Stripped Raw (30 page)

I’ll be damned if I stand here and assure people that everything will be alright. So I stand, staring down at the casket as people file out. I’m in no rush to get back to Tessa’s house, anyway—to face all those people—to have to face Brandon. It is bad enough he showed up to bury Tessa when he didn’t have the balls to watch her die. I’m glad Zoe is at home with a sitter and not subjected to that kind of hypocritical poison. If he has half a brain, he’ll stay the hell away from my niece today.

I step to the casket and lay my hand down on top. A rush of warmth rises up over my body, and I look up, half expecting to see Tessa’s spirit, but I find Kane’s royal blue eyes firmly fixed on me.

*

KANE

Taking a small
step towards the casket, I stuff my hands in my pockets. I want Kenzie to know I’m here, but I know this isn’t the time or place to force myself back into her life or demand some conversation about our future. She’s in no frame of mind for any of that. Her body is so rigid, she looks like she’ll break in two at any minute. And I know that look on her face. I used to see it in the mirror every morning—like if I made one wrong move, everything would fall apart—the fear that you’ll never again be able to pick up the pieces once they fall. That’s where Kenzie is right now. She will go through the motions, smile politely without knowing what was said. She’ll bring food to her mouth to eat, but it will have no taste. She’ll drive but not remember how she got there.

I tell her I love her a thousand times in my mind. Remember when we danced in your little kitchen, and I told you that you’d never dance alone? Remember that, baby? Well, you won’t do this alone, either. I wish she could read my mind right now, so she’d know. But instead, she turns and walks towards the line of limos, her auburn hair blowing in the autumn breeze. I put my hand on the casket and lower my head. “Take care of my Zoe for me.”

*

I spend the
entire afternoon just like all the other funeral guests, sitting around Tessa’s house, swapping stories and making small talk. Watching Zoe playing happily on the floor without a clue she’ll never see her mother again is almost physically painful. It’s getting late and almost everyone has left, but I haven’t had the chance to say anything to Kenzie, and I need to. Even if it is the wrong time. Even if she yells at me. I have to tell her I love her. We promised to love without regrets, and I’ll regret not saying those three little words to her. I search for her downstairs among the last few guests before heading up the stairs. Before my foot hits the top step, I hear a man’s voice yelling and Kenzie yelling right back.

It isn’t my business, but I’m not going to let some guy yell at the woman I love, even if she’s capable of giving it right back. I push open the door to Zoe’s nursery, and Kenzie’s eyes shoot right to me. She rushes over and grabs my arm. “Tell him, Kane. Tell him.”

I smooth her wild hair out of her face. “What’s going on?”

“Tell him he’s not taking Zoe out of this house. Tell him!”

Kenzie looks frantic as she begs me to help her. I’ve never met Brandon but know instinctively he’s the man staring at me. Extending my hand, I say, “Kane Hunter, Kenzie’s attorney.”

Brandon throws up his arms. “Christ, Kenzie. You called your attorney? I’m Zoe’s father.”

Kenzie steps within an inch of his face. “No, you are not!”

I just walked into a complete shit storm. I pull Kenzie back, telling her, “Let’s just talk about this for a minute. I’m sure we all want what’s best for Zoe.”

“And it’s not him!” Kenzie snaps.

Brandon looks away. “I know how much you hate me, and you have every right, but. . . .”

“You picked the wrong heart to break,” Kenzie barks, “when you broke my sister’s.”

“She’s still my daughter,” Brandon yells.

Kenzie stiffens her spine. “What did you think I’d do? Hand Zoe over to you and wish you well?”

“That’s exactly what you’re going to do,” Brandon says, throwing some papers at Kenzie. “Tessa and I never signed the divorce papers.” Kenzie looks over at me, and I quickly pick up the unsigned papers to examine them. “You think you know everything Tessa wanted, but you don’t. Tessa and I spent a lot of time together the last few months. She brought Zoe to visit me, and after Tessa got too sick to travel, I came here to spend time with Zoe—sometimes on Sundays when Tessa was with you.”

Kenzie shakes her head back and forth. “No, no. She would’ve told me.”

Running my eyes over the papers, I realize Kenzie doesn’t have a leg to stand on here. Yes, Brandon is a jerk, but no court is going to take a baby from her father.

“Tessa asked me to be Zoe’s guardian,” she says. “I moved back here to do just that. It’s even in her will.”

“That was her original plan, yes, but we were talking, Kenzie. She couldn’t divorce me because I carried her health insurance, so that kept the lines of communication open between us.”

“So you’re telling me she forgave you?”

“No, she never said that,” he says softly.

“Right,” Kenzie attacks. “Because you left your sick wife, wanted her to. . . .”

“Fuck you, Kenzie!”

Stepping between Kenzie and Brandon, it’s all I can do not to sucker punch him. “I can make one phone call to a judge and get emergency custody of Zoe given to Kenzie. One fucking phone call.”

Brandon takes a step back. “I don’t want it to be like this, and neither would Tessa.”

I turn around to Kenzie, and she flies into my arms, gripping my shirt. “Please don’t let him take her. Please, Kane, please.”

