Page 24 of Falling for You (Balsam Cliffs #2)

Emma collapses on the porch, I can hear her shallow breaths after I hang up the phone. I need to get her to the truck, I don’t want her having a panic attack on the ground in front of this house.

I get her in the truck and do the only thing I know to do for someone having a panic attack. I help her take deep breaths and calm down before the cops show up.

I kiss her forehead and walk away. As much as I don’t want to leave her, I want my baby girl back.

“Roman Thomas?”

“That’s me.”

“Could you tell me what is going on?”

I explain to the officer how they have guardianship of Olivia because their daughter passed away but that they brought her to me and I’ve had her for the last couple weeks. I show him the positive paternity test proving that I’m her father.

“Do you have any court paperwork granting you permanent or temporary guardianship?”

“No! I didn’t even know I was a father until two weeks ago when the Ryans brought her to my house. I haven’t even gotten as far as hiring a lawyer.” I pace the small space in front of the deputy.

“Okay, let me go talk to them and get their side.”

“Their side! I’m her father !”

The deputy walks up the steps and knocks on the front door, of course they open immediately for him and welcome him into their house.

I feel like I’m pacing the driveway for half an hour, constantly looking over at Emma who’s just staring out the windshield with a blank look on her face, the tears still rolling down her cheeks.

I’m about to walk over to Emma when the deputy comes out of the house, without Olivia.

“Where is my daughter?” I stalk toward him, my fists balling at my side in anger. He’s supposed to be here to help me. I’m her fucking father, doesn’t that count for anything?

“Mr. Thomas, keep yourself in check.” He levels me with a stare, “Unfortunately, this is a civil issue. The Ryans have legal permanent guardianship of the child. I can only advise you to go home and hire a lawyer. They aren’t doing anything criminal, so I’m not able to do anything here.”

“Are you serious? They’re keeping my daughter from me, and there is nothing you can do besides telling me to go hire a lawyer?” I can feel the vein in my neck throbbing, the heat traveling up my back and neck.

“That is accurate. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“I guess not. Not if you can’t go in there and get my daughter.”

“Here is my card, please let me know if you need anything else or have any questions regarding the law surrounding custody.” He holds out the card between his fingers and I snatch it away, shoving it in my pocket.

I watch as he goes back to his cruiser and pulls out of the driveway.

I stomp back to my truck before I do something that they can record and have record of on their doorbell camera. I slide in the driver’s side and slam the door shut. I don’t talk to Emma, I can’t. Both of our emotions are too high, and she’s too fragile for my anger.

I drive to the closest fast food restaurant and pull into a parking spot. Gripping the steering wheel until it hurts and my knuckles are white.

“Roman,” Emma’s small voice breaks the silence in the cab of the truck.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I failed.”

Tears spring to my eyes and I will them to stay back.

“It’s not your fault, Rome. It’s theirs. What do we do now?”

I don’t miss the way she says we. “We hire a lawyer and fight to get our girl back. They’re not getting away with what they’re doing.”

“Maybe Wy can help us. He knows the laws, and probably can recommend a lawyer.”

Her shaky hands fumble trying to get her phone out of her purse. I place my arm on hers, stopping her.

“I’ll call him.” Her lower lip trembles, and the tears threatening to fall are starting to spill over. I kiss away the one tear traveling down her cheek.

“Rome, I can’t—” The floodgates open as her chest heaves with sobs.

Jumping out of the truck, I run around to her side. I rip open the door and pull her to the edge of the seat, wrapping my body around hers. I couldn’t be there for her before, but I sure as shit can be here for her now.

I pull her tighter to me, as if I can hold us both together tight enough that things won’t break and fall apart without Livvy Girl. I need to be strong for the both of us, and get our girl back.

After a few minutes her sobs lessen and she stills in my arms except for a few sniffles here and there.

“Are you okay for me to let go so I can call Wyatt?” I feel her nod against my chest, but I don’t let go.

I only free one hand so I can reach across her to grab my phone off the center console.

She doesn’t lift her head. I can imagine she isn’t ready to face me yet, she never was good about letting any of us see her struggle with something emotionally.

It’s how I know how badly she’s going through it now.

She never would have cried in the face of an emergency without taking charge of the situation first.

I hold my phone up to my face to unlock it. A brief moment of hesitation stirs before I hit the call button for Wyatt. The last time I saw him he was firmly on Hunter’s side of being pissed at me.

