Page 20 of Pretend it’s Forever

“You two need to take it down a notch. Cale isn’t going to get custody, and he’s not going to get money. If anything, he’s going to get another restraining order and find someone else to prey on.” James sighed. “Which makes me sound like a terrible person, but I just want Sophia and those kids to be safe.”

“Ford was at the studio yesterday, adding additional security, so there’s at least that.”

“Ford’s the best at what he does, that’s good.”

I’d even let Ford and his company run the security in my house, and that was saying something. They were also working on my sister’s condo and would build an entire system for her house with her future wife, once they settled on the down payment. Cora didn’t exactly know that was happening, but it was a wedding present, and she would just have to deal with my overprotectiveness.

“Okay, we have to head back to the office, but you’ll be there later?” Flynn asked, as if we hadn’t just discussed killing a man.

“I’ll be there. I want to make sure we get this deal set, because I have a few more ideas.”

“No wonder Aston loves you,” James said, a full smile on his face now. “I should warn you though, Blakely and Isabella might want to set you up with someone next time you come to dinner.”

I froze, turning slightly as I looked at the other man.

“What?”

Flynn held up both hands. “They have a friend, and they promised not to set up any of their siblings with anyone, but you’re seemingly fair game.”

“I’m not fair game,” I said stiffly, images of Sophia filling my mind. Which was ludicrous because she wasn’t mine, and I didn’t want her.

Liar.

“I’ll let them know, but they do have a friend, and apparently, they think you two would fit. They wouldn’t force a setup, but they might test the waters.”

“They sound like my sister,” I said dryly.

“Your sister’s wedding’s coming up, right?” Flynn asked as we finished getting dressed.

“Yes, and I’m walking her down the aisle.” My jaw tensed and I tried to force myself to relax slightly. It didn’t work.

Flynn grimaced. “Your parents are still assholes then I take it,” he said simply. The two of them as well as most of the Cages who worked with Cage Enterprises knew that my parents were evil incarnate. Their business ran alongside the Cages’, and as soon as the Cages figured out exactly how terrible my parents were, they cut business ties with them.

It hadn’t made my father happy, but I had taken that place. While I hadn’t meant to steal all of my father’s contracts, it was a benefit of not being a bigoted asshole.

“It’ll be good that they’re not there though, without that dark cloud,” James added. “Your sister is a nice person, at least for the two seconds that I saw her that one time. She deserves a happy wedding.”

“Yeah, she does,” I said after a moment, and tried to find solace in the fact that I would at least be there. It didn’t sound like much.

We finished getting ready, and said our goodbyes, and I headed towards a local cafe to pick up lunch. I wasn’t in the mood for a salad or whatever else my assistant would have for me, and frankly, taking as much time as I had in the middle of the day wasn’t like me. But I had needed the push, and so had the Cages.

I walked into the small cafe, the gleaming sage green walls soothing, and immediately stiffened at the sound of a familiar voice.

“Okay girls, what do you say?”

“Thank you,” little voices sing-songed together, and I couldn’t help the smile on my face.

I did not understand children, and I wasn’t even sure I liked them, but those little girls were adorable as all get out.

Sophia looked up from the counter, as she moved towards the closest booth, and nearly tripped over her feet.

“Carson.”

“Sophia.”

She’d pulled her hair back from her face again, a simple bun that I knew she wore mostly when she danced, but part of me wanted to let her hair fall loose and see it brush her shoulders.

I was ridiculous.