Redemption Hills: The Complete Collection

26. Tessa

TWENTY-SIX

TESSA

I wasn’t lying. I was sweating in very unmentionable places. Because it was me, I’d mentioned them, anyway.

But bejeebus, I’d never been so nervous in my life. And we were going to have to take this to the stand? Holy mother, I’d probably look like I’d been dunked in the lake.

Milo kept his hand on the small of my back as he led me through the restaurant. Dark brown booths ran along the walls, and a bunch of plain wood tables sat in the middle.

Servers bustled through the space during the dinner rush, and most tables were filled.

Milo guided me toward a small square table in the middle where a woman sat sipping a cup of coffee.

She was probably in her mid-forties, her hair down and curled in loose waves, wearing a pantsuit and soft determination on her face.

“Mr. Hendricks, it’s great to see you again,” she said as she pushed up from her chair and extended her hand over the table.

Milo shook it as he said, “It’s good to see you, too, Ms. Anderson.”

He shifted back, nudging me forward. “This is Tessa McDaniels, my fiancée.”

Her eyes lit. “Miss McDaniels. It’s a pleasure. Please sit.”

She gestured to the open chairs, and Milo pulled the one out for me that was directly across from his attorney.

Ever the gentleman.

“Thank you,” I mumbled, chanting silently, Do not screw this up and accidentally blurt out that this is fake.

We’d be dead in our tracks before we ever made it out of the gates.

Milo leaned down from behind and pressed a kiss to my temple. “Anytime, baby.”

My heart pattered.

Fake.

Remember it’s fake.

But for the love of God, don’t say it out loud.

Nope, this was not messing with my head or anything.

“I appreciate you meeting with us,” Milo said in his rumbly voice as he took the chair between us.

Her smile was coy. “Well, it is my job, but I must admit, I’ve been anxious to hear about this one.”

She shifted her attention to me.

I itched on my seat and sent her a little wave.

Milo chuckled and reached for my hand over the table. He squeezed it in a clear show of support.

We had this.

“Tell me about yourself,” she prodded.

Well, then, we were going to get right down to business and no one had even offered me a margarita.

I swallowed my nerves and lifted my chin. “Well, let’s see…I work as a third-grade teacher at a private Christian academy here in Redemption Hills. I’m also the executive director of Hope to Hands, a nonprofit supporting the community.”

Milo’s attorney looked much happier to hear it than Paula had.

“I also have an older brother…his name’s Bobby.” Affection wobbled out. “He lives in a long-term care facility after an accident in which he sustained a severe brain injury. I’m his power of attorney.”

She nodded, obviously pleased.

“And you met Milo…?”

“Through our friends where he works.”

Her attention shifted back to Milo. “The club? Absolution?”

Milo gave her a tight nod, unease flitting through his being.

She blew out through her nose. “I feel like that is the biggest issue you have going against you, Milo, if I may call you that?”

“Of course,” he said, but the words were sticky.

Discomfort rippled through his big body.

I squeezed his hand tighter.

“I would urge you to move beyond your current profession. The court isn’t going to like the idea of you working at a club, being away all hours of the night when your family might need you, especially in that type of atmosphere.”

I knew it was part of what Paula had used against him before.

“I’ll be there at night with the kids.” The promise whipped out without consideration.

But I’d told him I would be there.

For him.

For them.

I’d meant it.

“That is a good start, but I think it would be helpful if Milo had higher aspirations.”

I didn’t love that she was demeaning his job, but I got it.

The idea of a bouncer came with a certain impression, and it typically wasn’t the good kind. Paula could easily twist what he did into something sordid.

A war went down in Milo’s psyche, a severity firing from him in sparks of pain, like he was stuck and didn’t know how to move forward. He seemed to have to pry the words from his mouth. “I plan on starting my own business…a construction company.”

What?

That would be awesome.

I had to bite my tongue to keep from squealing and demanding to know all the deets. From telling him how freaking proud of him I was.

A good fiancée would already know these things.

But honestly, it was perfect. So fitting for him. I’d already seen what those big, bare hands were capable of. The rugged beauty they created.

Ms. Anderson smiled, but Milo didn’t return it.

Worry for him curdled in my stomach.

“That is wonderful, Milo,” she encouraged. She jotted down a few notes. “I think you’re in a good position to have your rights restored. Honestly, I’m surprised the judge didn’t rule in your favor the last time you contested their custody. It’s obviously time that you and your children were reunited.”

She continued writing a couple more things down before she lifted her head and pinned her attention on Milo. “When would you like to get started with this process?”

“As soon as possible.” It ripped from his mouth on desperation and a shock of hope, his entire body bowing forward in relief.

“Great, I’ll file the petition tomorrow.”

Expectation and disbelief blistered through him, and I found myself leaning farther over the table toward him, clinging to his hand.

Staring at him with a smile splitting my face.

This was happening.

