CHAPTER TWENTY


Brian tossed and turned the night before the custody hearing, maybe grabbing three tortured hours of sleep. Every time he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, the same nightmare woke him up—Judge White awarding full custody to Olivia. Each time he bolted awake in the bed, Paige was right there beside him, stroking his shoulder, kissing him and telling him everything would be all right. Brian felt so bad about keeping her up all night.

As the sun crept across the horizon, the gravity of the day settled on Brian’s heart. Some stranger was going to decide if he was good enough to be a real father to his son. Someone who had never seen him with his son. Someone who didn’t know that Mickey was the most important thing in his life. Brian would do anything he had to do to make sure Judge White knew that he was a good father and that having Mickey in his home was the best thing for both of them. Olivia couldn’t win. Brian wasn’t going to let that happen. No judge in his right mind would give my son to a woman who practically threw him away.

That thought comforted him like a warm blanket on a snowy night. He had been the one to provide a stable home for Mickey. He made sure his son was fed, clothed, educated, and happy. He tucked him in at night and cooked him breakfast every morning. He went to parent-teacher conferences. The only thing that Brian couldn’t give Mickey was his mother.

“Are you all right,” Paige asked.

Brian looked at her, the woman who starred in his dreams most nights. Her golden eyes were filled with concern. Paige had been more of a mother to Mickey of late than Olivia. He smoothed her hair and kissed her forehead.

“I’m fine,” he said with a sigh.

Paige sat up in the bed. “I don’t think you are. Don’t worry, you’re not going to lose him.”

He grabbed her hand. “You know what, I haven’t told you how much I appreciate your presence in our lives,” he said thoughtfully.

Paige blushed and squeezed his hand. “You don’t know how much I appreciate you allowing me to be a part of your life. I have never been so happy. You and Mickey are family to me.”

Her words resonated with him. Was Paige the key to keeping his son? He could provide a family for Mickey, something Olivia couldn’t do. But would he just be using Paige if he asked her to marry him because he wanted to have full custody of his son? Brian felt guilty for having such thoughts. Paige deserved more than a marriage of convenience, even if they did love each other. Mickey burst through the bedroom door. “I’m hungry!” he announced.

Covering herself with Brian’s robe, Paige volunteered to cook breakfast, eliciting a smile from Mickey.

“I want pancakes,” he said.

Walking over to him and squeezing his cheek, Paige said, “You got it, little man.”

Brian drew his son into his arms and kissed the top of his head. “You know I love you,” he said.

“Yes, sir.”

Paige smiled at her men as she headed for the kitchen. When she was out of the room, Mickey looked up at his father.

“I asked her to be my second mommy,” he said proudly.

“You did what?” He laughed nervously. “Mick, you can’t just ask someone to be your mom. You have a mother.”

Mickey nodded solemnly. “But Mommy doesn’t want me. She’s never around.”

“Your mother loves you,” Brian said. “Don’t ever doubt that. She loves you so much; she wants to take you to Atlanta to visit her. That’s why we’re going to court, so that we can work that out.”

Mickey pouted and folded his arms across his chest. “Why doesn’t she just come back home and live with Grandma? Then I can visit her over there. I don’t want to go to Atlanta.”

Brian sighed and wished there was something he could say or do to make Mickey understand the situation. “Remember that a while ago you wanted to go to Atlanta to see Mommy? Why don’t you want to go now?”

The little boy shrugged his shoulders. “Because I would miss you and Miss Paige a whole lot.”

“But we’ll be here when you come back,” Brian said. “I’m never going anywhere.” And neither are you if I can help it. Damn you, Olivia!

“Go wash up, son. Miss Paige will be done with breakfast soon.”

Mickey scurried to the bathroom and Brian headed for the kitchen. Before he got there, there was a knock at the front door.

“Olivia, what are you doing here?”

She walked in as if she had been invited and sat down on the sofa. “I want to talk to you about the hearing. You know, I really don’t want to do this. I was hoping that we could work something out between ourselves.” She was wearing a tight, short skirt and she crossed her legs, showing off her thighs.

