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“No. No, no, no!” I roar, reaching for her elbow.
“What?” she asks, clearly annoyed, shrugging me off. “What is it now?”
“You’re not gonna just scribble this on a piece of paper and disappear into thin air. We’re going to do this the right way. The legal way.”
“Nolan,” she groans, throwing her face up to the courthouse ceiling in exasperation.
I’m not backing down. Lilian is notorious for changing her mind. But there will be no takesies-backsies on this.
“I want a legally-binding document. I need this to be official. This is my daughter’s future we’re talking about here.”
She growls and stomps her foot. “Fine.” She folds her arms across her chest like a petulant child. “Make it quick.”
Inez is already backing away, one footstep at a time. “You stay here,” she says to me, not taking her eyes off of Lilian. “I’ll go find the lawyer.” Before I can nod, she’s pivoting on her heel and sprinting down the hallway.
My heart is pounding. This nightmare with Lilian is about to be over.
Legally. Officially.
Finally.
55
NOLAN
All of this morning’s drama at the courthouse left me with an adrenaline buzz that lingered for most of the day. But now, the agreement has been finalized and the ink is dry and I have sole custody of my daughter.
This feels surreal. Strangely calm. Peaceful. For once, I’m not waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’ve got both feet solidly planted on the ground. I feel stable and secure. I feel safe.
Now, I’m working my usual Thursday night shift. Inez wanted to come with me, just to sit at the bar and hang out while I work, she’d said. But this is Inez we’re talking about. The girl who never sits still.
So I banned her from The North Node for tonight. I forbade her from coming down here and doing any bartending on her week off from filming. She’s had a crazy past few months. She deserves to relax a bit.
Of course she put up a fight—because she’s stubborn like that. But I could tell she got a little turned on from being bossed around by me. I intend to fully investigate that theory later on when I get home.
She opted to stay home with Stella while I’m at work. And tonight, when I call at bedtime to say goodnight to my little girl, the three of us get on the phone. Stella requests a song and the three of us sing In My Life together. We’re painfully off-key. But it just feels…right.
I’m not usually a sentimental guy but—fuck—it hits me in the chest. I have everything I’ve ever wanted. Everything.
Just a few months ago, I wouldn’t have even dared to imagine I could be this happy. So, I’ll protect these two girls with my life. I’ll do anything to make them happy.
During the lull after the dinner rush, I approach Darius who’s seated in the corner booth, working from his laptop and sipping on a cold beer.
“I accept,” I announce to him.
He lifts a brow, scratching his forehead. “You accept what, little brother? You’ll have to be more specific.”
“I accept your offer to invest in renovations for the bar.”
“Oh, that offer. The one I made like a year ago?”
I sigh. Of course he’s going to make this difficult on me. “Yes, that offer. Are you saying the offer is no longer on the table?” My stomach tightens with anxiety.
Sitting silently, my brother observes me.
Then he bursts out laughing. “I’m just shitting with you. Of course the offer’s still on the table. Sit down. Let’s talk.”
I stare back at the busy counter and shake my head. “I can’t tonight. But I just wanted to tell you that I’m ready to move forward. I’m no longer in survival mode. It’s time to accept some help and focus on making the most of what I’ve worked so hard for.”
