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Chapter IX
The Lady is a Tramp
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"Mama?"
"Hmm?"
"Does Leslie have to go today?"
Jade finishes strapping on the second one of her gold wedges and sits up in the chair she's in. "Come here," she tells him. Once Finn is in her arm's reach, she pulls him up to sit on her lap. "She is going to come today, but you have nothing to worry about." He nods, but Jade can tell his little brain is still running. "Would I lie to you?"
"No."
"That's right. Leslie's not taking you anywhere. You'll sit with me, Dad, and Ezra. And Grandma and Grandpa will be there, too. It'll probably take about an hour or so, and then we'll all go to lunch at Blue Moose and everything will be okay."
By noon, Beck is parking the truck at the Breckenridge municipal court. He's dressed in a nice button down and slacks, while Jade is wearing her favorite green dress. Finn and Ezra are dressed up, as well, and everyone with the exception of the two-year-old is nervous about what's to come. Jade pulls the toddler out of his car seat and into her arms, and Finn holds her and Beck's hands as they walk inside.
Rebecca and Beck's lawyer, Arthur Pence, greet the family kindly and show them to their seats in the front row. When Paul and Carole arrive, they sit right behind them. Ezra is sitting in Jade's lap munching on Cheerios, and Finn is flipping through music note flashcards that his mother had made for him. Luckily, Jade is able to distract the six-year-old enough that he doesn't even notice when Leslie walks in and sits on the other side of the court.
Much to Beck and Jade's surprise, she's on the arm of a man neither of them has seen before. She doesn't acknowledge their presence—which both of them are grateful for—as she takes her seat behind her own lawyer.
"All rise." The bailiff's words as the judge enters the court prompt everyone in the room to stand. "Department One of the Breckenridge Superior Court is now in session. Judge Juliana Rowan presiding. Please be seated."
Beck stretches his arm above where Finn sits between him and his fiancé and rests it around Jade.
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," Judge Rowan says kindly. "Calling the case of the Oliver versus Williams for custody rights of their two children. Deputy Baker, please proceed."
The deputy DA, Ross Baker, who had worked with Rebecca on the case, rises to the podium to present. "Your Honor," Ross begins, "Ms. Cline and I have worked with both Mr. Oliver and Ms. Williams over the past several weeks for this case. The plaintiff, Ms. Leslie Williams, is seeking joint custody of both children from her previous marriage to Mr. Beck Oliver. She claims that her life is stable and that she is ready to reclaim her responsibilities as the children's biological mother. She is currently living in an apartment in Miami with her partner, Cody Reese."
Beck furrows his eyebrows and leans over to whisper in Jade's ear. "I thought she told you she was trying to win me back?"
Jade almost laughs. "She did."
Beck shakes his head and, as he looks over at the man sitting beside Leslie, he almost feels sorry for him.
Meanwhile, Ross continues. "Mr. Oliver seeks to retain full custody of the children, as he has had for the last two years since Ms. Williams left the state. He currently resides here in Breckenridge with his fiancé, Jade West."
"Thank you, Ross," Judge Rowan says, and the DA returns to his seat. "Ms. Williams, as the plaintiff, you may take the stand for your statement and a cross examination."
Leslie scoots out of her row and walks up to the podium, and Finn looks up at Jade worriedly. "It's okay," she whispers, and kisses his head. "It's okay." Beck sets his free hand on Finn's knee and smiles at his son to lighten his mood.
After the blonde has sworn in and the judge tells her she is free to speak, she begins. "Your Honor, I know that I have made mistakes in the past. It would be childish of me to ignore that. Leaving my husband and my children behind is a mistake I will always regret." Beck rolls his eyes. "I have started a new life in Florida with my boyfriend Cody, and I believe that I deserve to see my sons. I miss them; I am ready to take care of them, and I am willing to share time with my ex-husband if the court sees it fit."
When prompted by Judge Rowan, Beck's lawyer Arthur stands for questioning. "Ms. Williams, is it true that you were often an absent mother when you did have custody of your children?"
"Yes, but I was having a very difficult time emotionally. I am much better now."
"You say you believe you are prepared to take care of the children part-time. How is this possible if you could not recall the children's allergies, or list anything that either of them like or dislike?"
Leslie's face goes red, and she tries to cover it by clearing her throat. "They don't have allergies."
