Page 18 of Announcing Love (Sporting Pride #5)
“Thank you.” Artem looked uncomfortable with all the praise.
Tip kissed his temple. “Why don’t you get back to Jathan? He’s probably wondering where you went.”
Artem flashed him a grateful-looking smile. “Okay.” He focused on Tip’s mom. “It was nice meeting you.”
“You too.”
With a final wave, Artem left them alone. Tip couldn’t recall the last time he felt so apprehensive. He hated that he couldn’t trust his own mother any longer, but he couldn’t. His shoulders squared, preparing for the inevitable manipulation and brow beating.
“Wow, Tip. He’s beautiful.”
“Why are you here, Mom? I told you we were done.”
He didn’t miss her flinch, as if he slapped her. Tip hated that he felt any guilt. It wasn’t fair. “I got a job.”
Tip nodded. He didn’t know what she hoped to hear.
She moved to pet Ginger. “I took some of our things to an auction house and it turned out they needed someone to help them catalogue things. It’s pretty easy work.”
Tip simply stared at her. What did she expect?
“Miranda kicked out Kyle and got a job at a daycare. She gets to take Caleb to work with her.”
He was glad to hear Caleb was in daycare. The kid needed some structure. He had always thought Caleb would be such a nightmare when he started school, Tip would have to pay for private school just so he’d be allowed to go. Miranda kicking Kyle out was a little hard to believe.
“I hadn’t told you, because Kyle was always up my ass every time we spoke.
No doubt he worried I’d tell you about all his schemes.
Anyhow, each car you bought stayed in only Miranda’s name.
She controlled all the money too. It was always her plan to get as financially secure as possible before going to war with Kyle for custody of Caleb.
She kept letting him pull the car bullshit because she planned to sell all of them once he was gone.
Of course, once she filed for divorce, he didn’t fight her at all for Caleb.
He fought tooth and nail for the car collection, though. ”
Tip snorted. That didn’t surprise him. He had never understood what Miranda had seen in the guy. Kyle had never hidden the fact that he was there for the money. Tip highly doubted the guy had been faithful for a single day of their marriage.
“Did he get it?”
His mom flashed him a smile. “No. Thank you for that, by the way. It was you forcing a prenup that saved her. She sold all but two and set up a college fund for Caleb.”
As selfish as Miranda was, that shocked him. “I suppose some people still put their kids first.”
She flinched again as he hit his mark. “I suppose I deserved that. We never saw you and I guess that made it easier to justify myself.” Her gaze finally swung his way and stayed. “But I love you and I don’t want to lose you. I don’t care if I never see another dime. I just want my son back.”
She said the things he wanted to hear, but he didn’t trust her anymore. It hurt too badly to say that, so he said nothing.
“It’s obvious you don’t believe me. That’s beyond fair, but please at least give me another shot. I swear, I just want to be your mom.”
“Can I think about it?” By think, he meant discuss it with Artem. He couldn’t rely on his own judgment when it came to family.
“Yeah. Just maybe call me sometime… or send a text. Whatever you’re comfortable with. I miss you.”
He dipped his chin in a sharp nod. Tip refused to say it back. She was the one who destroyed them. He watched as she headed to her car and didn’t look away until he was certain she was gone. Tip didn’t want to hope. He supposed time would tell.
Tip had been overly quiet since his mom came and went.
Artem resented the hell out of her timing.
Tip had asked him to marry him. It hadn’t been a grand proposal or anything—which Artem preferred.
He didn’t like being the center of attention.
But at least they could have enjoyed a moment of private celebration if she hadn’t destroyed the entire day with her presence.
He felt guilty thinking like that. Artem wanted Tip to have his mom back, but not at the cost of Tip’s health and sanity.
He grabbed a wrapped box from the guest bedroom closet where he had hidden it and carried it to Tip in the living room.
The air changed, turning lighter. Tip visibly brightened. “What’s this? It’s nowhere near my birthday.”
Artem passed the box to Tip. “Initially, it was a just because gift. Now you can call it a celebration of our engagement.”
Tip softened. He held Artem’s stare. “I love you. You’re the center of my universe. You know that, right?”
Artem knew he smiled like a fool. “I love you too. Open your gift. It took me a while to find these, especially since I wanted them authenticated.”
Tip gave him a curious look as he tore open the paper. He laughed as he pulled the first bat from the box. “Mickey Mantle. Nice.”
“Well, I kind of ruined your other one with Kyle’s blood and splintered it on his fat head.”
Tip released a loud bark of laughter. It died as he pulled the second bat from the box. “Holy shit, Artem. How in the hell did you even find an autographed Babe Ruth bat? These are ridiculously hard to get and cost a fucking fortune. I can’t believe it.”
Artem couldn’t stop smiling. Tip reacted exactly how Artem hoped, making his seemingly endless search worthwhile.
He loved that he finally had the money to spoil Tip a little.
“It took a minute, and I actually ended up having to hire a guy who specializes in finding rare items. You’re totally worth it. ”
Tip set the bats aside and towed Artem into his lap. “You agreed to marry me. I never need another gift, but this is amazing. Thank you.”
Artem wrapped his arms around Tip’s neck. “Well, you’re pretty damn fantastic, so you deserve it.”
He shook his head and stared at Artem like he couldn’t believe his luck. That was such an incredible feeling, and it was how Tip made him feel every day. Artem hadn’t questioned his worth for a single moment since he’d agreed to give Tip a second chance.
“What would you like in return?”
Artem huffed. “I didn’t get you a gift to get a gift. I love you and want to show it.”
“Oh. I have an idea.” Tip’s shoulders immediately fell. “But you just took a shower.”
“Fuck that.” The words burst from Artem with way too much enthusiasm. He didn’t try to reel it in. “If you want to get dirty with me, I’m so in.”
Tip grinned like an idiot. “Let’s go.”
Artem jumped to his feet, and Tip slapped his ass before heading down the hall.
Artem nearly plowed him over to rush things along when Tip started stripping along the way, dropping pieces of clothing in his wake.
Except he didn’t head for their bedroom, and Artem’s curiosity was piqued.
Then Tip flipped on the lights in the room Artem had chosen as his studio.
Artem froze. He had just been in there, returning the paint and easels from his afternoon with Jathan. Somehow between then and his shower, cloth tarps had been scattered across the room, covering the entire floor, and a giant canvas sat in the center.
Tip turned his way and stripped out of his final article of clothing: his underwear. He flung them toward the hall. While Artem watched, barely holding back laughter, Tip squirted paint on himself and used his free hand to smear it across his chest. “Let’s get started.”
“I didn’t know happiness like you existed.”
At his confession, Tip froze and held his stare. “I didn’t know what real love felt like before you, but here we are.”
God. Sometimes Tip wrecked him with his words.
He held up two tubes of paint. “Are you getting in on this? Baba is coming to stay with us next week. It needs time to dry so we can be the scandalous ones for once.”
With a laugh, Artem whipped his shirt up and over his head. He was definitely in. Artem wouldn’t miss a single moment of the bliss that Tip brought by just existing. He also couldn’t wait to see Baba’s face. Artem loved his life.