Page 146 of Heart Strings & Hotlines
“But if this is going to work.” She splays her hand against my chest and puts a tiny amount of space between us, her cornflower-blue gaze crashing into mine. “We have to communicate about everything, even if you think we’ve already discussed it. We can’t end a conversation until we both feel fulfilled and heard. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.” Push through my boundaries to make room within my castle walls for my girls.
Her body sags into mine, and I welcome it, even encourage it by drawing her in closer with my arm around her shoulders.
“My father will fight dirty to keep me from moving forward. He takes our announcement and me partnering in any way with a Wilder as a personal slight against him. When the judge rejects the injunction, I’ll have to move quickly to put Rowan in charge, but how long until he strikes again?”
She sounds so damn tired. Did she not sleep last night either?
“We’ll figure it out,” I say. “All of it, I promise.”
We sit in comfortable silence, but my thoughts are wild and chaotic in my mind.
“My father doesn’t know it yet,” I blurt, “but his board will be voting him into retirement at the end of the month, and he’s already told me that he’s taking Kara back.”
Lottie jumps to her feet. “Like hell he is.” My little warrior is fierce tonight.
Rising up on my knees, I wrap my arms around her middle, pressing the side of my face into her chest. “I’ll fight it. I don’t know how good my chances will be. I’m not known to be a very loving guy.”
Her little palms lift my chin when she cups both of my cheeks. “We, Thane. We will fight for her. He may be her father, but he’s never been a dad, and she needs a dad. I own the most successful nanny match company in the country right now. Who better to help raise that little girl than the woman who built her career on helping families? We’re in this together. All in.”
“All in.” My voice cracks, the emotion sitting heavy and permanent in my throat.
Her legs wobble before she gracefully lowers herself to my side again. “It’s going to be rough, Thane. We’ll have battles coming at us on all sides. We’ll have to prepare for an all-out war with both of our fathers. If I thought my father wanted my company before, knowing I’ve partnered with you will only make the insanity ten times worse.”
“Let’s allow them to hang on to their petty grudges, okay? Their battles are not ours, so while they might both be fighting us, we’re coming at them as a team. Three to one will always be better odds.”
“We’re going to be tested. As a family, as a couple, at work. Nothing about moving forward together will be easy.”
I press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Nothing worth the risk was ever easy, Charlotte. But I’m putting all my chips on you and Kara, and remember, I never fail. I simply regroup and come at it from a different direction. You girls are my family now, and we’ll get through all of this. I promise.”
“Together, Thane. We’ll get through it together. No more cutting me out.”
“Never. You’re going to know so many details going forward that you’ll beg me to shut up.”
“Ha. I never beg.”
A feral, animalistic sound gurgles in my throat. “Only in bed, right?” I drag my nose into her hair and nuzzle into her neck. “In bed, you love to beg for me.”
She swallows hard, then shrugs as if she’s not fazed, but even in the waning light, I’d recognize her shade of blush anywhere.
“Sometimes a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”
“And fuck, do I love it when you do.”
“Lottie? Brad? I’m hungry.” Kara’s voice gets closer with each word. “Oh, there you are. Do we have a plan for dinner?”
“Not yet. How about pizza and salad?” I ask.
Charlotte gives us an exhausted smile. “Sounds good to me.”
I stand, then offer her a hand. Kara walks beside her, filling her in on every detail from the private plane we took here.
This is us, and I’ve never been happier about two little letters. Us—it cements itself in my memory and my heart. Us—it’s the foundation we’ll build our future on—regardless of how it looks or how many obstacles we have to overcome.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR
LOTTIE