"That's false," Arthur informs her and the court. "One of the children has a serious allergic reaction to peanuts and walnuts."
Leslie scoffs. "We've made it clear that I left very soon after Ezra's birth. How could I know that if I haven't gotten to spend any time with him?"
Jade has to stifle a laugh. "It's Finn who has these allergies, Ms. Williams," the lawyer corrects her. "You also mentioned in your paperwork that you live with a boyfriend, Mr. Cody Reese. How do you expect the children to go from a home they're used to in a town they've always lived in, to a completely new city with two people they hardly know at all?"
Leslie looks nervous, but she knows she has to come up with an answer. "I'm sure we can work it out. It's not as if the boys aren't familiar with change; after all, my ex-husband has exposed them to plenty of it with his fiancé."
Beck rolls his eyes again, and Jade reaches across Finn to hold his hand. Her reassuring yet stern facial expression reminds him to calm down, because if he's not going to stay relaxed for himself, he at least needs to for Finn.
"Is it true that, several weeks ago, you took your six-year-old son from a wedding in order to spend time with him?"
"Yes. I knew Beck would be unreasonable about letting me see the boys, so that was the only option I had."
"But you did this without the permission of his father?"
"He wouldn't have let me."
"Final questions," Arthur announces. "Is it true that you are still in recovery from being an alcoholic for over four years?"
"Yes, and look how far I have come. I'm clearly doing better."
"And, lastly, how are you planning to support the children financially? What is your current occupation?"
"I'm a waitress and bartender," she says hesitantly, leaving out the fact that her work uniform is a string bikini. "Cody works at a car dealership, so, between the two of us, we will be able to support the boys for part-time." Her answer is less than impressive, and Arthur's facial expression says it all.
"No further questions, Your Honor."
Judge Rowan nods her head. "Seeing how there are no further questions, Mr. Oliver, you may take the stand for your statement and a cross examination."
Beck kisses Jade and his sons briefly before making his way up to the podium. "Your Honor, I'll admit that I was shocked when my ex-wife decided to file for joint custody. Throughout our marriage and time as parents, she had serious issues with alcoholism and was rarely present throughout the first several years of my older son's life. Just days after my second son was born, she drunkenly confessed that she had been unfaithful to me for the previous five years. She then left for Florida, and I had not heard from her until she showed up last month."
Beck looks at his fiancé, who is looking back at him reassuringly. Ezra is falling asleep in her lap, and her arm is wrapped around Finn, whose body is leaned against Jade. With confidence, he continues. "Over the last two years since Leslie left, I have continued to provide a stable home for my sons. We live in a safe neighborhood just down the street from my parents, and the boys are happy and well adjusted. Contrary to the ignorant statement previously made by my ex-wife, after meeting a woman whom I was positive would be good for my sons, I took my time in introducing her to them. One look at them will prove to you what I am saying now; she has become a crucial part of their lives, and of mine."
Jade smiles softly at him and, despite feeling multiple pairs of eyes on her, keeps her own eyes locked on Beck's.
"Your Honor, I am confident that my retaining sole custody of my sons is what is best for them, so that Jade and I can continue to raise two happy, healthy boys."
Judge Rowan smiles, seeming to understand Beck's perspective, and Beck then grins at Jade and Finn. "See," Jade whispers to Finn, earning a smile from the six-year-old. "Dad knows what he's doing." She drops another kiss to his hair as the judge is calling Leslie's lawyer Curt Hannigan up for his cross-Examination.
"Mr. Oliver," Curt says, "if Ms. Williams has clearly shown personal progress, why are you so unwilling to share custody with her?"
Beck's eyebrows go up and he wonders how many reasons he can list before they make him shut up. "My boys are my whole world; my job as a father comes first before anything else. I do everything that I can to make sure that they have the best life possible, and I don't trust Leslie to do the same. She doesn't know anything about them; this is only the third time she's ever even seen Ezra. It doesn't make sense to me that she would get any custody whatsoever; she was absent when she was their mother, then she left for two years, and now she's back for a few weeks and wants ship them to Miami for half of their lives? No. I can't do that. I can't, and I won't." Beck shakes his head. "Being a dad is my life—but being a mom isn't hers."
