on how things stood.

“You hit him?” she squeaked. “I can’t imagine you getting physical with someone. You’re the mellowest man I know.”

“Don’t let that fool you. When it comes to protecting my own, I can fight as well as any man. I can’t lose Jamie.” His voice cracked. “How can I convince a judge that he’s better off with me when they could provide him with so much more?”

“Oh, Colt. That shouldn’t matter. You have a good job. You’re honest, loving, a wonderful father who gives his son everything he needs to be safe and happy. Jamie doesn’t need a fancy upbringing. Who has the most money can’t possibly influence a judge.”

He hoped that was true, but knew things about the way the world worked, probably better than most people. “Well, we will have to see how it plays out.”

There was a loud knock on his door. “I’ll have to call you back,” he said to Taylor. “Someone’s at the door.”

“Better check before you open it,” Taylor warned. “Could be Dennis coming back for more.”

“You might be right.” The doctor had looked plenty angry when Colt left with Jamie in tow. He hung up. “Hey, Jamie? Go to your room.”

“Why, Dad?” His son’s wide eyes matched the alarm in his tone. “Who’s banging on our door?”

“Don’t know. But I don’t want anything to happen to you. Go now and lock your door. Might be your mom and Dennis wanting to take you from me.”

“I won’t go,” Jamie said. He stepped inside his bedroom, leaving the door ajar so he could see through.

He put his hand on the knob as another bang sounded.

“Police. Open up.”

Colt had been afraid of this. He opened the door and stepped back.

“You Colt Travis?” the young officer asked.

“That’s me. What can I do for you, Officers?”

“We’re serving you with papers. You’re to appear in court on September 20th. Charged with simple battery.”

“What if I said it was self-defense? The guy wanted to take my kid away from me. He also landed the first punch.”

“Tell that to the judge,” the older guy looked him in the eye. “We can’t help you with that.”

Colt swore under his breath. “He’s marrying my ex and wants to take my kid to Chicago. And he’s charging me with a crime?”

“Misdemeanor.” The cop’s eyes showed a little sympathy. “You might want to get an attorney. The sentence can be as high as a year in jail.”

“Shit.” He ran a hand over his face, and looked at the two cops. “Sorry, but I can’t do time. I’d lose my son.”

“Daddy?” The boy stood there, bedroom door open, his eyes filled with fear.

“You okay, son?” The portly older cop asked.

Jamie came forward, tears running down his cheeks. He ran into his father’s arms. “Yes, but they can’t make me leave. This is my home. With my daddy. And you can’t put him in jail. He didn’t do anything wrong. He was just protecting me.”

“I understand, kid. It’s not our call.” The older cop shook his head. “We’re just doing our job. Good luck to you both.” With that said, the two men left, and closed the door behind them.

“Dad? They can’t make you go to jail, can they? You didn’t do anything!” he shouted. “It wasn’t your fault. Dennis hit you first.”

“I know, and I’m sure the judge will see it that way too. I’m not going away or leaving you. That I promise. Now come on. Stop crying. We have another Rocky to watch, and boy, can that guy pack a punch. Doesn’t whimper when he gets one either.”

Jamie wiped his eyes. “I’ll tell the judge everything. Maybe they’ll lock up Dennis instead of you. Then we can stay together—as a family.”

“I don’t want either of us to get locked up. I’m just not letting you go, that’s all.”

“Good, Daddy. I’m staying right here. With you.”

* * *

Taylor didn’t hear from Colt again that night and she couldn’t help but worry. When the dinner for her guests was over and everyone had left, she decided to drive over to his place and give him some needed comfort. It was after eleven when she showed up, but the light was on and she could hear the sound of the TV.

She knocked softly and at first she thought he wasn’t going to answer. She knocked again, and the door opened an inch.

“Oh, it’s you.”

“Colt? Are you all right?”

