Page 8 of Bound

She took my hand as we walked back to my room.

“Wow. You look so pretty. Pretty as a rose,” he told her, touching her little nose.

“I’ll be done in a few minutes. Just need to finish my makeup.”

“I’ll take Rose downstairs and we’ll get something to eat quick.”

“I’ll be right down.”

In the massive bathroom we shared, I sat at the vanity and applied a soft pink eyeshadow on my eyes, a light pink blush, and bronzer. Then I applied some nude lip-gloss and I swiped some mascara on my lashes. Once my look was completed, I took one last look in the mirror. My black dress was modest and seemed court appropriate. I made my way downstairs.

“Here’s a mug of coffee to go.” Susie shoved it in my hand. “Damon is buckling Rose in the car seat,” she added.

“Thank you, Susie.”

I grabbed my handbag and headed outside to the SUV.

“Ready?” Damon asked.

“I’m ready.”

First, Damon had to meet with the lawyer to sign custody papers. Then we had an appointment for me to legally adopt her. It was gonna be a long day.

***

“I can’t believe Hope didn’t even change her mind or anything. Just signed the papers and was out of there just as quick,” Damon told me as we headed home from being in court.

“That’s crazy. At least she had enough sense to give her to you.”

“True. And now you are legally her mom.”

I smiled wide. “I am. So, while you go to work, we are going to change into our normal clothes and go get our nails and toes done. Then we have to work on some reading for her.”

Damon left as soon as we got home from court. He had a few meetings he couldn’t put off. It was a perfect time for some mother-daughter time at the local spa. We hopped in the SUV while Matteo drove us.

Matteo was back to work in full force now that he and Olivia settled in to their new place.

“How’s my pregnant friend?”

Matteo grinned. “Almost ready to pop.”

“A few more months.”

“Yep.”

“It is really noble what you are doing, Matteo. I’m not sure how many men would want to help raise another man’s baby, let alone a bad man such as Jose.”

“I’m doing it for her. And right now, that baby needs a decent father figure. I don’t know if she plans on telling them in the future, or if we will raise it as if it is mine. Whatever Olivia wants to do, I’m fine with. No matter what, I’m going to treat it as if it is my own.”

“Well, I’ll give her a call in a couple days to see if she is up to go dress shopping with me. Get her out of the house.”

“I’m sure she’ll like that.”

“Here you are,” Matteo announced as he pulled up the spa.

“Why don’t you go get some lunch for your pregnant girlfriend and we’ll be done by the time you get back?”

“Are you sure?”

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