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Chewing on his bottom lip, Ben paused. John watched Ben hesitate, the pen flickered between his fingers. “Money aside, how do I know she will be okay?”

Now he cares? Please.

“They will have me. That’s how.”

“But I thought you said you weren’t in the picture?”

John shook his head. “I’m not in the picture, but I have no problem paying for everything. I just want her to be happy and Brooke to be happy.”

Ben scribbled his name on both papers then slid one back to John. “Just so you know, I already planned on signing the papers before you got here. She can have the kid … One last thing I don’t have to worry about. It’s a good thing I waited though, since you bought her off and all,” he snickered greedily.

John paused. “Just so you know, I was prepared to pay you even more. Not only that, I didn’t buy her off. That paper states you will never come into contact with her or her daughter again. Read the fine print, asshole. I was protecting them, not

buying them.”

“Whatever you say,” Ben stood. “Are we finished here?”

John scanned all the places he needed Ben’s signature. He stacked the papers together and stood. “We are.” Ben saluted then turned and began walking toward the steel doors. John released a sigh. He was glad it was over, but also that he came in Alyssa’s stead. The last thing he wanted was for her to be in this nasty place.

Signing out, John turned his cell phone on and dialed Alyssa while walking to his car.

“Hello?”

“Hey Alyssa … got a minute?”

He heard some shuffling in the background. “I have a minute … What’s up?”

“You might want to sit down for this one. I have a surprise for you.”

“Oh goodness, you’re scaring me.”

John chuckled. “This is a good thing, trust me.”

Alyssa was quiet for a moment before she said, “I do.”

“Well, I’m leaving Georgia right now. I had to visit an old friend.”

“Who?”

“Actually, I changed my mind. I’ll explain more when I get there. Can I stop by?” He wanted to see the look on her face when he told her the good news.

“Of course, but can you give me a hint?”

“Nope.”

“Don’t tease me like that, Johnny. Give me something!”

“Oh, I’ll give you something alright. Just wait. See you in a few hours and kiss my little cupcake for me.”

Alyssa smiled, feeling happy for the first time in many months. “I will.”

“See you soon.”

Alyssa hung the phone up, wondering what Johnny had up his sleeve. What more could he do that he hasn’t already done? She was wracking her brain trying to figure it out, but she came up blank. John had been proving himself in more ways than one, and she wasn’t sure what to think of it other than she was one lucky girl.

Three hours later, John was pulling into Alyssa’s neighborhood. The entire drive back he was trying to come up with different ways to tell her the great news. He was beaming from ear to ear and couldn’t wait to see her.

He turned off the ignition, grabbed the papers and strolled toward the door. Knocking a hand full of times, he waited. Alyssa threw the door opened with a strapped Brooke to her hip. She looked refreshed, happy, and the dark circles under her eyes were slowly disappearing. Brooke spotted John and bounced happily on Alyssa’s hip.