Page 7 of Right the Wrongs (Broken Vows #5)

I narrow my eyes. I’m not trying hard to hold shit in anymore.

“You do know we aren’t biologically related, right?

She was married to my son, past tense. The existence of this little one,” I make a sweeping gesture toward the crib, “should explain to you why. Not that it’s your business, but our relationship developed from that betrayal. ”

Her back is held ramrod straight, and her entire demeanor drips with disdain. “Actually, Mr. Hale, it absolutely is my business. Frankly, I don’t think you are fit to raise a child, at least not with proper morals.”

“And who is the judge of what is moral? You?” I press.

Wren’s hand squeezes mine, her nails leaving half-moon indents in my skin.

Her other hand goes over her belly protectively.

Where we come from, we’ve seen some horror stories of when self-righteous social workers set about their job like they’re on a crusade.

This is where people get the sense that the system is broken.

Too often, we see children dealing with the shittiest circumstances, while another child is removed from a loving home simply because they’re poor.

It’s pretty clear that this woman is more the crusader type than the ones who go into the field and fight the fight. Wren is clearly worried that we’ve just entered her radar right when our own child is nearly here.

Hattie is making an exaggerated tilting of her head, until I realize my free hand is clenched into a fist—a gesture Ms. Palmer doesn’t miss.

“It’s concerning to me that you have a child on the way—” Ms. Palmer begins, but is cut off by Hattie loudly clearing her throat.

“Before you continue with whatever you were about to say, let me remind you that while you may come from money, you do not come from here. Wren is the daughter of two of the most beloved people who ever lived in this area. Her mother was my sister, and if I do say so myself, I’m quite respected here.

Especially considering I went off to college and came back when they were desperately short of nurses with experience in trauma.

Then there’s Griffin, who has fixed practically every car in both Pine Bluff and Harriston, including every government official vehicle in town.

Trust me, there isn’t a soul in Harriston that doesn’t know how the two of them fell in love, and when.

You won’t get anywhere trying to speak against them, unless where you want to go is out of town,” Hattie warns.

I watch Ms. Palmer shrink before us. She might not respect me, or even Wren, but Hattie is clearly in a position of authority at this hospital. It might be over the nurses, not the whole hospital, but Hattie carries herself with the confidence and power of someone who takes no shit.

“What I was going to say,” Ms. Palmer begins again, “is that I’m concerned that you are very close to having a baby, and won’t be able to take care of two.”

That is absolutely not what she was going to say. I’d be impressed if I weren’t so pissed off. She took a detour around the dangers of going after Wren and me, but she is still going to prevent us from bringing my granddaughter home with us.

My voice is low, and I can’t help the grumbling tone of it when I say, “My granddaughter is not going into the system. She stays with family.”

Hattie pulls her phone out of her scrubs and smiles for about two seconds before Charlie comes into the room.

She wipes the grin away before he looks at her, a bit too long, honestly.

There is something weird with these two.

If I didn’t know Charlie better, I’d say they were dating.

Hell, maybe he’s destined to fall for a Parker girl, too.

They are a force of nature few men can withstand. I can’t believe I ever tried to resist.

“How about her daddy’s godfather? He’s not blood related, but he is connected to the family, and as far as I know, he is not married to a former in-law. Would that suit your morals, Ms. Palmer?” Hattie blinks, putting the cherry on top of her sarcasm sundae.

“I, that is, uhm,” she tries to respond.

Fucking Charlie Storm. He smiles, his dimples come out, and he does this thing with his eyes that makes them go gooey.

I don’t understand it. He’s got regular, dark brown eyes.

Not sure what about them makes women go batshit crazy.

I heard someone call them bedroom eyes before, but no woman ever sees Charlie’s bedroom. He does not bring them to his house.

Apparently, Ms. Palmer has missed the memo that Charlie is Harriston’s own Casanova. It’s also obvious that she isn’t as high and mighty as she lets on. I’d say it’s a safe bet that she’d cross the tracks if Charlie were waiting on the other side.

“I’m great with babies, and if it makes you feel better, I bet I can convince this pretty nurse to come over and help me sometimes.” He winks at Hattie. I am going to have to talk to him about not going after my wife’s aunt. She’s not one of his casual fuck buddies.

Ms. Palmer doesn’t have the same reservations, though. He might as well have told her he was the second coming and patron saint of babies all in one, because she signs off on his guardianship with glee.

I’ve never seen someone get off on filling out a form, but Ms. Palmer is a special kind of freak. One I hope never to see again. Since temporary custody of my grandchild just went to my best friend, maybe I won’t have to.

Hattie starts the process of getting Natalie discharged while Charlie pulls me aside alone. “Hattie called me and told me you needed help. I didn’t know how much until I got here and figured out that you were prepared to bring her home with you.”

“Why shouldn’t I?” I don’t even know why I asked that dumbass question.

Going by the look on Charlie’s face, he doesn’t buy it either.

“Natalie is innocent, but she’s also living proof of Liam’s cheating.

I’m not saying Wren won’t move past it, but you have to give her time to do that, and not when she’s supposed to be getting ready for her first child. Don’t taint this time for her.”

He looks over his shoulder, and I can’t figure out why he looks so concerned and sad about Wren.

“You’ll never get that time back. You can have more kids together, but you’ll never have this first experience again.

I will take good care of Natalie. You know I will.

We will work together to kick Liam’s ass until he gets his shit together.

Lean on me. You can absolutely have everything, just not alone. ”

I nod, because what is there to say? He’s right, and I appreciate that he’s never let me be alone from when Liam was little, and even now.

I reach my hand out for Wren, and she’s a bit slower to take it than she has been. I worry that I might have already dimmed the shine of becoming a mother for the first time.