The Hustle (Irreparable #4) (30 page)

I
t’s been a little over a month since I came to terms with the only way to keep Peyton was to let go of Maria. Not that I’ll forget her or that I’ll ever stop loving her. It was releasing the blame I’d let chain me down that finally allowed me to fully give myself to Peyton. Things between us aren’t perfect. There are hiccups, but only minor ones that are usually resolved with a slap upside the head.

And that would be my stubborn, clueless head.

For the most part, we live typical, boring lives. Work, family dinners, soccer—normal family monotony and it’s fucking paradise. I never thrived in chaos, and now that it’s gone, I’m soaring.

Dellisen is out of our life for the long haul. He violated his probation and the restraining order. Strange since he was weeks shy of his time being up. Combine that with kidnapping and a slew of other charges and the judge gave him the maximum. Even with good behavior, it will be at least eight years before he sees the outside of a cell.

Peyton moved beyond the incident remarkably well. Robert left a scar on her ordinary life, but it isn’t large enough to damage her or change her. She’s too strong for that, although she gives me the credit. Claims my being here made it easier. I like to believe she’s right, that even if in a small way, she needed me.

That day changed me. It was a come to Jesus moment of sorts. Knowing my insecurities and resentments put Peyton in harm’s way made me realize I had to go back to the man I was before hate took over. Through that, I’ve learned to like who I am again.

I
’m giddy with excitement as I watch Peyton get dressed so I can take her to a place where I can share something new with her. A place I haven’t been in a long time and I should have. It’s a place that’s always given me peace and provided happiness, where I feel unconditional love.

“Where are we going, again?” she asks, buckling her sandal.

“A birthday party,” Javier tells her, winking at me. He’s in on the surprise.

When Liv called last week to tell me she was planning a surprise for Camilia’s birthday and that she was turning six, I could hardly believe it. True to his word, Rodrigo refuses to let anyone adopt Camilia or Paco that won’t keep them together, which makes them happy. But it means they’ll probably grow up at The Center. That’s what makes the work Brady and I put in there that much more important. The Center isn’t an orphanage. It’s a home.

All the time I spent lost, I never considered going there to find myself. When Liv phoned, it was a revelation. I’ve shared so much with Peyton about things that make me miserable and now I can’t wait to share something I feel immense pride in, and something positive.

“Can you tell me who the party’s for?”

“Camilia,” Javier answers.

“A girl at school?”

“A girl,” he answers, flashing me a grin before I send him from the room to fetch his shoes.

I flop back on the bed, watching Peyton pull her blonde hair into a pony tail. She spins around with one eyebrow raised and lies on the bed on her stomach. “You don’t have some secret love child named Camilia that I’m about to meet, do you?”

She can barely keep a straight face, especially when I slip a finger between her cleavage that is exposed by the low dip of her blouse. My behavior earns me a slap on my hand, so I sit up and yell, “Surprise.”

“Brat.” She sticks her tongue at me. “Can you at least give me a hint?”

“I’m taking you to a place that makes me happy. It’s special, and I want to share it with you.”

H
is answer doesn’t give me a clue as to where we’re going, but it’s the insight into him that has me grinning like a fool. Since the incident with Robert, I’ve seen a huge change in Aidan. He’s exposed a side that, while still cocky as all get-out, is charming and hilarious and even more so, genuinely happy.

There are times in fact I want to shake him and demand he be serious for once, but that boyish grin steals my heart every damn time. There are too many serious moments in his life and there will be more, so I choose to allow him the freedom to be an insatiable goofball the rest of the time. Besides, humor is a sexy trait which bodes well for my growing and insatiable appetite in the bedroom.

Once I finish getting ready, we ride the elevator down to the garage while Javier snickers his delight in knowing something I don’t. All I can do is rub his little head and play along. I may not know the location, but between Aidan’s confession and Javier’s excitement, I know I want to go.

We cross the border into Mexico and drive toward what I assume is Brady and Tori’s house. As my confused mind tries to sort out what’s special about Aidan’s brother’s place, we turn down a street that runs along the backside of downtown Tijuana. My curiosity grows when we pass the buildings and shops until we reach the far outskirts of town. We pull into the parking lot of what appears to be an old mission.

On the walk toward the building, I spot a group of teenagers on the front steps and then I see Tori, Brady and Drew walking up from a few rows over. We join up with them and exchange hugs. As we continue to walk, I kind of hate feeling like the odd man out, and my insecurity has me grilling Tori. “Are you going to tell me what this place is?”

She turns her head and the solemn look that flashes over her expression squeezes my heart. Only it vanishes in an instant as a bright smile lifts her lips. “This is the place that saved us.”

The downright preacher voice she uses throws me.
Saved them?
I half expect to climb the stairs and enter some sort of religious cult, like the ones my mother warned me about when I told her I was moving to a city. She said there were people out there that weren’t right and would try to influence me.

They’re definitely a group that needed saving and my heart pounds harder with each step. I certainly hope the plan isn’t to baptize me and that my cult name isn’t Camilia.

As soon as Aidan holds the door open, I walk inside and feel relief. I’m not doomed to have five husbands or a dozen sister wives. Although, I’m still not clear on how what appears to be a home for children in waiting can offer Aidan and his family any kind of happiness, let alone save them.

“Okay, what is this place?” I ask Aidan.

“You’ll see.” He grins and I reside to wait it out.

B
rady, Tori and Drew break off to find Rodrigo and I pull Peyton toward the back door to search for the girl of the hour. It doesn’t take long to find her as she darts into the room from a side door.

“Tuggie,” Camilia yells as she jumps into my arms. I hug her tight and feel how much I’ve missed her compressing my chest, but when she asks where Maria is, I can’t breathe. She waits for a response as I set her down.

“She died,” Javier answers for me, stealing any joy from what this day was supposed to be. Only then, I realize it’s the first time I’ve heard Javier tell someone about Maria where he doesn’t sound sad. I feel pride as I look down at him.

“I’m sorry,” Camilia tells him. She doesn’t have to say she knows how he feels. It shows in the tone of her voice. Her head turns as she looks at Peyton and then back to Javier. “Did you get a new mom?”

“Not yet.” He Shrugs. The silence filling the air slices through me but it’s the sad smile on Peyton’s face that guts me. Bringing her here was a mistake. It’s when Javier continues, I realize what a blessing he is. “But, this is Peyton and she’s like my mom. Someday I hope her and my dad will get married. But he’s kinda slow.”

The tiny rivers running out of Peyton’s eyes combined with Javier’s words are enough to make me question what I’m waiting for. They’re both a permanent fixture in my life. I’ve given marrying Peyton tremendous thought. Why am I waiting?

“You’re lucky.” I assume Camilia’s referring to Javier getting a new mom, but she’s looking at Peyton like she idolizes her.

“Yes, I am,” Peyton tells her quietly. “I’m Peyton and I hear it’s your birthday.”

“Yep. I’m six and Auntie Liv is throwing me a party.”

“Well, thank you for inviting me to your party.”

“You’re welcome.”

The pleasantries have obviously bored Camilia as she drags Javier away to play. The questioning look from Peyton starts the explanation of what this place is and how it came to be so special to me and my family.

Peyton listens, nodding occasionally as we roam the grounds and I tell her about the summer my life was forever altered. How in the months that followed my mother’s suicide and the truth about Brady, this place was a sanctuary that allowed us to heal. How while we spent many hours helping here, it was spending time with the kids that helped us cope.

We continue through the field of overgrown grass in the back and reach the solitary oak tree I’ve spent many hours sitting under before I stop walking and face her.