The court is silent, Beck's parents are grinning, and Curt clears his throat somewhat awkwardly. "No further questions," he says before going back to his seat. Beck does the same, returning to his family.
"You were great," Jade whispers, and kisses him softly. "I love you."
He smiles. "I love you, too."
Judge Rowan speaks up, gaining everyone's attention. "Now that we have heard from both the plaintiff and the defendant, Ms. Rebecca Cline, please take the stand."
The social worker smiles at the judge, one of her longtime friends, and rises to present her findings on the case study. As she speaks, she details her interviews with Beck and Jade and with Leslie, as well as family and friends. It's clear to the court both that the boys are happy where they are and that Leslie is unfit to be a mother, and that's even before Rebecca discusses her interview with Finn. After making it clear that the six-year-old wants nothing to do with his biological mother, she concludes her summary and returns to her seat.
"Okay," Judge Rowan says, folding her hands together in front of her. "I think this case sort of decided itself, but here's what I'm going to do. Ms. Williams, you will be granted two hours of supervised visitation with the children per week. This means that Mr. Oliver will need to be present at the time of the visitation. And, to clarify, this right is yours—and not Mr. Reese's. You should be the only one visiting; boyfriends need not apply."
Beck sighs. It isn't what either he or Jade wanted, but it's much better than what it could be. "That being said," the judge continues, "Finn Oliver is over the age of five, and is therefore of age to decide whether or not he wants to partake in visitation hours." She smiles at the little boy, who looks confused. Rebecca turns around to face her clients.
"Finn," she says softly.
"Yeah?"
"You have a chance to spend up to two hours with Leslie—and your dad—every week. You don't have to if you don't want to, but you absolutely can if you do want to. It's up to you."
Finn shakes his head. "I just want to stay with Mama and Dad."
"Okay. So, no time with Leslie?"
"No, thank you."
Beck and Jade both stifle a laugh at him trying to use his manners.
"Alright," Judge Rowan announces, "the new ruling will be for Ms. Williams to receive two hours of supervised visitation with Ezra Oliver. Does either client wish to contest this?"
"Hold on," Leslie argues, rising from her seat. "Seriously? A six-year-old gets to make his own decision about whether or not his mother gets to see him?"
"Calm down, please, Ms. Williams. Finn is of legal age to speak up for himself in court, so, yes. May I also remind you that you are no longer his legal mother, and, at this point, using that title is probably inappropriate." Beck hides his grin behind pursed lips. "This is the ruling. Do you wish to seek your granted two hours with Ezra?"
Leslie is furious, and she looks over at the two-year old asleep in Jade's lap. She knows that, given Rebecca's earlier statements about how attached Ezra is to Jade, that Beck's fiancé will more than likely be at her visitation hours. This annoys her to no end, so she rolls her eyes and picks up her purse from where it sits in the pew. "No. This is ridiculous."
"Ms. Williams, are you saying that you do not want to comply with the court's ruling—and therefore forfeit any time with the children whatsoever?"
"Yes, I am. Can I leave now?"
The judge is appropriately shocked, but, on a personal level, the other woman's reaction doesn't surprise her much. "Alright. Mr. Oliver, you will continue to retain full custody of the children. Case closed; court dismissed."
Finn looks up at Beck. "Is it over?"
"It's over, buddy." He ruffles his son's hair. "Everything is back to normal." Beck turns around to face Paul and Carole and thanks them for coming. They tell their son how proud of him they are, and the group agrees to go to the Blue Moose for a late lunch.
When they arrive at the restaurant, Jade takes Ezra out of his car seat and Beck notices that their son has stayed asleep. He bends over to kiss his forehead. "You sleep like your mama, huh?"
"He's out," Jade says, getting the baby situated in her arms. "I'll let him sleep at least until the food comes, though; otherwise he'll be a grump later."
"Good plan," Beck agrees, and kisses her temple. He takes Finn's hand and the family walks inside with Beck's parents.
A month after the ordeal with Leslie and the court, the blonde is back in Miami and out of their lives. Beck and Jade re-settle into a harmonious rhythm with the boys, and busy themselves with wedding plans. Although neither of them wants a big wedding, they know they have some planning to do it they want to get married soon.
The snow in Colorado has started to fall in larger amounts, putting Jade into ultra-mother mode so she can make sure all three of her boys are properly dressed and warm when they leave the house. Beck starts to make his homemade hot cocoa (his mother's recipe) more frequently, and they light the fire in their living room every night.