I inhale a deep breath, and release it as I put the phone to my ear.

One ring, two rings, voicemail.

Not fucking again. I can’t do this right now.

I call again. This time it picks up after the first ring, but I get no answer from him.

“Listen, Wy, I know you’re there. I need you. Emma needs you. Please don’t be a dick. You can be a dick as soon as we hang up again, but please not now.”

“What the fuck did you do to Ems?” His gruff voice comes across the line.

“I didn’t do shit to Ems. Olivia’s grandparents won’t give her back. It’s… hitting Ems really hard.” As if on cue, her sobs fill the truck again. I rub my hand up and down her back to comfort her.

“What do you mean they won’t give her back? Call the cops. I don’t understand what you want from me.”

Shit. Wyatt has never been this mad before, not since the incident .

“We called them. They said there’s nothing we can do because we haven’t gone to court yet. The Ryans have every legal right to keep her. I just need to get my daughter back.”

He scoffs in response. My face falls, and the tears threaten to fall.

“You need to go to court. There is nothing we can do, especially me. I’m not there. I’m not a cop in that town, and those guys are known to avoid custody cases that aren’t doing anything criminal.”

Ems grabs the phone and puts it on speaker.

“Please Wy. Stop being a jerk and just help. I know you can.” Emma chokes out her plea on a new sob. “Please help me get her back. I can’t lose another.”

“Another? Another what? Another baby? When did you lose the first?” A round of questions comes from him.

She collapses against the seat with her head in her hands. Fuck, this is so hard to watch her and not be able to fix anything.

“She’ll tell you later, she can’t right now.” I answer for her. “They took my fucking daughter Wy. So whatever petty shit you want to hold against me, can you do it later?”

Wyatt sucks in a breath, and I can see him pacing in his house, or the station, wherever he is, wondering if he wants to help his sister or continue being an ass to me. Pacing is his go to when he’s torn.

“I’ll text you a number. He’s a shark in court. I don’t know if he does custody but tell him I sent you and he’ll either take it or know someone who does.” With that he hangs up.

Immediately my phone pings with a text.

Wyatt: Thomas Bardeau, Bardeau & Associates out of Portland. I don’t have his number with me but you can look it up.

That is better than nothing.

Wyatt: P.S. You’re still a douchebag for messing with my sister.

I deserve that.

“Wyatt sent me the number for a lawyer in Portland. I can call him first thing tomorrow morning. Do you want me to go in and get you a Coke?” I offer a simple gesture.

Ems always loves to go get a fountain Coke, especially from the fast food restaurants, not the gas stations. Apparently they’re spicier, just how she likes them.

She shakes her head no . I lean in to kiss her on top of her head, and buckle her seatbelt.

Silently slipping back into my seat I reach over and place my hand on her thigh for the drive. I need to touch her, to feel close to her. It kills me to know the grief she’s going through. It kills me that I’ve now been the cause of this twice.

Maybe her brothers are right.

I pull into the inn’s driveway, Emma needs Anna. She hasn’t spoken to me since she yelled at Wyatt. I’m running a major risk running into one of the brothers here, but I text Anna on the way and she’s here helping Violet in the kitchen.

I place the truck in park and scrub my hand over my face. I steel myself for what I may be walking into, ready for whatever comes my way and to stay strong for Ems.

“Sunshine, I’m going to come around and get you, I brought you to Mom.”

There is no response, just quiet sobs.

I walk around, opening her door, and scooping her up into my arms. She wraps her arms around my neck, and snuggles closer to me.

“I’m… s-s-sorry… I lost another b-baby.”

“Shh, it’s not you, Sunshine. Not at all.” I squeeze my arms around her tighter, wanting to take away all her pain.

Anna opens the door and her hand flies to her chest at the sight in front of her. I’m sure she’s used to getting more emotions from Emma than anyone else, but I still think this is a first.

We get to the top step to meet her and she pushes the door open, leading the way to the office off the kitchen.

I pass Nathan in the living room with Hunter, Liam, and Cooper.

I get nasty glances from two of the four and I count that as a win.

The other two have confused faces as they watch me carry a crying Emma.

I lay her on the couch in the office, she immediately leaves my arms and goes into Anna’s arms.

What am I supposed to do? How do I fix this?

“The boys are in the living room,” she whispers it so quietly, I barely hear her.