“Not exactly.” He closed the door behind him and stepped outside. “Jamie’s finally asleep. He’s pretty upset. The cops paid us a little visit. The good doctor is charging me with battery. Carries a one year don’t-get-out-of-jail-free card.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, alarmed.

“The worst they can do is throw me in jail for up to a year. But Dennis hit me first, and was man-handling Jamie. So I don’t think he stands a chance with this bogus charge.”

“Holy crap, Colt. You can’t do
a day
in jail. That will give them an excuse to take Jamie.”

“You think I haven’t thought of that?” His eyes were blurry when he faced her, and she could see he’d had a drink or two. Or was it the tears swimming inside that blurred his vision?

“We will think of something. Anything. We can’t let this happen.”

“I’ve been wracking my brains too. Trying to figure out a sure way that I can hold on to my kid. He’s the most precious thing in my life. I can’t lose him.” His voice broke and his shoulders shook with anguish. “I couldn’t survive that.”

Tears filled her eyes at this rare display of raw emotion. “What can we do?”

“Marry me, Taylor.” His answer came swift. Sure. As if he’d already thought of marriage as a viable solution. Her breath stuck in her throat. “If you were my wife, they’d probably let me keep my son.” His eyes pleaded with her as he reached for her chilled fingers. “You and I together have a fighting chance.”

She breathed deep, her heart breaking open. “How could you ask me that?” He would marry her for his son. But he wouldn’t marry her for her.

Why that should hurt so much, she had no idea. But it was like he’d driven a dagger into her heart and twisted.

“Taylor, I know you don’t love me, but we’re good together. We could be great, the three of us. Think about it.” Colt tried to pull her close, but she moved away. “I do love you, you know,” he said softly, his eyes moist. “If you won’t marry me and I lose Jamie, then I’ll have no choice but to sell everything and move to Chicago.”

“You’d do that?” She didn’t think her heart could hurt any more than it already did, but the thought of his leaving and never seeing him again sliced right through her. She flinched and raised a hand to her chest, in protective mode.

He released a heavy sigh. “This isn’t easy, Taylor. I can’t bear the thought of leaving here and living in a place like Chicago.” His strong jaw clenched. “Or losing you.”

She didn’t say anything. She had no words of comfort for him. Or for herself. The pain was too intense, the thoughts running through her head were too hard to grasp.

“Say something,” he pleaded. “I know I sprung this on you and you’re probably still in shock, but we’d make a really good team. We care deeply about each other. I’ve been crazy about you for a long, long time.”

She shook her head and took another step back.
Colt would leave? Just walk away and out of her life? How could that be love?

He cleared his throat. “Taylor. Stop looking at me like that.” She noticed a tick in his cheek, flicking in and out. “You look like a wounded deer with no place to turn.”

She had to get away from him before she lost it. But her knees were shaking and her feet seemed rooted to the spot.

As if sensing her indecision he stepped toward her, his hands open. “I’m here, honey. I don’t want to leave you. Not ever.” His eyes searched hers. “It’s not the most romantic proposal in the world, but it is sincere. Paradise Cove is our home. I want to make a home with you, and Jamie.”

She stood stiffly, her arms wrapped around her waist. She couldn’t, wouldn’t reach out for him. If she clung to him now, she might never let him leave. And leave he would if he lost his son. Jamie needed his dad—she would never step in the way.

She had never felt so alone, so powerless, and so wanting.

His gaze lowered. “I’m making a botch of this, aren’t I?”

Taylor straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, calling on all her internal strength. She knew he was desperate and her heart ached for him. She would gladly have done anything in the world for him, anything but this.

Marriage was sacred to her. A vow between two people that was unbreakable. She wanted to marry one day. For love. Not for necessity, or pity, or to be a pawn in some horrible game.

“I will support you in your fight for custody.” She kept her voice calm, wanting to be fair to him, even if his asking had been the cruelest blow to her heart that she’d ever known. The only thing that justified it was his love for his son. For that, she forgave him. “I can be a character witness or whatever you need to help the court rule in your favor. But I can’t be your wife.”