“We done?” he prompted.
“Tell her to send me the papers.”
Mitch’s body tightened and he felt Mara’s tighten against his as her hand settled on his tee-covered chest.
“What?”
“Mara,” Bill stated. “Tell her to send me the papers to give her permanent custody of the kids. I’ll sign ‘em.”
“You’ll relinquish all claim?” Mitch asked then heard and felt Mara’s indrawn breath.
There was a pause then a quiet, “Yeah.”
“Now and forever, Winchell,” Mitch declared.
Another pause then quieter, “Yeah.”
“Say it,” Mitch ordered.
Another pause then a whispered, “Now and forever, Lawson.”
“Right,” Mitch clipped. “Now we’re done.”
“Lawson?” Bill called quickly.
“What?”
Another pause then, “Give ‘em a good life.”
“Already am,” Mitch replied.
“Mara too.”
Mitch made no reply and closed his eyes.
“Promise me that, for them, for Mara, give them a good life.”
Mitch opened his eyes and looked down at his woman, felt her soft body against his, her hand light on his chest, trust, love and hope shining in her eyes.
Jesus, she was beautiful. Never, not in his life, had he seen anything as beautiful as she was right then.
“I promise,” he replied.
“Thanks, dude,” Bill whispered.
Mitch flipped his phone closed.
“Bill?” Mara asked instantly.
“He wants us to send the papers.”
She closed her eyes and did a face plant in his tee as her arms wound around his middle.
Mitch tossed his phone on the couch and curled his arms around her.
He again felt her pull in a soft breath.
Then she moved her head so her cheek was against his chest.
“We need to go see Penny and Evan,” she said quietly.
“She’s fine, Evan’s fine. Told you that already, baby. They’re good. They’re more worried about you and the kids than you are about them.”
“We need to go see them,” Mara semi-repeated.
“All right, sweetheart, after donuts,” Mitch relented.
She fell silent.
Then she asked softly, “Is it over?”
“It’s over.”
“You’re sure?”
“It’s over, honey.”
Mara fell silent again.
She was mulling it over. He knew she’d do that and then trust him.
And he loved that about her.
Then she turned her head so her forehead was pressed to his chest, her arms went tight around him and she whispered, “I love you, Detective Mitchell James Lawson.”
There it was. She’d mulled it over and trusted him.
Mitch dropped his head and, lips to her f**king fantastic-smelling hair, he whispered, “I love you too, Marabelle Jolene Hanover.”
Mara held onto Mitch and Mitch held onto Mara.
Then there was a flurry of rapid movement, Mitch tensed and looked up to see Billie flying toward them, arms in the air, hands waving. Bud was standing, leaning against the wall at the mouth of the hall.
Billie’s little body collided with both of theirs and she threw her arms around their hips, tipping her head way back, she screeched, “Donuts!”
Someone had been eavesdropping.
Mitch looked at Bud.
Bud was smiling a crooked smile.
Mitch grinned at his boy.
Then he looked down at his girl.
“Donuts,” he confirmed.
Billie jumped up and down, shaking Mitch with Mara as she did then she disengaged and ran back from where she came, hands again waving in the air, mouth again screeching, “Donuts!”
“Teflon.” He heard Mara murmur and felt her body shaking against his.
Mitch moved his eyes from a still crookedly smiling Bud to look down at Mara who now had her head tipped back and she was smiling too.
He’d lied to her the first time her ass was in his truck.
Her smile was totally wonky.
Just like Billie’s.
And just like Billie’s, it lit up the room.
Beautiful.
So beautiful he had no choice.
He bent his head, put his mouth to hers and kissed it from her lips.
* * * * *
Two days later…
When Mitch walked into Pierson’s Mattress and Bed, he saw Mara, Roberta and two other sales associates with customers and there were a number more customers milling about the store.
Roberta’s customer was a woman.
Mara’s was a man.
Mitch sighed, gave his woman a chin lift, took her return smile and gave her friend a low wave. Then his eyes went to the window at the back of the store.
Bob was standing at the window looking out at him.
Mitch wound his way through the displays and by the time he hit the door to the back hall, Bob was standing in it.
“You got a minute?” Mitch asked quietly.
Bob nodded and threw an arm out behind him indicating Mitch should precede him.
Mitch did so and Bob followed.
Bob had given Mara the day off after the drama but she’d gone in the next two days although Bob told her she didn’t have to.
She explained this by saying, “Honey, I have four mouths to feed. It’s paid time off but my pay is nothing to my commissions.”
“Four?” Mitch had asked.
“Bud, Billie, you and me,” she stated.
“You got help with that,” he reminded her.
“I know.” She smiled then reminded him, “We’re a team and I can’t let down the side. Anyway, commissions and a future without attorney’s fees means more little black dresses.”
At that, he let it go.
She didn’t need the commissions. She needed normalcy.
Mitch gave it to her.
Further, he was looking forward to a future that included a selection of little black dresses.
And the truth of the matter was, Bob needed Mara. It was still the summer madness sale not to mention news coverage about what happened at Pierson’s had been extensive. Though, luckily, considering the operation to find Bud and Billie had been unofficial, the media had not stumbled onto that information and Mara and the kids did not factor into the story.
Although Bob’s warehouse was blocked by yellow police tape, the police were still sifting through it and his stock would likely not be released for a while, this did not keep the customers away. In fact, Mara told Mitch it was a madhouse and the customers were happy to wait for the release of stock in order to have their mattress from the now infamous Pierson’s Mattress and Bed.