I nod, and turn to leave. Stopping at the door I peak back at Emma in her Mom’s arms, sobs still wracking her chest. It’s been almost two hours and she hasn’t stopped.

Taking a deep breath, I close the office door and turn to the kitchen, finding Violet staring at me.

She gives me a tight, sad smile. “Mom told me.”

A simple statement, that says it all. I lean on the island in the middle of the large kitchen, resting my head on my forearms and tugging at the ends of my hair.

“I don’t know what the fuck I’m supposed to do, Vi. I don’t know how to help her, or fix this. I put her in this position, not once, but twice.”

The tears start to fall just as the large kitchen door swings open.

“Son.” Nathan places a large hand on my shoulder. “Anna told me briefly when she called me. She said that you might need someone too, and I reckon you’re trying to be strong for my daughter, but you don’t have to be with me.”

He pulls two stools over and I lean back to sit on one, while he faces me on the other.

“How can they just keep her?” I slam my hands down on the cool steel. “She’s my fucking daughter!”

“I know. I know. We will get through this. I looked up some lawyers and—”

“Wyatt sent one over to us. I’m going to call them first thing in the morning. Thomas Bardeau?” I pull out my phone and google the name, pulling it up and handing my phone over to Nathan.

He scrolls, giving grunts of approval every now and again.

“He looks good. You ready for the fight? If they’re willing to just keep your daughter, they’re not going to give up so easily.”

“I thought I would do anything to get my daughter back, but now, seeing Emma, I know that I would do more than that to fix this. I need to do more than that to fix this.”

He nods, and slaps me on the shoulder. “Sounds like you’re ready. And you have all of us behind you.”

Cooper, Liam, and Hunter come into the kitchen.

“What the fuck did he do to Emma? Didn’t take him long to make her cry.” Hunter says snidely.

He grabs an apple off the counter and takes a large bite. I stare at my friend, my best friend. The one who knows everything and always had something to say, but until now, that was never something mean or hurtful.

“Hunter,” Nathan warns with a low growl.

“Seriously, Pops? Your daughter is in there crying, and you’re out here consoling the traitor.” His eyes narrow at me.

“She is my daughter, and he just lost his. So how about you find the manners I fucking raised you with.” Nathan stands at his full height, daring Hunter to continue.

He looks around Nathan to me.

“You lost your daughter? What does that mean? Why is Ems so upset?” Panic laces his voice, and gone is the anger.

“The Ryans took her. Ems and I went to go get her today after they kept her overnight for us for Willow’s show. But now they won’t give her back. And legally they don’t have to.” I choke on the last part.

There is stomping coming through the inn, and the kitchen door rips open before a whirl of red hair flies past me.

“Get out of my way boys!” Willow yells as she goes straight to the office. When I look around I notice that Violet is silently following her. Torn about whether to join them or not.

Willow has lost a few pregnancies, it’s been really hard on her and G, but I know she’s going to be a great support for Emma.

Gunnar walks in slower after Willow lets the door slam in his face.

“Mom texted us,” he offers. He looks right at me. “They all know?”

“You know?” I ask him, surprised that Emma told him.

“Willow told me on the way over here.”

“Can someone please fill us the fuck in?” Hunter yells.

I look at Nathan, wanting his lead on how to handle this.

“Boys. I’m only breaking your sister’s trust because I feel like you need to know the gravity of the situation.” He sucks in a breath, and nods to me, letting me know that I can pick up the story from here.

“Emma… she, uh, had a miscarriage. In March.” I look down at my hands, not wanting to face them for my next confession. “It was our baby. And now that Olivia is… not home, it’s bringing up a lot for Ems.”

“What the fuck do you mean she had a miscarriage in March? March as in you’ve been screwing my sister for how fucking long asshole?” Hunter lunges for me.

I don’t move. I deserve everything they want to do to me.

Cooper and G step between us.

“Sit down, Hunt,” G demands.

“A year.” I answer his question. He deserves to know. “But it’s so much more than you think it is Hunt. I love her. So fucking much it physically hurts.”

His jaw clenches, and he storms out. Cooper and Liam follow him.

“I’m so sorry.”

I don’t know who I’m apologizing to, or what I’m even apologizing for at this point.

The office door quietly opens. “Roman, I think our girl is ready to go home.”

Home.

This is her home. Here with the Keatons. Not my home where I just cause her more hurt.