Page 13 of Single Mom’s Undoing (Lucky Lady Reverse Harems #1)
DAMON
M y blood boils.
I haven’t felt this way in a long time. It takes a while for me to get my thoughts back in order, and I’m glad Clara chose to stick by my side while Carter and Jace keep Jodie and the kids busy.
We sit at the picnic table, watching them frolic around with the bubble machine, the sun dancing across their faces.
“They’re so pure and innocent,” Clara says after a lengthy silence.
“I know.”
“They ask the simplest, most important questions. They don’t understand the intricacies of human relationships yet. The world will ultimately break their hearts, and not a day goes by that I don’t dread the moment when my son will experience it.”
I give her a troubled look. “You’re so upbeat when Matty’s with you. ”
“I carry it inside,” Clara says, her eyes filled with tears. “The children are a piece of us, Damon. When they’re hurting, we’re hurting. Hell, we hurt even when they’re not aware of the pain being inflicted upon them.”
“In this case, Elizabeth.”
She nods. “Shiloh is too little to understand. I’m guessing she still asks about her mother.”
I frown. “I never know what to tell her, so I just say that her mother had to go away. And every time, Shiloh asks why her mother doesn’t love her.”
“What do you say to that?”
“That Elizabeth does love her, but she’s got important work to do. Someday, she’ll be old enough to hear the truth. Until then, I’m sticking with that.”
“You’re a good father, Damon,” Clara replies, her shoulder gently pressing into my arm. “And it shows. Shiloh is a sweet, gentle girl. Curious but patient, kind and easygoing, quite selective with who she bonds with.”
“And that makes you a very lucky lady,” I chuckle softly. “She’s nuts about you, Clara.”
“Well, I’m nuts about her, too. And Matty adores her. She’s got Lenora in her life, as well. Then there’s Carter and Jace. They’ve been the coolest uncles, judging by what I’ve seen.”
I can’t help but laugh, and Clara laughs with me.
“She deserves it.”
“She does. She deserves a good family,” Clara says. “I hope you don’t feel guilty about pushing Elizabeth away. ”
Shaking my head, I take a moment to glance back at the park’s main fairway, hoping to never see that woman again. It’s odd. A life was born from a one-night stand, and I actually thought I could build something from it, something I’d hoped to someday build with Clara, had she not run away.
And here we are with another chance.
“No guilt, just anger,” I tell her. “She did it on purpose. Elizabeth knows she isn’t allowed anywhere near us without a court order. I made sure of that when I filed for full custody. She relinquished her parental rights altogether.”
“Then what is she doing here?”
I shrug. “I have no idea.”
“I might,” Jace joins us back at the table, swiping through his phone. “There’s a charity gala happening next month here in Blackthorn Falls. It includes a fine art auction sponsored by Bill Lockwood.”
Clara’s face drops. “He’ll be here?”
I see tension gathering in her shoulders. There’s something about the mention of Carter’s father that has her sitting stiffly in her seat, her gaze darkened, and her voice dimmed.
“Not sure,” Jace casually replies. “But I’ll bet Elizabeth is handling the fine art that will be auctioned. There have been a couple of news articles in the local press that mention her involvement.”
“Then what was today’s episode all about?” I ask, increasingly confused. “If the reason she’s here is because of her job, why come bother me?”
Clara lowers her gaze. “Maybe she regrets leaving you and Shiloh. She did say she misses you. ”
“Fuck her regrets,” I snap. “She broke her daughter’s heart when she left. She’s not coming anywhere near Shiloh until Shiloh turns eighteen. Should my daughter want to have anything to do with Elizabeth then, I won’t hold it against her. But fuck Elizabeth’s regrets; she made her choice.”
Jace gives me a half smile. “Sooner or later, our mistakes come back to haunt us, don’t they?”
“Marrying Elizabeth was a mistake. But having Shiloh is the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
She came into my life when I needed her the most,” I say, then look at Clara, my stomach tightening with emotions I’ve worked hard to keep buried deep inside.
“You were gone. I didn’t think we’d ever see you again. ”
Clara sighs deeply. “You tried to move on; I get it.”
“We all tried to move on,” Jace says. “Carter tried the hardest. But we all failed. That became obvious when you came back.”
“It’s all so complicated,” Clara says. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone the way I did.”
“Fortunately, we’re grown men, and we know how to handle ourselves. That being said, I agree with what Carter told you earlier, Clara. You’re ours. Don’t let anyone push you around.”
“I was just trying to be civil.”
“You can’t be civil to people like Elizabeth,” I say. “Sometimes, the gloves have to come off because it’s the only language she understands. And rest assured, I intend to take this issue to family court first thing tomorrow morning.”
Clara takes another fry and dips it into her favorite sauce. I watch her take a bite, the wheels in her head clearly spinning .
“I wonder if she’s aware of how far you’re willing to push this,” she says.
Jace laughs. “If she isn’t now, she will be soon enough. That’s the trouble with folks in Blackthorn Falls. They tend to underestimate us because we don’t flaunt our capacity to deliver crippling damage—until we deliver it.”
“Elizabeth might think she still has some kind of advantage because she’s Shiloh’s biological mother,” I say. “She must’ve assumed I’d soften up the minute she came back. It’s why she lashed out at you.”
“Where does that leave us, though?” Clara asks softly.
I look at her, somewhat confused. “What do you mean?”
“She means, where does that leave our relationship,” Jace answers for her, his eyes never leaving Clara’s. “Are you going to tell her, Damon, or am I? Or shall we let Carter drive that point home?”
“Elizabeth’s return changes nothing for us,” I say.
Every word seems to land precisely where it’s supposed to, because she gradually softens and leans into me. Her head rests against my shoulder, and we all go back to watching the kids play with Jodie and Carter.