The Veteran by Olivia T. Turner

Author:Olivia T. Turner [Turner, Olivia T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Olivia T. Turner Publishing
Published: 2024-04-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Fiona

Ifeel like I’m on a first date as I watch Harris walking over with two drinks. He’s wearing jeans and the same white button-up shirt, but it’s untucked and the sleeves are rolled up his thick tattooed forearms. He’s looking so good.

“Thank you,” I say as he hands me the drink. “What is it?”

“A Manhattan,” he says as he sits in the chair beside me. “Ever have one?”

“Can’t say that I have,” I answer before taking a sip. “It’s delicious, thank you.”

We smile at each other and then I turn to the spectacular view of the city with the millions of lights sprawled out in front of us. I wonder if there’s a light out there with a new couple behind it looking back at us. I wonder if they’ll work things out or go on their separate ways.

“Lucas is adorable,” Harris says as he smiles to himself. “You did a good job, Fiona.”

“Harris, I…” I have so much I want to tell him. I just don’t have the words. “I wanted to tell you so many times, really I did. I was just so scared.”

“Of what?”

“That you would take him away from me.”

I feel tears flood my eyes as he looks at me. “I would never do that,” he whispers. “A child needs his mother. But I understand why you’d be concerned.”

“You do?”

He nods. “I would have been afraid too.”

“I think I let my parents get in my ear too much,” I tell him. “They had me frightened of a long custody battle. I knew I wouldn’t have been able to compete with a multi-millionaire’s team of lawyers.”

“You can put all of those fears to rest,” he says softly as he takes my hand. “Lucas belongs by your side. I can’t imagine how hard it’s been for you. You did the best you could and you did incredible, Fiona. He’s amazing. I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you,” I say, taking a breath of relief. I was so worried. Even today, I was worried. Lucas is my world. I can’t bear to lose him.

“But,” he says and my stomach sinks, “a son also belongs by his father’s side.”

I swallow hard as I look at him. “What do you have in mind?”

Does he want him for the summers, or the weekends, or god forbid, half of the time? I’m starting to realize that Lucas will need his father more and more as he grows older. He will need a proper male role model as he becomes a teenager and then a young man. I would hate to lose him even for a day, but if it’s for his benefit, I’ll let him go.

“What do I have in mind?” he asks as he takes a sip of his drink. “You seriously want to know?”

“I do,” I say, starting to get nervous. “I can tell that tonight was the best night of Lucas’ life. But he’s a sensitive soul and I don’t want his heart to get crushed. I know his hopes are up now.

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