It's a Thursday when the family of four faces something that they have yet to experience; Jade is leaving for a long weekend for a photo shoot in Denver, and it will be the boys' first time without her since she had come into their lives. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you here," Beck says as he watches her zip up her suitcase.
"You were on your own for a while before you had me," Jade points out, though she knows what he means.
"It won't be the same." She steps into his arms and he kisses her deeply. "You'll be back by Sunday?"
"Back by Sunday," she promises.
"Only three and a half days. I guess that's not too bad."
"Don't remind me." Jade lets him hold her and she takes a deep breath to appreciate how good it feels to be in his arms. "I don't want to be away from the boys."
Beck rests his chin on her head. "I know, babe. But they need you on this project, and you deserve to go."
She frowns. "Can't I just take them with me?"
"If kids were allowed, I know you would."
"We'll Skype every morning and every night," she reminds him.
"Of course."
They step apart and Beck takes her suitcase from the bed while Jade grabs her purse. "There's pasta and tortilla soup in the freezer," she says as they walk into the kitchen, "and banana chocolate chip bread on the counter. Finn can have two pieces; it's low-sugar. The laundry is folded and in everyone's clean baskets. Remind Finn to practice a little bit extra, because he's got that piano recital next week. And if you need anything," she says, turning back towards him, "please, please call me. I'm a two hour drive away."
"Stop worrying," Beck tells her, and leans in for another kiss. "Everything will be okay. You're going to have a great time, and it's only for a weekend."
Jade nods, still worriedly, and turns so she can make her way to where the boys are sitting at the table. She pulls Ezra out of his high chair and hugs him tightly before kissing all over his face. "Mama loves you. I'm going to miss you so much, bear." Once she sets the two-year-old back in his seat, she bends down to be at Finn's level so she can give him a hug.
He rests his head on her shoulder and sighs. "I don't want you to leave."
Jade rubs his back. "I know, baby. I wish you could come with me. But I'll be back so soon; you'll barely even notice I was gone." Jade pulls back to look at him and she kisses his forehead. He hugs her again, and Jade holds him for a little longer before she realizes something. "Hey," she says, "look at me." It takes him a second, but Finn finally stands back to look her in the eye. Jade holds his hands tightly in hers. "I'm coming back, I promise. You don't have to worry; I'll be back in three days. Okay?"
He nods his head and she pulls him in for another hug, and Beck pretends not to notice that Jade is blinking back tears. A message on her cell phone alerts her that her taxi is here, so she kisses Finn and Ezra one last time before moving to her fiancé. "I love you," Beck says before kissing her briefly. "Have fun."
"I will. I love you, too. I'll call you when I land."
He helps her into her coat, and she's out the door a minute later. She despises the nauseous feeling she gets when the cab drives away from her home. She knows that Beck is more than capable of taking care of the boys alone, but she also knows how accustomed they've gotten to having her around. Her heart aches to get back to Finn, just to keep her promise that—unlike Leslie—she would be back for him. And she has no idea how Ezra will do with her gone, since he hasn't ever gone more than a few waking hours without her.
By ten o'clock, Jade has made the quick flight to Denver and landed in the big city. Since she's working with a team of photographers for the ski and snowboard competition, the man who had hired each of them sends drivers to get them at the airport. Jade sees a guy waiting with her name on his sign, and he helps her with her bag before driving her to the hotel. She checks in and, once she gets to her room, calls the first person on her speed dial.
"Hi, beautiful," he says into the phone, and despite his cheesiness she misses him already.
"Hi. How's work?"
"Not bad. We're still working on the floor plan design for the museum, and I've got Ez here to keep me company."
"Don't make me jealous," she whines. "Put him on." Jade hears a shuffling and Beck talking to their younger son before she finally hears his voice.
"Mama?"
"Hi, bear! I miss you."
"Where are you, Mama?"
"Mama has to work, but I can't wait to see you in a couple of days. Are you having fun with Daddy at work?"
"Uh-huh. I play with my truts!"
His little voice and the cute way he talks makes Jade laugh and makes her heart ache at the same time. "I'm so glad, buddy. I love you so much."
"I love you!" He exclaims in his babyish voice.
