“Why, Cam—Cameron? Tell me why she was in foster care for even thirty seconds?” I’m pacing the living room, feeling ready to run out the front doors and find those fucking assholes who took our daughter and promised to care for her.
“They died. They were in a private jet affiliated with the man’s company, and it crashed. Eight of the ten people aboard died on impact. I’m sure you heard about it on the news a couple of weeks ago. In any case, those are all the details I was able to get out of Ever.”
I did see it on the news. Watching the updates made me feel sick for the families involved. Oh shit… “Was she in—” I stop pacing to ask this question.
“No, she was with her nanny.”
“I need to see her, now. I need to see her. Okay?” My chest is rising and falling at a rapid rate, and I feel like everything within me is erupting with a fuel of anger, resentment, excitement, and utter happiness. I’m out of control, and I’m afraid of waking up from this dream—the only dream I’ve fucking had since that little girl was brought into my life.
“Okay, I’ll take you to her.”
I fall to my knees because they’ve given out, and I wrap my arms around Cammy’s calves, thanking her over and over again. “Thank you. Thank you,” I breathe out.
The only wish I have for my daughter on her thirteenth birthday is to sit down at a table and share a cupcake with me—and for her to blow out her own candle. This year, my wish is coming true.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I’M SITTING IN Cammy’s BMW, staring out the window, retracing my steps from the moment I woke up this morning. I had no clue my day would end up like this. “So,” I say, looking over at Cammy in her dark Audrey Hepburn sunglasses. “What did you decide to do with your life?” Other than become stinkin’ rich and more beautiful.
“I’m an attorney,” she says, grinning with pride.
“Oh yeah? You any good?”
“Depends,” she says, her smirk growing a little wider.
“On what?” I laugh.
“If you’re the good guy or the bad guy.”
This reunion feels like nothing between us has changed, like no time has passed at all. I feel like myself, and I feel so proud of her.
We pull into the parking lot of the only four-star hotel in the area. “Casper is cool with meeting me and stuff?” I ask. The last thing I want is to cause any issues between her and this ghost but I’m seeing my daughter whether he’s cool with it or not.
As she puts the gear in park and turns the ignition off, a nervous blush fills her cheeks. “Casper isn’t thrilled at the moment. We had plans—life plans, and Ever wasn’t part of them.”
“Did he say that?” I ask, feeling pissed already. That’s my daughter, and anyone, who doesn’t want her around should just go the fuck away.
“No,” she says quickly “But I’ve been with this man for six years and…” And, you’re still engaged? “I know when he’s not happy about something.”
“I see.” Keeping my mouth shut. Best thing for both of us.
I follow Cameron into the hotel, then the elevator, and up to the top floor. As the doors open, my stomach sinks. I’m going to see my daughter, the little girl I never thought I would see again. Cameron stops in front of the hotel room door and turns to face me. “Act as normal as possible. She’s fragile. The only people she knew as her parents just died three weeks ago.”
“Cam,” I interrupt her before turning back toward the door. “Does the foster care know you have her?”
Cammy places her hand over her heart. “Of course. I contacted them right away. I have temporary permission from the state she was living in to sort things out and make a decision.”
“Make a decision?” I ask.
“On whether or not I will pursue re-adoption—take her into my custody.”
“What about me, Cam?” I ask, swallowing the knot in my throat. I will not lose her again. No way.
“One thing at a time, okay?” she says softly.
I inhale all of the air surrounding me until the beat of my heart slows a touch. Waiting the long second for her to unlock the hotel room door, I’m not surprised when the open door reveals a large suite with ceiling-to-floor length windows that cover the entire far side of the room. The main area seems to open up into two other rooms, as well. Putting the greatness of the room aside, it takes me what seems like forever to scan the room before I set my eyes on a girl slouched into the couch with her arms crossed over her chest.
She sits up straight when Cammy addresses her. “Ever,” she says, gently. “Where is Casper?”
“Watching TV in the other room,” she says tersely, annoyed.
Cammy releases a sigh but shakes away her annoyance as she backs away to stand beside me. “Ever, this is AJ, your—”
“I was told I didn’t have a dad,” she says. If it wasn’t enough to hand this little girl over before she was an hour old, this stab to the heart feels almost as bad. All I wanted was for her to know she had a dad, one who loved her.