His attorney hummed. “You two are adorable. Your love is really apparent. I think we have this one in the bag.”

The smile I sent her was feigned.

Right.

Totally apparent.

The problem was, it wasn’t all that hard to fake it.

“Expect a call from me after I have more information,” she told Milo. “In the meantime, show your faces around town more often. I like the look.”

She gestured between us, then gathered her things and strode out.

Five minutes and it was done.

I exhaled a ragged breath. “Holy crap, we did it, Milo.”

He squeezed my hand back, those honey-dipped eyes swimming with hope. “Told you that you could pull it off.”

“I’m a great actress,” I mouthed.

His expression deepened, and I knew what he saw because I couldn’t hide what I felt. “Yeah,” he murmured, his voice laden with appreciation.

I sat back to break the intensity before I got lost in it, and I wagged my brows at him. “It looks like you owe me a big, fancy steak dinner, fiancé.”

His brow arched. “Fancy, huh? Not sure that’s what I’d call this place.”

“Are you kidding me? I’ll bet you twenty bucks they have a killer chicken fried steak . Now show me the love, Milo Hendricks.”

“Love, huh?”

I grinned at him. “Mad, mad love.”

I grabbed the plastic menu and started to peruse it before it came to mean something I couldn’t let it.

I gasped when Milo clutched my knee from under the table. I lowered the menu, peering at him from over the top. My breaths shallow, and my stupid heart racing.

“Thank you,” he rumbled, so low.

I forced down the truth of what I felt. “It’s all good, Milo. It’s what friends do.”

“That’s it. I’m not standing here and letting him get away with this crap. I won’t be bullied.”

We’d come out after dinner to find Milo’s windshield smashed in.

I mean, seriously, what a freaking jerk. Ruining our win. This evening that Milo and I had spent like normal people, laughing and joking over dinner.

A really freaking delish chicken fried steak dinner.

I dialed and had the phone pressed to my ear before Milo could stop me.

“Tessa, what are you doing? I don’t think—” Milo wheezed just as the bitter voice answered on the opposite end of the line.

“Tessa.” Karl’s laughter was cynical.

Or sinister.

Was there a difference? I couldn’t tell.

“I take it you’ve realized the error in your ways.”

I couldn’t even scoff out a witty rebuttal. Because tears stung my eyes as I gritted my teeth and hissed, “That’s enough, Karl. I hurt your ego. I get it. You’re upset. But what you’re doing? This isn’t okay.”

“What the hell are you rambling about, Tessa? I don’t have time for your nonsense.”

That time, I did scoff. “You don’t have time for this, but you have time to come to my office and threaten me? Time to have Milo chased down and beaten? Time to bash his windshield in? Nice, Karl. I’d call it childish if what you’re doing wasn’t so dangerous.”

He laughed a disbelieving sound. “As much as I’d love to witness your boyfriend get the beating he deserves, I sadly can’t take credit. I’m in London right now.”

Air huffed from my nose. “Save it, Karl. I know you hired someone to hurt him. This ends now, or I’m going to the police, and yeah, you can toss your connections all over the place, but everything you said is on video at my office. So why don’t you save your pride and tell your colleagues and friends I got a horribly bad case of the herps and died. Or maybe I give really terrible head. Or heck, here’s an idea, you can just say you and I ended up not working out. Whatever it is, just leave us alone. And to be clear, I’ll be paying you back. It will be slow, but I will get every dollar you spent on Bobby back to you.”

I had a plan.

Aspirations, too.

It wasn’t like I could let Milo take care of Bobby forever.

Milo, who was a shaken bottle of that mayhem beside me.

Pacing one step back and forth while he looked like he was about to rip the phone from my hand.

Or go on a rampage.

I held a finger up at him like the gesture could keep him tamed.

Milo grunted.

“If you think I’d take that kind of risk for you, Tessa, you’re delusional.” Condescension lined Karl’s voice. “I’ll wait until you come to your senses. It’s only a matter of time before you come crawling back, and I guarantee it will be with you on your hands and knees.”

Confusion clouded my head, and the words were thin when I released them. “You tried to force me...”

“You should get over yourself.”

I stared blankly.

Get over myself?

Was he serious? After everything he’d done?

I felt lightheaded as a rush of unease flitted through my consciousness. I shifted to look at Milo, who had opened his door.

Milo, who had frozen in shock.

I could physically feel the cold chill that slithered down his spine.

I ended the call without saying anything else because I didn’t give two craps about Karl.

There was only one person who I did.

My brow pinched together as I took two careful steps toward Milo, who was clutching a piece of paper in his hand.

I reached over and pried it out, squinting in confusion as I tried to process the significance of what it said.

To think I was betting on you.

Confusion whipped through on a gust of wind.

Dread clutched Milo, and he slowly turned around, searching the parking lot, terror stampeding through his being.

I touched his arm. “What does it mean?”

“It means when demons run, they don’t always stay hidden.”