Page 4 of No Regrets

Chapter Two

“Mom, I’m fine. You go ahead and have fun with your friends. Shiloh and I will be okay.” It was Saturday, and nearly a week had passed since she had her little meeting with Kaden. She couldn’t bear to tell her mother she had seen him because then they’d have the whole marriage talk again.

Bree groaned. She didn’t even want to think about marriage to that man.

“Promise to kiss her goodnight for me?” Regina asked over the telephone.

“I will. She loves Nana’s kisses.”

After they hung up, she checked on a sleeping Shiloh and then went downstairs to figure out her finances again. Christmas was two weeks away, and still, the bills kept rolling in.

She’d been at it for nearly an hour before a knock at the door pulled her away from her thoughts. She stood, not caring that she was barefoot and dressed in sweats, crossed the room and unlocked the door.

“Hello, darling.” Blair Riggens came through the door, pulling Bree into a bear hug. “Oh, it’s so good to see you. How’s my sweet little grandchild?”

“Shiloh’s fine. She’s sleeping right now. I just put her down for her nap.” Bree looked at Blair as if she were an alien. “What are you doing here, Blair?”

Blair walked inside the townhouse as if she was welcomed, and Bree groaned, slamming the door shut. Blair Riggens wasn’t her biggest fan but the feeling was mutual. But after seeing Kaden and the whole situation, she really didn’t want to have anything to do with any of his family.

“I’m here because my son said he saw you the other day.” She sat on the couch, looking stiff as she did. Good, Bree thought. Not as luxurious as the leather she used to own when she’d been single, but she had a baby now. Give and take a little. “He said that you had a bit of a disagreement.”

It was all Bree could do not to snort. “Your son and I have disagreed since the very second I told him I was expecting his child. It’s old news.”

Blair pursed her lips. “Bree, he means well.”

“Yeah. Right. For who? My point of view clearly says he’s still the same love-’em-and-leave-’em type.”

“Well, if you knew that, then why did you sleep with him?”

“I was drunk, and your son was a handsome man. We were best friends, and it all went to my head. I never planned on having a baby this early in life, and I sure as hell didn’t plan or trap him as he seems to think.”

Blair looked around the less than spectacular room. “Will you let him be in the baby’s life if he wants?”

“He doesn’t want to be. Quite frankly, I’m not sure I trust him with my child.” Bree stood with her hands on her hips, wishing her life wasn’t so chaotic.

“Please don’t make this go to court, Bree. It’ll be so much easier on all of us if you just agree to visitation and custody.”

Bree narrowed her eyes at the woman on her couch. “Is that a threat?”

“It’s a warning. Kaden deserves to be in his child’s life, and you have no right to keep him out of it.” Blair stood, obviously uncomfortable sitting on Bree’s lumpy couch. “I personally think marriage is suitable for the pair of you. That way it guarantees the baby will have both parents. It’s healthier on her emotions, and the psychological benefits are a plus.”

“Excuse me for saying this, but you need to butt out of my life.” Bree stood with the door open, giving Blair the hint she was not welcome. “I know what’s best for my daughter, and I will abide by my knowledge. I gave birth to her after all.”

Blair nodded, pursing her lips tighter. “Choose your battles, sweetheart. Do you really think you have a chance at winning full custodial rights to the baby when Kaden’s father is the best divorce attorney in the state?”

“Please get out of my house.” Bree clenched the doorknob and waited until Blair passed by and stood on the other side of the threshold. Then she slammed the door in her face and slid the lock home.

She wouldn’t let them take her baby away. She didn’t care if it took everything she had to find a good attorney. She wouldn’t let them take her away.

Bree slid down to the floor, unable to hold back the emotions streaming through her body. Even though it’d been nine months since she’d given birth, her body still wasn’t back to normal. She cried more than she should and got angry for no real reason. Her bills kept piling up, and she hadn’t a clue how she was going to pay them. Too much was on her plate to worry about a custody battle.

Shiloh’s cry sounded over her own, and she instinctively stood to get her sweet baby. She dried her eyes on the large sweatshirt she pulled on and hoped she didn’t scare the poor child to death. Kaden didn’t even consider her his. Why would he want custody of the baby?

“Ssh, sweetheart. Momma’s here.” She picked up her daughter and cuddled her close, automatically stopping the crying. She patted her wild curly hair and kissed her head before sitting back in the wooden rocker in the corner of the room. “Everything’s alright. Momma will make sure of it.”

* * * *

“Sorry about the loss of your grandfather, Kaden.” Derek came up to his buddy, not seeing him since the night they went out to dinner. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

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