Page 32 of Everything I Promise

Preston recommends, as the local doctor, that she should be committed on a 72 hour hold, and I know her parents won’t let that happen.

Brad tells me to come by tomorrow and he’ll have the report for our lawyers. I tell him to let her parents know that if they let her be treated properly per the doctor’s instructions I won’t press charges. But if they coddle her and let her get away with this without getting her help, I will press charges. Hopefully, that will force their hand to get her help, she clearly needs it.

Our parents are from the same circles, she was treated as property by her own parents to get her married in the right family. It's why I stayed in a loveless marriage so long. I knew she had the same shitty parents I did. Only she seems content to continue the cycle. I thought it would change when I showed her real affection. But it never did, as proven by my current situation.

I feel semi-bad that she is in this state, but she really just brought it all on herself when she chose to step out on our marriage while I was trying to provide her the life she always wanted. Judging by today, I’d say she’s been hiding some more of her life from me, not just the affairs she had.

When the two cops finally leave, I am able to get my phone from my truck.

I know Lacey is probably freaking out at this point. Preston told me that Scarlett was in fact on the phone with her. I feel awful that I let this drama into her life. I have a barrage of text messages from her.

Me:I’m okay, Lace. I’m so sorry you had to hear about this from Scarlett.

Lacey:You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m just so glad you’re okay. She had a gun, Colton. A gun pressed to your lips. The lips that I kissed goodnight not six hours ago.

Me:I know, Sweetheart, I know it was scary. And I’m so sorry. I hate that you are in this drama.

Before that message can even send, Lacey and Oliver are running down the driveway. Lacey flings herself into my arms, tears silently streaming down her cheeks.

“Colton! Mommy said we can come over to play with Duke and see Aunty Scarlett and Uncle Preston!”

“Yeah, buddy! Why don’t you go inside and get Duke, we can take him to the wildflower field!” I try to sound excited and like this was the plan all along.

“Awesome!” Oliver runs off inside to get Duke.

I see Preston nodding through the window and I know he knows that I need some time with Lacey. I pick her up and she clings to me like a child as I walk us over to my tailgate. I place her on the tailgate and stand between her legs.

She grabs my face with her hands. “I thought I was going to lose you,” she whispers.

“Never, Lace. I’d never let anyone take me from you. Not now.”

She slams her mouth into mine and pours all her emotions into our kiss.

Trying to break the tension, I say, “Does this mean you can be my girlfriend in public now?”

She slaps my chest and looks at me. “Yes, Colton West. I will be your girlfriend. But remember I’m a package deal, so promise me you won’t break us.” As she says that I see Oliver run out with Duke.

“Come on, Colton! Let’s go play!”

Duke steals his ball from Oliver’s hand and the two take off running around the house to the backyard.

“I promise, with everything I have, sweetheart,” I say as I kiss her on the forehead.

Chapter Fifteen

Lacey

When Scarlett called me and told me that Elizabeth had a gun pointed at Colton my heart stopped, a breath caught in my throat, and I felt like I was going to be sick. Colton had said she wasn’t taking the divorce quietly, but I never imagined she would do this based on how he’s described her.

We’ve been with Colton all day, I can’t bring myself to leave him. I have this deep need to see him, touch him, to make sure he’s really okay. Scarlett insists that it’s because I love him, but can that be right? It’s only been a few months. My divorce isn’t finalized, his divorce isn’t finalized. But I find myself wanting to spend all of our time with him. I know I care a lot about him. Maybe it’s just the emotions of the day.

Oliver is starting to fall asleep on the couch and I should get him home. “I think that we should finally leave. You twodefinitely didn’t plan to spend your day like this,” I say to Preston and Scarlett.

“Maybe we didn’t plan it, but we certainly don’t mind, Lace. You aren’t the only one who wanted to keep their eyes on our boy here today.” Preston winks toward Colton. I know they are close, so I believe him even though he makes a joke of it.

“Come on, sweetheart, I’ll grab Oliver and meet you at the car, then I’ll follow you home to help you get him in,” Colton says as he picks Oliver up from the couch.

I say goodbye to Scarlett and Preston and thank them for letting us hijack their day. As I walk to the car my brain is a scrambled mess. I think when I get home, I’m going to need to sort through these feelings Scarlett thinks I have for Colton.

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