Page 59 of Laws of Love
“I’m sure she won’t,” Aiva responded. “Mother’s Day is a day made especially to celebrate moms and for them to spend time with their children. Most mothers want nothing more than to spend it with their kids, and she specifically asked for the holiday in the decree.”
Knox knew that to be true, but Mia wasn’t like most mothers. He did not doubt that she loved their daughter. He also knew that she could be selfish and often put herself first, choosing what she wanted to do or would bring her the best satisfaction before anything else.
“Daddy,” Yasmine called, bounding over. “I’m ready for ice cream now.”
He checked his watch and found she’d been playing for half an hour. “Okay, I’ll grab us some ice cream, and the two of you can choose a table.” Knox was unsure if the one they’d sat at originally was available.
They exited the play area, and he went to the counter, ordering three vanilla cones. Once he had them, he joined them at the table and handed them a cone.
“Guess what, Ms. Aiva,” Yasmine began after the first few licks of her cone.
“What, sweetie?”
“Daddy’s taking me to Disneyland this summer!”
“He is? That sounds exciting.”
“It’ll be my first time going. So I’m super happy about it. Oh! You know what? You should come with us. It’s going to be so much fun!” Yasmine stated, bouncing in her seat.
“I think that trip is something your dad planned for just the two of you,” Aiva responded after a moment.
“But it’ll be even more fun if you come, and Disney is for everyone, not just little kids.”
Aiva turned her attention to him, and Knox weighed his options regarding an answer because he knew she wanted him to step in. Yasmine seemed genuinely excited for Aiva to go with them, and his daughter never invited anyone outside of their family to anything. However, he didn’t want Aiva to feel put on the spot.
“She has a point,” Knox told Aiva. “It isn’t just for kids.” He then turned his attention to Yasmine. “But Yas, you have to ask people if they want to go somewhere with you. You can’t just tell them.”
“I didn’t, Daddy. I said she should come, not that she had to.”
Knox didn’t miss Aiva trying to hide her smile at Yasmine’s response, and he couldn’t help but shake his head at his daughter.
The conversation about Disneyland dropped, and they spoke about a movie Yasmine was excited to see instead.
When they returned to the condo parking lot an hour later, Knox walked Aiva to her car, two spots from his, while Yasmine waited in the backseat of his vehicle.
“Thank you for spending the afternoon with us.”
“Thank you for inviting me. I had fun,” she responded.
Knox kissed her. “If you decide you want to go with us to Disneyland, let me know. No pressure.”
He watched her bite her bottom lip. “I’ll think about it and let you know in the next week,” she informed him.
He nodded, giving her one more kiss before she slid into her car. As she pulled out, he went back and helped Yasmine out.
“I had fun today! We should do something else with Ms. Aiva soon.”
“I’m glad you had fun,” Knox responded.
Yasmine had met Aiva far earlier in their relationship than he’d been planning, both initial run-ins being on accident. However, his daughter seemed to like her, and he certainly did as well. He wasn’t opposed to the three of them doing something together again.
27
Knox stepped out of the shower after his workout. He’d dropped Yasmine off at school that morning, stopped to check on a few of his businesses, and then returned to the condo, where he’d changed and gone to workout.
Drying off, he wrapped a towel around his waist, grabbed his lotion, and exited his en suite. He sat at the end of the bed and moisturized before getting dressed. He picked up the mail he’d grabbed on his way from his workout and leafed through it. An envelope from the city caught his attention.
Knox opened it and found his divorce decree inside. It seemed like another weight lifted. The first time was when he’d learned that the judge had accepted their divorce petition. Now that he was holding the decree, physical proof that his marriage was over, he realized he hadn’t felt this light, free in a long while. It almost made him want to frame it.
