CHAPTER 24

Brian

Amanda had cried herself to sleep in my arms the night before. My heart ached for her and all the pain she was holding in her small little frame. I took her to bed with me and held her close all night long, our legs and arms tangled up in each other. I loved waking up to her this way, her hair sprawled out on all my pillows and her body flush against mine. I opened my eyes and kissed her forehead, feeling her stir against me.

Then, I heard the door fly open before someone rocketed onto the bed.

“Breakfast time! Breakfast time!”

Lanie’s voice ripped Amanda awake, and she sat up quickly in bed. Her eyes were wide as Lanie threw herself at Amanda, hugging her closely as the small girl giggled. Amanda turned her startled gaze to me, and I shrugged my shoulders, grinning as I slipped out of bed.

Lanie didn’t seem shocked by the fact that we were in bed together, so I wasn’t going to make it into a big deal.

I could hear Amanda talking to Lanie in my bedroom as I made my way out to the kitchen. I started a strong pot of coffee before I pulled out some eggs, resolving myself to omelets for the morning. I cracked some eggs into a bowl and began whisking them up with salt and pepper, but my phone ringing from my bedroom caught my attention.

“You go get that,” Amanda said, coming into the kitchen. “I’ve got this. Scrambled eggs for Lanie, I know. What’s for us?”

“Omelets,” I said.

I saw who was calling and picked it up immediately. I sat on the edge of my bed and braced for some relief. I was ready to nail Lanie’s father to a fucking wall. I was ready to pin this damn warehouse fire on him and get this fucking nightmare over with.

Because if I married Amanda, I wasn’t sure I could let her go anymore.

“Well, we found the culprit for the warehouse fire, but you’re not going to be happy as to who it is,” Jack said.

“Fuck,” I said. “Who started it?”

“Some disgruntled employee. I had to pull up his records to figure out who the hell he was. We fired him a couple of weeks back for sexually harassing the women in his department. They found a note in an abandoned car not too far from the fire.”

“Are we sure it’s not something that was planted?” I asked.

“Yep. Matched his handwriting and the DNA he left behind in the car to him. He’s been arrested and charged,” he said.

I groaned as I ran my fingers through my hair. This was a massive blow to my case for Lanie. This meant I had no choice but to go through with marrying Amanda. I thanked Jack for the information and got off the phone quickly, then I dialed my lawyer right behind him. I needed to make sure he had this information.

But he could hear the worry in my voice.

“Brian, take a breath. As long as you go through with this wedding, things will be okay. Keep your nose to the ground, keep your house clean, keep your company under control, and stay strong. You getting to the courthouse before Tuesday?”

“I’m going to try. This thing with the warehouse fire has really offset things. Plus, I don’t want to make it look like we were eager to get married before the court date. Won’t that look suspicious?”

I was grasping for anything that could get me out of this arrangement with Amanda.

“That’s one way to look at it. Is there any proof that you two are engaged? Rings? A party? Have you filed for a marriage license?” my lawyer asked.

“Yes, I have done that. And I have a ring. I just haven’t given it to her yet,” I said.

“Good. As long as there’s paperwork in the system requesting a marriage license and maybe a picture or two of her and you with the ring on her finger, I can use that as intent to marry. It won’t be as strong, but it’ll prove there’s a female influence in the house with Lanie.”

“Good.”

“But you have to tie the knot by the end of the week,” she said. “Just in case we have one of those stickler judges. Okay? Don’t screw around with this, Brian.”

“I’m not,” I said curtly. “I’m treading lightly. I want to mitigate risk as well as make sure no false assumptions are made. It’s going to do us no good to get married if the judge can peg that we did it for the sole purpose of the custody battle.”

“Fine. As long as your head’s in the right place.”

I got off the phone with my lawyer, but my mind was swirling. I needed to get out of this house and think. I needed to get my mind off all this bullshit and put some sort of plan in motion.

“Knock, knock.”

I lifted my head and saw Amanda standing there, a worried look in her eye and eggs staining the front of her shirt.

She looked perfect in the mornings.

“Everything okay?” Amanda asked.

“Could you watch Lanie for a bit?” I asked.

“Sure. What’s going on?” she asked.

“I need to clear my head for a minute.”

“Okay. Be careful, all right?” she asked. “Call me if you need me.”

“I still don’t think I have your phone number,” I said, chuckling.

She pulled out her phone and pressed a few buttons before mine rang out. I looked down at it and saw a number I didn’t recognize along with a small little message scrolling across my screen.

Now you do, the text message said.

Grinning, Amanda pushed off the doorframe and headed back to the kitchen. I saved Amanda’s number on my phone, then dressed in some warm clothes. I pulled on my hiking boots and slipped out the back, listening as the sounds of Lanie and Amanda giggling followed me out the door. I smiled at the sound as I started for the hiking trail, ready to lose myself in the nature that surrounded my home.

I felt like I was back at square one. Lost and alone and bobbing in an endless ocean of turmoil. I knew Amanda was still willing to help me, but I wasn’t sure if I was willing to take her up on it anymore. If we had to go through with this marriage thing, then I needed to tell her how I felt. She needed to know the truth going in so she could make the best decision for her.

Especially with all she was dealing with currently.

I shoved my hand into my pocket and wrapped my fingers around the small box. I’d picked the ring up after Lanie and I had pizza the other day. It caught my eye in the shop window just before I heard Amanda’s voice calling out down the sidewalk.

I went back to purchase it as she made sure her asshole ex understood he was no longer wanted in town.

It was the perfect ring for her, but now it felt important. Before, it was only a ring. Something to help us with our little scheme. But now, it felt more real. I imagined all the ways I could propose to Amanda. I thought of all the ways she deserved to be proposed to. As I walked through the woods and drew in deep breaths, I thought about the lavish wedding she deserved. The luxurious honeymoon I could take her on. I thought about the beautiful princess gown she deserved to walk down the aisle in and the tailored tuxedo I wanted to wear when I saw her for the first time.

She would get none of that this way, and that admission broke my heart.

I knew she would marry me to help Lanie, but I wanted her to marry me because she loved me.

I just wasn’t sure that was even possible.