Perfect Partners(54)
Author: Carly Phillips

Ryan raised his eyebrows. “Find me what you’ve got and maybe I’ll consider it.”

“Tell me what I’ve got and I’ll try and help you out” Since her return from Florida, Griff had had one hell of a time figuring out where he stood with Chelsie.

“Pathetic. Both of us,” Ryan said and finished the soda in one large gulp.

Griff agreed. He also wondered if it was about to get worse. Knowing she needed some normalcy, Griff had bided his time before pulling out the last weapon in his arsenal. It had taken him a week of sleepless nights to figure out the one thing that would cement their lives together at last—at least he hoped so.

If Chelsie wasn’t swayed after today, there would be nothing left to say. Hell, he’d sever the partnership himself. He couldn’t see her professionally and not have her in his life when the workday ended.

Footsteps sounded on the back stairs leading from the house to the office. He turned to Ryan. “Not that I don’t appreciate the ride back from the office, but don’t you have some place to be?” He’d left Mrs. Baxter his car so she could do the long-overdue food shopping.

Footsteps were replaced by a loud knocking on the adjoining door. Ryan turned towards the noise. “Don’t you think you could give her a key?” he asked. “Might make her feel more welcome.”

Griff rolled his eyes. “Tell you what,” he said as he walked towards the door. “You make yourself scarce, I’ll give Chelsie that key. Then she can lock you out.”

Ryan rose and tossed the soda can into the recycling bin beneath the cabinet under the sink. “There’s loyalty for you. I’m going, but one thing first.”

Griff reached for the handle on the door. “What’s that?” He opened the door to see Chelsie on the other side.

“Invite me to the wedding,” Ryan said as he paused in front of her.

“What wedding is that?” she asked.

Ryan shrugged. “Ask your partner. Good seeing you again, Chels.”

“You too, Ryan,” she said to his retreating back.

The door closed behind him and Griff got his first good look at Chelsie. Cheeks flushed and eyes bright she stood before him, waving a piece of paper in her hand. The piece of paper.

Griff held his breath.

“What is this?” she asked.

“Come.” He reached out and took her hand, leading her into the family room. With both hands on her shoulders, he eased her onto the soft cushions. “What is it you said to me when I proposed you help out with Alix?” he asked her.

She looked at him, puzzled.

He wondered if his heart had ever beat so hard or so fast. He wondered if he’d ever had as much at stake. “Let me remind you. You asked what would happen when I decided Alix was doing well enough to throw you out of her life again.”

She glanced down at the custody papers in her hands. “I still don’t understand what you meant… why you…”

“I gave you unconditional joint custody. Any schedule you want, any way you want.”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll take her away from you somehow? You aren’t worried that maybe my parents will use this against you to sue for custody again?”

“Your parents. Well, they’re the unknown in all this. They’re a risk,” he admitted. One he’d struggled with long and hard all week.

But he’d accused Chelsie of wanting his ready-made family and then walked away instead of accepting her word, instead of believing she loved him separate and apart from Alix. He’d hurt her so deeply he still saw it in her expression every time they were together.

Her shadowed eyes haunted his dreams. She was the last person he’d ever hurt intentionally. He saw only one way to make amends and hopefully assure their future. The only means he had to convince her of his trust was to offer the one thing he’d accused her of wanting more than him. His niece.

He couldn’t think of another way to bring them together, except to risk everything. He knelt down and stared into her eyes. “Listen to me. I love you. I want to marry you and be a real family. But if you can’t see beyond my mistakes, I understand. I’ll accept any type of shared custody arrangement you want. I’ll…

She cut him off by throwing her arms around his neck and toppling them both to the floor. “I take it this arrangement works for you?” he asked, out of breath but still needing to hear the words.

“I’m overwhelmed,” she said. “You’d do that for me?”

“Love you? Yes. Marry you? Yes.”

“Share custody of Alix even if I said no to your proposal,” Chelsie said softy.

“In a heartbeat.” Although right now he was fairly certain his own heart had stopped.

She blinked against moist eyes. “Can you move?”

“Your point?” he asked. Because if she didn’t answer him soon, he might not make it another minute.

“You’re not going anywhere, Griff, and neither am I.” Chelsie looked down at the man she loved, the man who had risked his emotional nightmare to give her what he believed she needed. What he failed to realize was the depth of that love. “You didn’t need to do this. I believed you when you said you trusted me. It’s just that I can’t give you all you deserve. The family you want, a child of your own…”

He grasped her cheeks in both hands, forcing her to look him in the eye. “Your words, Chelsie. Not mine. I said more children. Our children.”

She swallowed hard and tried again. “Are you sure?”

“Sure that I love you? Yes. Sure that I want to spend the rest of my life with you? Yes to that, too.”

“Sure that you can accept not having children of your own?” She asked because she had to be sure. More importantly, he had to be sure.

His eyes never left Chelsie’s face. “I already have all that I want. And you’re right. I do want more kids.” His fingertips brushed at the tear on her cheek. “So why wouldn’t I love any child you and I decided to adopt?”

“Adopt?”

“We both love Alix as if she were our own. As long as any other children are ours to raise and love together, why would I want more?”

Her throat hurt from holding back tears. “Are you sure?”

“That again?” he asked with a grin. He pulled her down onto the floor with him until his arms encircled her, squeezing her so tight she couldn’t help but be certain. “I’m sure,” he whispered. “Are you?”