07

Brandon swung his head over to me, looking quite perplexed. “Why the hell would we do that ?”

I met my husband’s fierce gaze. “Because a raging storm often destroys the landscape while a light, steady rain coaxes the flowers to bloom.”

I knew this because once upon a time, when I was an angry kid, a wise, patient man with big blue eyes sat down with me and showed me a better, happier way. His advice had done its job of saving me. It was time to pass it on. Maybe it can save someone else. Maybe it can save a big part of his family this time.

Brandon’s brows gathered into a frown as my words sank in.

“She’s troublesome but I’d credit your wife a wisdom she probably earned too early in life,” Francis commented to Brandon gravely and I instantly opened my mouth to say something in automatic defense before I realized that he’d actually just complimented me.

I couldn’t help a crooked smile. “Do you know why villains rarely win in stories ?”

Francis arched a brow, humoring me despite the complete randomness of my question. “I wouldn’t supply an answer you clearly wish to provide.”

I looped my arm through Brandon’s, my smile deepening. “Because in becoming villains, they create the need for heroes. And do you know who can fight the best ? Those who are forged from the fire the villains left in their wake.”

“It’s alright, Charlotte,” was Brandon’s soothing whisper against my ear as he pulled me close. “You’re done fighting now.”

We’re never done fighting. It’s only over when we’re dead.

“Don’t worry, Charlotte,” Francis sighed. “I’ve drunk my own poison.”

I surprised myself by grinning and patting him on the shoulder. “Nah, poison’s no fun—death and all that, you know ? Yuck. Go get a drink or something in the bar. I’ll talk to Nic and see if she can stand the sight of you. Be right back.”

And before anyone else could say anything, I steered Brandon away and headed for Nicole who warily stood from the sidelines, still clutching her son’s shoulders.

“Are you sure this is a good idea ?” Brandon murmured as we walked. “Francis can’t be trusted to look after anyone’s interest but his own.”

“I agree, one hundred percent,” I said as I waved at Zach who looked up and gave me a gap-toothed grin. “Which is why I think he’ll be able to look after Nicole and Zach, after all. I think they’re his only interest, believe it or not.”

It was hard to explain but I understood something about Francis somewhere in that five-minute conversation we had. I’d always been a decent judge of character. I had to trust my gut on this despite all the obvious red flags.

Somehow, his coming here meant more than just facing the woman and the child he’d abandoned a few years ago. He could’ve avoided the crowd but I had a feeling he had specific reasons for choosing to have an audience.

Nicole’s lovely face was pale and anxious as we came up to her.

“What does he want ?” she rasped out in a shaky breath. “If he’s here to make a scene about Zach—”

“I think I’ve given him plenty of opportunities to make a scene in the last five minutes that if he’d wanted one, he would’ve had it by now,” I told her, hoping to God that I wasn’t wrong in taking a chance on Francis. “He wants to see you and Zach. I think he wants to meet his little boy.”

My voice was low enough that Zach wouldn’t have heard from a few feet below us but I glanced down at the boy and smiled. If he were my kid, I’d move mountains too, to meet him.

“It’s your choice, Nic,” Brandon said, running a hand through his hair. “If you want to talk to him, we’ll give you some privacy while still keeping an eye on you. If you don’t, we’d walk you through the back door and get you into a car so you can get away from here without delay.”

“I’m not sure what to do,” Nicole whispered, biting her bottom lip. “I thought I did but after what he did last time…”

“You’ll never know the worth of a man unless you give him a chance to act upon his mistakes,” Martin, who’d been standing with Nicole after Brandon walked over to my side earlier, said quietly. “Sometimes their worst mistakes are their best chances at redemption.”

Ah, Martin. And here I thought I know all your lines.

“If he does anything funny, you know where he’s vulnerable,” I told Nicole in a mock-whisper, winking as I pointed down to my knee. “Pull it all the way back and thrust it up straight. If your skirt’s an issue, just grab and twist.”

Her mouth dropped open for a second before she burst out laughing with the rest of our group.

“Don’t worry, it’ll distract him enough trying to figure out what you’re doing that we’ll have enough time to come up and bash him in the head for you,” I teased further, jabbing her lightly on the side.

Martin gave me a wry look of amusement. “I think I now know how you keep my son in tow.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” I reassured Martin. “I don’t pose any threat to the family jewels. The Maxfield legacy is safe. I have other means.”

Brandon choked out a laugh. “I’m glad to hear it, honey.”

“I think we’re going to go talk to Francis now before Zach hears more things he shouldn’t,” Nicole said with a flushed face as she slowly drew her son out of our protective circle and led him by the hand toward the food bar.

“Should I escort them there ?” Brandon asked as we stood to watch mother and child slowly approach Francis who had hoisted himself up on a bar stool in the corner. “You know, deliver them along with a firm promise that I will really bash Francis’s head if he does anything stupid.”

“Nah, we’ll give him some room,” I said, smiling slightly when I saw Francis practically leap to his feet when he saw Nicole approach, his arms stiffly tucked on his sides as he rolled back and forth on his heels, waiting. “Nicole is stronger than we give her credit for. We don’t have to hold her hand in this but we’ll be here if she needs back up.”

“You’ve always been the trusting kind, even after all the reasons people have given you not to be,” Martin remarked as he slowly bumped my arm with his to get my attention. “I’m glad it hasn’t changed.”

I glanced up at him and felt a surge of affection for the old man and the kind smile on his face. “Let’s just say that some people gave me more reason to be trusting. I can’t fail them now by changing my mind—especially since they continue to trust me even when I’ve given them sufficient reason not to.”

“I will never deny, to my last breath, that I schemed to get the two of you together,” Martin said as he put an arm around my shoulders and another around Brandon. “I’ve never known anyone more deserving of happiness than the two of you. I don’t really give a damn how we all got here—just that we did.”

Brandon grinned. “Dad, you could’ve just given me her number, you know ? You could’ve said, hey, I know this great girl. I think you should date her. Here’s her number, give her a call.”

I raised a brow at Brandon. “As if you would’ve ever called me ! You’d know straight away that Martin’s just hounding after you to get married and have babies and you would’ve run in the opposite direction the instant he hinted at you about a girl.”

“He’s gotten away with dating his heart out in the past,” Martin said with a smirk. “It’s his pretty face, I think.”

“Thanks for the ringing endorsement, Dad,” Brandon said wryly. “I’m just not sure that Charlotte’s sold on the pretty face alone.”

I smiled serenely and flicked a hand in an up and down motion. “Of course, not. There’s the hunky rest of you too.”

Martin let out a hearty chuckle. “At the rate you two are going, I’m starting to wonder how soon I’d get those grandchildren you mentioned earlier.”

I must’ve turned beet red but we got easily distracted when we heard a burst of laughter from the corner where Francis had been waiting for Nicole and Zach.