"Can I talk to Daddy?"
"Otay, you tot to Daddy."
"Thank you, bear," Jade laughs. Her fiancé is on the line again in a few seconds, and they talk until he hears his boss coming from down the hallway and tells her he has to hang up.
Jade gets settled into her hotel room in no time, and walks over to her windows to see that she has a gorgeous view of Denver's snow capped mountains. She knows she has to be in the lobby in half an hour for the opening meeting, so she takes the time to work on her latest artwork. When she does finally go down to meet up with the other photographers, she finds herself in a packed elevator.
Normally, such a crowded small space would irritate Jade—but it doesn't hurt that she's the only female in an elevator of a hot, toned, team of skiers on their way down to the hot tub. She feels at least eight pairs of eyes on her from where she stands at the front, and the thought of what Beck's reaction to this would be almost makes her laugh out loud.
"Are you here for the competition?" One of the guys asks, causing Jade to turn her head to see him. He's about a head and a half taller than her, all muscle, and has a head of completely luscious blonde curls.
God, is she a sucker for good hair.
She's quick to regain her cool. "I'm doing photography. Somebody has to be there to get footage of you guys falling on your asses."
A few of the other guys snicker, and the blonde grins at her. She's instantly glad he can take a joke and isn't a self-important athlete. "Alright, alright," he says, just as the elevator lands on the floor with the pool. "I guess I'll be seeing you on the slopes with that fancy camera of yours."
"I guess you will."
Once all of the skiers have exited the elevator, he turns back around to smile at Jade. "Oh, and, I'm Joshua."
She shakes his hand harmlessly. "Jade."
"See ya around." The elevator doors close and Jade is alone until she reaches the lobby. As soon as she's in the main area, she sees Kyle, the guy who had hired her.
"Hey, Jade! Let me introduce you to the other photographers here for the weekend. This is Tucker, Noah, and Vanessa." She meets each of them, and discovers that Noah and Vanessa are married and own a photography business together in Aspen. It was Kyle's idea to put them into teams of two-so Vanessa and Noah will cover the snowboarding photography, while Jade and Tucker will take care of the skiers.
"We're all on the fourteenth floor together," Kyle informs them. "I'm in 1403, Vanessa and Noah in 1404, Jade in 1405, and Tucker in 1406. We'll have a couple of meetings throughout the weekend, and I'll shoot you guys a text a few hours I'm advance, but mostly you're on your own. Meet some of the athletes, enjoy the snow, and get some kick-ass photography. Sound good?"
The group agrees, and they decide to go to lunch together to get to know each other a bit more. To her surprise, Jade actually enjoys Tucker's company. He doesn't try to flirt with her or check her out like most guys; he's funny and casual, and Jade can tell from a few iPhone pictures he shows her that he's an incredible photographer. What she likes most of all is, when she talks about Beck, Finn, and Ezra, Tucker seems genuinely interested. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that his Australian accent makes it fun just to hear him talk.
On Friday, the photographers spend the entire day out on the mountain. Meanwhile, Beck (although excited for Jade to have this opportunity) is ready for his fiancé to come back home. He's doing okay without her, but he hasn't slept very much at all and he hadn't realized how inseparable they had become. Finn has been asking almost constantly how much longer it will be before his mom comes home. Ezra has thrown two temper tantrums already and, while Beck could settle him within five minutes, Jade is typically able to do it within a few seconds using a hug and some whispering in his ear.
Friday night, they Skype for the third time since she's been gone. As soon as the connection clicks, Jade sees all three of her boys' smiling faces. "Mama!" Finn and Ezra sound simultaneously, bringing a grin to Jade's face.
"Hi! How are my favorite boys in the world?"
"Mama, I got a 100 on my spelling quiz today!"
Jade gasps for dramatic effect. "You did?! I'm so proud of you!"
"I get 100!" Ezra tells her excitedly, causing all three of them to laugh. Lately, his favorite thing to do is copy Finn, which provides plenty of entertainment.
"You got a 100, too?" Jade asks, and the two-year-old nods his head proudly.
Finn proceeds to tell her how his day went, with Ezra interjecting every few sentences. Jade tells the boys about the skiers and how good they are, and patiently answers each of their questions about what she's doing and when she's coming back. They end the call after half an hour, and, after, Jade almost immediately gets a phone call from Beck. She fully expects to hear Ezra screaming and wanting to hear her voice again, so she's surprised to hear Finn's voice on the line.
