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But it’s absolutely worth it.
Lucas reminds us again, “I’m hungry!”
We laugh, and Noah asks what he thinks about ordering pizza.
29
Levi
Amonth practically flies by when you’re happy and at peace with yourself. For most of my life, I thought I’d acquired a sort of balance from the moment I became a published author. I’d thought having money and a successful career would be everything I needed to feel truly fulfilled. It wasn’t until Stella came along that I understood how much was missing from my life.
We got rid of Elijah pretty quickly.
Isaac sat him down one day, about a week after the Portland events, joined by each side’s lawyers. Granted, Isaac had four of them. Elijah still had his measly dude with nothing but legal fluff and way too much confidence in his ability to negotiate. After some additional investigations, it was revealed behind closed doors that Elijah had done some less than lawful things while shacked up with his waitress girlfriend. There was proof of illegal substances, gambling, and other equally unsavory activities. On top of that, the way in which the original court order had been procured was not based on complete information, so once the issuing judge found out, Elijah was slapped with a blistering court fine. And to make matters worse, it became obvious toward the end of the conversation that any court in this country would irrevocably grant Stella full parental rights.
But Isaac didn’t stop there. No, he paid the prick off, just to make sure. He also added a solemn promise: if Elijah didn’t officially and legally renounce his parental rights, the four of us would financially empower the law firm to destroy him until nothing is left. So, Elijah did the only smart thing he could. He took the money and instructed his lawyer to start the legal process for him to terminate his parental rights. That told me everything I needed to know—the man was never interested in his children. He never loved them. He never cared. They were simply a way to hurt Stella.
It did sting for Stella, at least on an emotional level. It was a disappointment, a reminder that Elijah was never the man she’d thought. He’d been wearing a mask for so long that by the time Ava was born, he just couldn’t play along anymore. He’s gone now, and with his absence comes a sense of peace.
Moreover, each of us has taken steps to take our new life together to a whole new level. Beau is scouting Cape Elizabeth for a good home for us. It needs to be big and spacious. At least eight bedrooms and just as many bathrooms. A ginormous kitchen and plenty of greenery outside. We want the kids to grow up in the heart of nature but with access to everything designed for comfort and utility. It’s only a matter of time before we get the keys to our future home.
“What did your agent say?” Stella asks.
We’re having dinner in Noah’s Portland apartment. We’ll be back at the Elizabeth by the weekend, and Stella and her children will be staying there indefinitely. Until then, we’re going to have some time off to ourselves, away from the rest of the world. Clint is babysitting Lucas and Ava one last time this evening, which means we have our lovely woman all to ourselves. It’s about damn time, too. I’ve missed her like crazy.
“About the TV gig? He wasn’t happy but as long as he’s getting a generous cut, he was able to negotiate new terms for the contract,” I say.
“What does that mean?” she replies.
“It means I’m not moving to Los Angeles. I’ll fly down once every other week or so, but most of the conversations will happen remotely. You know, the good ol’ fashioned Zoom meetings and whatnot,” I say, then give Isaac a thankful nod as he refills my wine glass.
“That’s great news!” Beau exclaims. “I think I’m more excited than you are.”
“No, no, trust me, I’m definitely happy about it,” I laugh. “I’m just surprised I managed to get my agent to do it.”
Isaac smiles as he fills his plate with careful and calculated movements. “Money can be a great motivator for those who have built their lives around it.”
“So, you’ll be staying here,” Stella concludes, her plump lips stretching into a delicious grin. “Which means the five of us will definitely be together.”
“I promised, didn’t I?” I reply and take her hand in mine. I kiss each knuckle gently, my eyes never leaving hers. I see the darkness of desire taking over and turning that deep smoky blue into something akin to a tourmaline held against a flame. “Besides, I’d rather be here with you than in Los Angeles, constantly bombarded by plasticated dolls and buffed up beef jerky dudes.”
“Hey, don’t forget the culinary extremists,” Noah laughs. “You’re better off here, man. Oh, by the way, how’s the new novel coming along? Don’t you have a deadline this December?”
I nod once. “It’s going great, actually. I managed to put in about four hours a day for the first draft.” I pause and look at Stella again. “Thankfully, I’ve got my muse back, so the writing process has been infinitely more pleasurable.”
“Aw, I didn’t know I was your muse,” she replies, blushing pink.
“Of course. I modeled my main female character after you.”
“You did?” she gasps.
Beau gives her a long, hungry stare. “Ravishingly beautiful, extraordinarily strong, resilient, brilliant, ambitious, determined, and ridiculously sexy. Right?”
“Yes,” I say. “Given the villain she has to go up against in the book’s climax, she has to be all of those things. Fortunately, Stella is an endless source of inspiration. It makes everything easier. Better.”
“Now, you’re going to make my head swell,” Stella giggles. “I’m not used to this much external validation.”
Isaac leans in and kisses her cheek. “You’d better get used to it, baby. You’ll keep getting this and more.”
