EPILOGUE

It’s been a beautiful two years with my wife ruling by my side at Top Tier Construction by day and reining in my heart and in my home by night.

“Happy birthday, beautiful,” she says, clasping a locket around Cee-Cee’s neck. Cee-Cee opens it and sees the picture taken three months earlier of her and Brynlee outside the courthouse.

It was the happiest day of our lives. After over a year of Lyndsey dropping Cee-Cee off on the days she should have her and Cee-Cee complaining about different men popping up, I was finally awarded full custody.

Lyndsey has visitation rights, but she’s only shown up for two in the last three months. We’re celebrating Cee-Cee’s fourteenth birthday dinner at Kemistry’s Steakhouse tonight. Her friends, my brothers, parents, and Brayden and Shayla are here.

“It’s beautiful! Thanks, Momily.” It’s what she calls Brynlee, her stepmom. They have a beautiful relationship.

“I love you,” Brynlee says.

“Love you, too,” Cee-Cee says as a server enters the private dining room.

At that moment, I catch a glimpse of Lyndsey through the partially open door. Brynlee stands and walks to the door, and I follow.

Looking back at Austin, I gesture for him to keep Cee-Cee distracted.

“Why are you here?” I hear Brynlee ask.

“I’m her mother,” Lyndsey hisses.

“You don’t get to be a part-time mother when it fits your schedule, Lyndsey. The dinner started almost three hours ago, and it’s ending now. You can leave her gift with us or hold it until you see her in two weeks. Out of the kindness of my heart, I invited you tonight. Neither Ro nor Cee-Cee thought it was a good idea. You won’t ruin this night for her.”

“I’m her mother.”

“Funny, I’m the one that’s there for her every day. The one who’s taught her about the changes in her body and prepared her. The one she shares her greatest secrets with. Leave the gift or wait until two weeks.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I will have my sister-in-law slap your ass with a violation of your visitation rights so fast you won’t see Cee-Cee again until next year.”

Lyndsey’s nostrils flare.

“You’re going to let her speak that way to me, Ambrose?”

“You heard my wife. I gave you a million chances. You’ve blown them all.”

“I can’t believe this. You can’t stop me from seeing my daughter,” Lyndsey hisses.

Placing her hands on her hips, Brynlee narrows her eyes and says, “I said what I said.”

Lyndsey huffs loudly, spins on her heels, and storms from the restaurant.

“Goddamn! You’re so sexy when you take charge, Bryn.”

“Wait until I get you home tonight. I’ll show you just how in charge I am.”

She takes me and leads me back to our waiting family. I look forward to a lifetime of fighting battles and celebrating victories with this woman at my side.