"I wanted to talk to you by myself," he says, and Jade can tell he's on the verge of tears.
"I'm glad you called. I'm right here, buddy."
Finn's voice is broken when he speaks again. "I miss you a lot, Mama."
It takes everything Jade has not to cry, but she knows she has to keep her tone uplifting for the six-year-old. "I miss you, too. More than you know."
"When you get back, can we go to the farmer's market?"
This makes her laugh. "Of course we can, squirm. I can't wait to see you, and I'm bringing you back a surprise."
"You are?"
"I am. I think you're going to love it."
Finn doesn't reply for a few seconds, and when he speaks again, his voice is quiet. "Mama?"
"Hmm?"
"You promise you'll come back, right?"
That breaks Jade, and her eyes re-fill up with tears as she swallows them back. "My love," she says softly, "there is nowhere else in the whole world I would rather be than with you, Daddy, and Ezra. I promise I'm coming back. Just one more day, okay?"
Finn sniffles and nods his head. "Okay."
"I love you, Finn Taylor. You know that?"
"Uh-huh."
"Good." Jade wipes a tear from her face and changes the subject. "What story are you going to read tonight?"
"Where the Wild Things Are."
"Oh, I'm so jealous! I wish I was there."
"Don't worry, Mama," he giggles, warming Jade's heart. "We'll read it again."
"We'd better."
"I love you."
"I love you more. Goodnight, baby."
"Goodnight."
Finn walks into his bedroom, where Beck is waiting for him after having put Ezra to sleep. "Hey, bud. How was your talk with Mama?"
"It was good," he answers, handing Beck his iPhone. He crawls onto the bed next to his dad and curls up next to him.
"You okay?" Beck rubs Finn's back and hugs him closer. When he doesn't reply for a few seconds, Beck hears him sniffle. "Finn?" The next thing he knows, Finn turns to hug him and he's crying audibly into Beck's chest.
"I just miss her."
"Aw, buddy." Beck holds onto his son tightly and kisses his head. "I miss her too." He rubs the six-year-old's back soothingly. "Shhh, it's okay." After a minute, Finn has calmed down a bit in Beck's arms. "Are you, maybe, a little bit scared that she won't come back?"
Finn sniffles again. "Uh-huh," he murmurs into Beck's shirt.
"Yeah," Beck says, "I thought that might be it." He sighs. "Look at me." Finn sits up so that he's straddling his dad's lap, and Beck holds onto his hands. "You know your Mama. You know how much she loves you, right?"
Finn nods.
"I know this is the first time she's ever left, so it's a little bit hard—and that's okay. It's hard for me, too. But I promise you, she's going to come home."
"Can we call her again tomorrow morning?"
Beck smiles and kisses Finn's forehead. "Absolutely."
Twenty minutes later, after they read a book and sing a few songs, Finn is fast asleep in his bed. Beck returns to the living room and Skypes Jade again like they'd planned. "Finn is missing you like crazy," is the first thing he says.
"His phone call killed me," Jade replies. "The kid's got a strong charm game. We've got a little heartbreaker on our hands, babe."
Beck grins. "I think he misses you as much as I do. How's Denver?"
"Today was so much fun. The skiers are incredible; it's so cool to watch. I wish you were here to see it."
"There aren't any hot shot athletes trying to steal you away from me, right?"
"Only a few," she teases him.
"Or any of the other photographers?"
"I do have a partner," she informs him. "His name is Tucker. He's Australian, and he's an awesome photographer."
"Tucker, huh?"
"Don't give me that look. He hasn't hit on me. Not once."
"That's what you think," Beck says. "He's just being extra nice and respectful so that you fall for him. He's playing it cool at first, but just wait; next thing you know, he'll show up at your door in the middle of the night."
Jade rolls her eyes. "You're forgetting something."
"I'm telling you, babe. I know these kinds of guys. He's just—"
"Beck. Shut up. The thing you're forgetting is that I happen to be engaged." She holds up her left hand. "Remember this ring that you put here? It does plenty to remind guys that I am taken."
Beck grimaces. "I still wish I was there to fend him off."
