Page 60 of Coveting Catherine

Taco scratched his head, “What kind of swing set did you get? I haven't found parts A1 and A2. And it's got a second set of instructions.”

Leo held the picture from his phone to show the guys.

Shadow whistled. “Wow, boss, where did you find it?”

“The internet. I searched for swing sets. This one came with a separate water play area, sandbox, a life-size chess set, and super slide you can connect to water during the summer.”

“Boss, I ain't one to second guess ya on a mission, but you realize you only got the one kid, right?” Saint stifled his chuckle at his confusion.

“All your kids will come over to play. They need something sturdy and will last. Oh, I bought this sunshade thing to cover it because it says some pieces might get hot in high temps.”

Chase shook his head. “Let's build the playground first, and then we can decide on the treehouse or the tree, whichever comes first.”

Leo motioned toward Chase to follow him. When they stood far enough away from the guys he turned toward his friend. “It doesn't matter to me what the test proves. I want Melody to know she can count on me. I guess I'm a bit nervous about the results. What it means for me and Catherine.”

“I'll have the results tomorrow. Why don't I bring it home? We can support you and Catherine. I can ask Claire to pop by,” Chase offered.

Leo shook his head. “I want to pick Catherine up tomorrow and open the results together.”

“Have you talked to Catherine since you texted her about the paternity test?” Chase asked, concerned.

“Not exactly. She says she’s busy with Kassie getting everything ready for the hospital's grand opening. She’s not answering my calls and when I briefly spoke with her when she fell outside Ty's, I asked her if she was hurt, and she said yes. I carried her to the vehicle and PITA sped off to get Emma. I meant to ask you how Ladybug’s doing.”

“Yeah, she caught the flu. It's the season. Catherine seems upset. I'm not trying to get in the middle of this, but I think you need to have a conversation with her.”

“She stayed in my home for five weeks and refused to answer anything concerning Ash. I want the truth. I feel like she's hiding something, and I think it's Melody.”

Chase shook his head. “It doesn't make sense. If she wanted to keep Melody from you, she’d fight you on the paternity test. She played with her at your cabin daily, and you interacted with Melody the entire time. Those aren't the actions of a woman who plans to keep a child's father from her.”

“Let's finish this project. I can't wait to have a barbeque and have the kids here.” Leo's face showed genuine delight in the kids playing in his backyard.

“Then let's get to it.” The two men joined the group.

Twelve hours later, Leo beamed as the team finished attaching the slide to the gym set. The two swings and the swing carriage hung, bolted to the frame.

“Boss, I researched the sand for the sandbox. Maybe you want to read up on it. Says here, you need a special sand called “play sand” for kids. They sift all the crap out and clean it. Then here's another article concerning sandboxes and feral animals pooping inside the boxes unless you keep it covered. Here’s an article describing how messy it gets and women commenting it's a bitch to clean up. They recommend a special vacuum cleaner on sale for three hundred and ninety-nine dollars if you've set your mind to have it.”

Leo scrubbed his jaw. This kid thing got more expensive by the minute. How did Catherine support herself and Melody all these years? He knew he always padded Samantha's checks a bit to help her out, but at the rate his bank account decreased after deciding Melody belonged to him, he would have to get the team working on more government contracts soon. He added a discussion with Catherine about child support back pay to his list.

“Kassie dropped off pizza and beer. I didn't want her to see this and report back to Catherine. Let's call it for tonight, and we'll finish the splash pad and the miniature horse carousel and lay the rubber mulch tomorrow.” Leo led the men back into the house to wash up.

Paint supplies sat at the kitchen door.

“You’re repainting already?” Chase asked.

He grabbed a beer and twisted off the top. “Yeah, after you guys leave, I'm painting a purple room for June bug. I bought her a white bed, dresser, and chest. It's in the other guest room. The lady at the store claimed it’s their best seller for little girls.”

The guys grabbed plates and stacked pizza on their plates. They laughed and talked as they ate. Whiskey slowly attempted to come out of his shell. He listened more than talked. Every now and again, Leo saw him crack a smile. Hopefully, his and Samantha's therapy sessions continued to work.

“Hey Doc, how's the IVF going with Kassie?” Shadow asked. “Don't feel like you need to divulge any secrets. We want you to know we're here to support you guys.”

“I appreciate it. We're doing another egg retrieval, and Kassie's on pins and needles. We've discussed other options, and Kassie says she'll consider them. She's disappointed, but we haven't given up.”

“We're here if you need anything. Know we got your back,” Leo spoke for all the men.

“Thanks,” Chase answered quietly before picking up his plate and setting it in the dishwasher. He grabbed two cans of paint and a roller and headed toward Melody's future room.

“Doc, go home to your family,” Leo placed his plate on the counter to stop his friend. The guys followed as they grabbed the rest of the painting supplies. “Guys, I got it covered.”

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