I inhale deeply, so grateful she is finally in my arms again. I know this is my chance, but if I mess this up, Kenzie will blame me forever. “Go get Zoe,” I say, stroking her face, but her eyes widen in fear. “You trust me?” She nods. “Go get Zoe.”

She looks back and forth between me and Brandon before walking out. “I get it now,” Brandon says. “You two are together.”

I lean back against Zoe’s crib, my arms crossed. I know the law is on his side, but no way is he taking Zoe out of here tonight. I just have to be careful. “Yeah, so I know Kenzie better than anyone. This isn’t the way to handle this.”

“You know I have every right to take her?”

“I do,” I say. “And you know I can stop you. Maybe not forever, but for a little while, I can make your life very difficult.”

Brandon looks towards the door. “You know, Kenzie and I used to get along really well.”

“Then let’s try to get back to that, because no matter what happens, you need each other. Do you really think you can just take Zoe and not need any help from Kenzie, ever?”

“No,” Brandon says. “My parents are gone, and I only have one brother, and he’s in the military—travels all the time. But Michael and Sawyer will help. I know that.”

“So you plan on raising a little girl without a woman’s help?” Brandon exhales. He seems level-headed enough. I can work with that. “Has Zoe ever even been to your house? Do you have a nursery? Has Zoe ever slept there? Have you changed her diaper? Fed her? Given her medicine? Do you know what her favorite song is? Or ice cream flavor?”

“Stop,” Brandon barks. “I get it, but she’s my daughter, and Tessa wanted me with Zoe. We talked about it.”

“Fine, but let’s think about Zoe. Her mother’s not here to put her to bed tonight. Do you really think you should take her and put her in a strange bed, in a strange house, with a man she barely knows?”

“She knows me,” Brandon says. “But I get your point. We should make this a calm, seamless transition.”

“Let’s make sure this is what you want. That you can handle it. Let’s make it easier on Zoe.”

Kenzie walks in carrying Zoe, who claps her hands excitedly for me. God, I love that little girl. But I can’t make this about me. I have to stay focused. I take Zoe, and she plants a wet kiss on my cheek. “Hey, Dimples,” I say, kissing her forehead.

Brandon is staring at us. Get a nice long look, pal. This is what you are taking from Zoe. “Can I hold her for a minute?” he asks.

I hand Zoe to Kenzie. This has to be her decision. I can’t overstep, but I give her a little nod that I think it’s alright. Kenzie takes two steps towards Brandon. “She squirms a lot, so you have to really hold her.” She passes Zoe to him. Zoe’s face immediately crushes up, her lip pops out, and Kenzie reaches to take her back, but I take her hand and pull her to my side. This guy needs to see exactly how hard this is going to be.

“It’s Daddy,” Brandon whispers, trying to contain his daughter as she arches her back.

He looks to Kenzie and me for support, but we offer none. I know what Zoe wants. If he would just stick his knuckle in her mouth, she’d be a happy camper. She needs something to gnaw on. Zoe belts out a spine-tickling scream, reaching for Kenzie, who promptly takes her. I hold up my finger, and Zoe goes to town, happy as can be.

Drool running down my hand, I watch Kenzie give him an evil smirk. She’s making my job here a lot harder. “Goodbye, Brandon,” she snarks.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” he says. “Have my daughter ready.”

“No!” Kenzie cries.

“Brandon,” I say calmly. “You’re not ready to take her tomorrow.”

He releases a deep breath. “What if I come by tomorrow and just visit with Zoe for a few hours?”

I feel Kenzie about to verbally eviscerate him again, so I slip my arm around her waist. “Kenzie?”

“I’ll stay here,” Brandon says. “You can use the time to clean up, or you can watch me the whole time. Just a couple hours.”

“I’ll be here, too,” I say, but Kenzie stares daggers at us both. I pull her into a little corner of the room and whisper, “Kenzie, you need to let this happen.”

“Why?”

“Because even if you get custody of Zoe, no judge is going to cut him out completely. He’s not a criminal. He has rights, whether we like it or not.” She looks over at Brandon. “It will look better if you appear to be cooperating, too, if it comes to a court battle.” I hold my breath. I know I’m playing both sides here, but neither one of them is ready to make a life-changing decision right now.

“You’ll be here?” Kenzie asks.

I smile, grateful she trusts me to take care of her. “Of course.”

“And if he tries to just take her, you’ll stop him?”

“I’ll do my best.” I tilt her chin up. “But I don’t think he’ll do that.”

“Tomorrow, noon,” she says, walking back over.

Brandon reaches for his daughter’s hand, running his thumb across the baby’s soft skin. “Daddy will see you tomorrow.” Then he walks out the door.

Kenzie pulls Zoe tighter, holding her to her chest, rubbing her bald head. I take a cautious step forward. “She looks tired. Would you like me to rock her while you see to the rest of the guests?”

“No.”

“How about I get her bottle? And get you something to eat, too?”

She shakes her head. “I just want to hold her. Can you give me a few minutes, please?”

*

Michael and Sawyer
were the last ones to leave. It took Kenzie half an hour to convince them that she would be alright. Michael’s clearly worried about his other daughter, and for the first time ever, I hear Kenzie call him
Dad
. Tessa is right—something good always comes from something bad, because whatever hurt and sadness Kenzie held for Michael seems to have disappeared.