"It's not like that at all with Tucker, because—"
"Say what you want, but when he hits on you, don't say I didn't warn you." Beck's words are punctuated by a knock on Jade's door. His eyebrows shoot up. "That had better not be him."
Jade rolls her eyes and gets up from where she's sitting to see who her visitor is. She looks through the peephole to see Tucker, and promptly opens the door. "Hi," he says with a smile on his face. "Are you busy? I was thinking maybe we could look over some of the photos from today, to see what we got and what we still need."
He's holding a pile of things and she is eager to see his shots from the day, so she lets him inside. Besides, this it's a perfect opportunity to prove to Beck that Tucker has no interest in her whatsoever.
"Who is it?" Beck asks, his voice sounding much more civil than before since he knows they're not alone.
"It's Tucker; he wants to look through our pictures from the day. Tuck, come here," Jade says, motioning him over. "This is my fiancé, Beck. Beck, Tucker."
"Nice to meet you," Tucker says cheerily. "Jade's told me all about you, and I've seen pictures of the kids. They're adorable!"
"Thank you," Beck says, trying to hide his curious suspicions about the other man. "Do you have kids yourself?"
"I don't, but I'd like them someday. My boyfriend and I are both working constantly, so it would be a little hard right now. But definitely someday."
Jade grins as she watches the wheels in Beck's brain spin quickly. His realization that there is a much more valid reason for Jade's belief that Tucker really isn't interested in a romance with her sinks in, and Jade enjoys every second of it. Suddenly, Beck seems more relaxed and interested in what the two are working on rather than trying to analyze each of their interactions. The three talk for a little while, and end the call after twenty minutes.
As soon as Jade has closed out of Skype, she opens her messages on her phone to send her fiancé a teasing text. Before she can send it, though, he sends one first. "I'm sorry," it reads, and Jade smirks. "I overreacted," the next one says.
"It's okay," she sends back. "I like my man possessive."
"Oh, do you?"
"I do. It's sexy. And I always love to be right, you know."
"You were right," his next text reads. "Tucker seems really cool. Have fun looking through pictures. Text me after?"
"Maybe," she sends back, adding a winky face.
On Saturday morning, Jade has just arrived at the slopes when she hears someone calling her name. She turns around to see Joshua, the skier from the elevator.
"Aha, the famous photographer Jade."
Jade furrows her eyebrows, but her words aren't sharp. "What does that mean?"
Joshua grins. "It means practically every guy here is talking about you. They've all seen you out here for the last couple of days, and rumor has it that the hot photographer is freakishly talented."
"Oh, they're right," Jade replies confidently. Joshua doesn't say anything, but Jade watches as he not-so-subtly stares at her. "Need something?"
He laughs. "I'm just not sure how you manage to look so good in a ski jacket. The things aren't the most flattering, but damn."
"I'm glad you think so. My six-year-old picked it out."
"Your—you have a kid? Aren't you, like, twenty-two?"
"Twenty-four. And you must not pay very close attention to detail," she says as she holds up her left hand.
As soon as Joshua sees the ring on her finger, his head drops back. "Ah, shit," is all he says, but then soon he's grinning again and Jade is confused.
"What?"
He laughs and shakes his head. "I'm just thinking about how much fun I'll have today seeing the looks on people's faces when I tell them you're taken." Jade smirks. "I take it the whole fiancé thing means I won't be seeing you in the hot tub later tonight?"
"Nope. I've got a Skype date with my boys."
"Is it weird that you're even hotter now that I know you're a mom?"
Jade laughs. "No, I don't think so."
"I'll see ya around, Jade," Joshua says, and she waves him off before mapping out where she's going to take pictures today.
By late Saturday afternoon, Jade has filled her quota for amount and quality of pictures she needs to take. After a brief meeting with Kyle, he decides it wouldn't be an issue if she were to return home early. He tells her she'll miss the closing ceremony and after party on Sunday evening, but she assures him she doesn't care. There are much more important things on her mind, not to mention the aching in her heart and in her arms to hold her boys again.
By the time Jade arrives back home to surprise them, it's nearly nine o'clock and the house is quiet. When she walks over to the kitchen table, she sees half-finished "Welcome Home Mama" signs that they must have intended to be ready for her tomorrow, and her heart swells.
She's missed her home.
Title is a song by Frank Sinatra.
Thoughts?
