Page 31 of Harts & Hurts

I felt like my words went in one ear and out the other. There was nothing I could do about that. I told my father that my place was to protect Anistyn, and that was what I would do.

I left the house and bound down the stairs, headed for my truck.

“Griff!”

I turned around at the sound of Mariah’s voice. “What’s up?”

“Wait up.” I slowed my gait but didn’t stop walking. She caught up with me at my truck. “Griff, I’m sorry Mom did that.”

I stared at her. “Be sorry that none of your family members are willing to build a bridge toward fixing whatever is broken between the two families. Lately, I’ve been wondering if Fish and Ashlynn left the Earth still believing that the Harts and the Melroses could come together for the sake of Melrose. I bet, as they look down from Heaven, they’re disappointed as hell.”

14

Anistyn

Griffin told me what he’d said to his parents. We’d spent the entire day talking about how we could move forward from the ear-piercing debacle and set boundaries with our families. It made me feel good that he was committed to protecting me from the vitriol of both his mother and sister. It made me feel a confidence in what we were trying to do that I hadn’t felt. He stood up to his family for me and demanded that they respect me or be prepared to have way less access to both him and Melrose. That meant something. Of course, I didn’t want him to lose his familial relationships. I just wanted the two of us to present a united front. It was cool to know that he was on the same page.

By the next morning, I was ready to put the incident in the rearview. Melrose’s ears were pierced. It wasn’t like we could un-pierce them. We had to live with it. I was over it.

I let Griffin sleep in since he didn’t have to be at work until noon. I did my morning routine of brushing my teeth, washing my face, and taking my shower. Then I got Melrose dressed. She was too cute in her baby jean shorts and T-shirt. I slipped socks on her feet, combed her hair into two ponytails, and walked out to the kitchen with her in my arms. I was surprised to see Griffin already in the kitchen, preparing the baby’s breakfast, a bowl of cereal, and a bottle.

I took in the gray joggers that hung low on his waist. Griffin was undeniably sexy, with his lean and toned ass. I’d always thought that Fisher was handsome, and Griffin looked a lot like his brother but, somehow, even finer. I did my best to avert my eyes from the way the joggers fit, to his face. “Good morning.” I kept my greeting pleasant. My feelings about him were so much more positive once he told me that he’d taken my side against his mother.

“What up? You sleep okay?”

“I slept okay. I’m excited about today. I’m excited to get back over to the main house. Missing yesterday put me behind schedule.”

He chuckled. “I have confidence in you that you’ll make it up. No Chef Nina this morning. She had a personal situation that she needed to handle. I told her it was cool. Figured we could take care of our own breakfast this once.”

I smiled. “Frosted Flakes, it is.”

He chuckled.

I moved toward the cabinet to get a bowl for myself when the doorbell rang.

He checked his watch. “Damn, it’s early for guests.”

My only hope was that it wasn’t his mother. In a home the size of the guesthouse, you really couldn’t have many secrets. I could see straight from the kitchen to the front door, so I saw the older black woman who I didn’t recognize standing there. I walked over just as Griffin spoke.

“How may I help you?”

She flashed her badge. “I’m Rosalie Conley with Child Protective Services.”

“Child Protective Services?” Griffin repeated, the expression on his face confused.

“Yes,” she continued. “We received a report concerning a minor child living at this address.”

That was when all the breath left my lungs, and oxygen became a thing of the past. This was about Melrose. They were going to take Melrose.

“May I come inside?”

“What is this about though?”

I was glad that Griffin was able to ask questions because I couldn’t speak. My lungs were frozen, and my throat was locked. He stepped aside so she could move into the home. He offered her a seat on the sofa. Before he followed her, he glanced over at me. When he noticed the stricken expression on my face, he gently took my elbow and guided me to the sofa. Somehow, I sat as he did too.

“A complaint came into our office on Tuesday regarding a concern about the household environment and the safety of the minor child. One of the adults living here was reported to have serious issues with controlling their temper. There was concern about verbal explosions and extreme uncontrolled anger.”

“And this complaint came in on Tuesday?” Griffin confirmed.