Brian turned away from her. He wasn’t tempted anymore. “We both have attorneys. If you wanted to work something out, you should have had yours call mine,” he said, struggling to keep his voice down. “I’m not talking about this here. Mickey is in his room and Paige is in the kitchen. You need to leave.”

Olivia ran her hand down the length of her leg. “Brian, if we go to court, you’ll lose. Right now, we can work this out like civilized adults.”

She stood up and walked over to Brian, who was standing near the door. She tried to slip her arms around him, but Brian pushed her away. “Whatever attraction I had for you when you first came back is gone. I don’t want you touching me or pretending we have some buried feelings for each other. You killed that when you came in here and tried to take my son away. So why don’t you get the hell out?” Brian opened the door to usher Olivia out, just as Paige entered the living room. Olivia scoffed when she saw her.

“I see that you’re just determined to move into my shoes,” Olivia snapped. “Brian, I guess we’ll see each other in court.”

He wanted to shake Olivia. “Do you really want what’s best for our son or do you want me to suffer because I’ve moved on with my life?”

Olivia raised her sculpted eyebrow. “I can see this was a mistake,” she snapped.

“So, Paige, how does it feel?”


“What are you babbling about?” Paige said angrily. Brian put his arm around her shoulder to stop her from leaping at Olivia. 


“Just know that you cost Brian his son.”


Before either of them could respond, Mickey burst into the room.

“Mommy! Are you going to stay and have breakfast with us?”


Olivia hugged Mickey. “I don’t think so. But don’t worry, you and I will have plenty of time for breakfast after today.” She shot Brian and Paige a foreboding glance as she walked out the door.


“Well, I’d better get the table set for breakfast,” Paige said through the awkward silence that hung around them.
“Good idea,” Brian said.


After breakfast, Gabrielle picked up Mickey so that Brian and Paige could get ready for the hearing.


“What time do you have to be in court?” she asked. 
“

Eleven.”


“I’d better get dressed,” she said. 
“

You don’t have to come.”


“I know that. But someone has to watch your back. That woman is on the warpath.”


“Tell me about it,” Brian said. “I can’t believe that she’s the same person I married. I honestly believe that this isn’t just about Mickey.”

“Brian, maybe I should...never mind,” Paige said.


“What?” he asked as he looked deep into her golden eyes. “Maybe you should give Olivia what she wants. I mean, if she’s willing to take Mickey from you because we’re together, then maybe we shouldn’t be.”

Brian sat up and grabbed Paige’s hands. “I’m not losing my son or you because of Olivia. She had all of this; our son, our family and me. She threw it away to go to Atlanta. Why should I suffer because she wanted to act like a teenager finding herself?”

Paige chewed on her bottom lip. “She’s trying to make you and Mickey suffer and it’s all my fault.”

Brian stood up. “Olivia caused this and, damn it, I’m not going to let her cost me two of the best things in my life. I already gave up my career because of her. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’ve got to get ready for court.”

Paige fell silent, but Brian knew she was still mulling over the idea that she was the cause of his problems. He wished the day was over and the judge had already ruled in his favor. He daydreamed about Paige cooking dinner for them, about kissing her passionately.

“I’m so happy that things worked out for you,” she said when they broke off the kiss.

“You know what, I wouldn’t have been able to get through all of this craziness without you. Marry me, Paige.”

Her eyes sparkled with surprise as Brian reached into his pocket and pulled out a two and a half karat diamond ring.

“Brian, Brian, Brian,” Paige said. “The sink is about to run over.”

“Whu-What?” Quickly he snapped the faucet off. 


“Stop worrying so much, babe.”

“I’m scared as hell, Paige. You never know what a judge will decide. Maybe Olivia’s lawyer talks a little faster than mine.”


She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed the back of his neck. “If Judge White can’t see the truth, then he’s a fool and needs to be thrown off the bench.”

Nodding, Brian grabbed her hand and kissed it. In a few hours, he would find out if she was right.