Page 79 of Love is Grand

“Damaged goods, ya hear me?” Ricky lifted the bat in the air and started walking toward me, just as a siren drew closer. A moment later, two men dressed in white uniforms hurried into the yard.

“West Bay Police,” one of them called out. “Sir, please put down the weapon.”

But Ricky didn’t. Instead, he turned and tried to throw it at them, but the bat flew in the air above his own head. I wished it would fall and hit the asshole and knock him unconscious.

Sadly, it didn’t, but lucky for Ricky, he was too drunk to defend himself and didn’t last long before being wrestled to the ground. Once he was cuffed, the officer yanked him up and held on tight to him.

“Did this man hurt you?” the officer asked me.

“Only the property,” I said. “But there’s a very frightened little girl inside, along with her terrified pregnant mom.”

“Let me get him out of here, and then I’m going to have to ask you to come down to the station and make a statement. Are you pressing charges?”

I nodded. “This is a rental, so in compliance with my agreement, I’m going to have to.” I didn’t know what Shell would think of that, but I wasn’t in the business of protecting Ricky or messing with my welcome in the Caymans.

Shell slipped out of the door without Weezie as they grabbed Ricky and started to guide him toward the police car. One of the officers picked up the bat and put it in a plastic bag, taking it with them for evidence.

Shell rushed over to me. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“No, I can’t subject you to this. My mistakes are not your problems.”

“Shell, your ex just harassed you and your daughter, and you’re worried about me? Cut it out.”

“No, I have to go. I’m taking Weezie home. She’s a mess. Her father just showed back up out of nowhere and did that. She thinks you’ll hate her for it ... she’s very confused.”

Terrified of losing them, I shook my head. “I don’t know much about kids, but rushing her out of here is only going to be more confusing.”

Tears slid from Shell’s eyes, and her hands shook as she looked at the chaise where we’d sat. Her bag sat there open, holding the wedding band box I’d given her earlier. I followed her gaze ghost over it, then watched her grab it and hand it to me.

“All of that, it was beautiful.” She motioned to the pool area where I’d proposed. “But it’s tainted now, and the rest of my life will be like that because of stupid choices I made. I was a fool to think there was a pot of gold at the end of my rainbow.”

She stood on tiptoe and kissed my cheek. It was chaste and quick, friendly, probably signifying an end to a chapter in her mind. She wasn’t herself, not thinking straight if she thought I was going to let her go.

“This is ridiculous,” I told her. “We’re having a baby. I want to marry you. I need to be with you. You’re my pot of gold and I’m yours ... I don’t give a shit about him.” The arguments rushed from my mouth like water from a hydrant in the middle of the city.

“You will care, eventually. You have a career and a life. Now, I have to go. Seriously.” Giving me a sad look, she turned and walked back toward the house, saying, “Go make a statement. You need to.”

Weezie ran out of the house, a mess. The little girl gave me a hug while crying her eyes out, breaking my heart. My shirt was soaked with her tears by the time she left with her mom.

The poor girl was as speechless as me. But I was an adult, a grown man who was supposed to be in control. I needed to get my shit together and take charge.

This wasn’t how I’d planned the proposal to go, and I didn’t like it when things didn’t go as planned.

Shell

Teddi brought me a cup of ginger tea. “Here.”

My stomach was upset, nerves flying around inside it like butterflies. While I knew it wasn’t good for the baby, my anxiety had a different idea. For the past week, fear had drilled deep into every bone in my body.

“Thank you,” I told her. “It was nice of you to come by. Weezie thinks you’re so cool, and she’s not been herself. For the first time, I don’t know what to do.”

“Maybe you’re doing the wrong thing,” Teddi said. “Maybe that’s why you’re such a mess and at a loss.”

I shook my head. Being away from us was what Cal needed. We’d only bring trouble to his life.

Teddi sat down at my feet and lifted them on her lap. “Weezie is upset because she misses Cal. She doesn’t understand what happened. She thought she was moving into that rental house with the pool. She’s a kid, and Cal was kind to her. He was fun and spoiled her. She never had any of that with Ricky.”