14. Devon

"I'm going to marry her."

Coach Bradshaw, who never said much in the first place, grunted at the stunning goddess entering the Port Michaelson Elementary School cafeteria. "Good luck with that, Howard."

Straightening his bow tie, Devon weaved through the tables filled with paperwork stacked in neat rows. Kindergarten orientation was always mishandled chaos, and the vice principal had asked him to take over organizing the event. So far, so good, but the day wasn't over, and a fresh wave of nervous parents had just arrived.

And right in the middle of the mass was the most stunning woman he had ever seen.

He made it over to her just as she and the boy she was with took a seat at one of the smaller round tables.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

It was loud in the cafeteria, filled with excited high-pitched voices and parents carrying on with one another. He had to shout to be heard, causing her to jump slightly.

"I'm not sure." She chewed on her bottom lip. "There's so many forms."

The paperwork she needed to fill out laid on the table in front of her, and Devon pulled out one of the kid-sized cafeteria chairs to sit next to the boy.

"What's your name?"

"Selah."

He was a cute kid and had his mother's eyes. Deep brown and sizing him up the way an adult man would. "I'm Devon Howard. I teach fifth grade science here."

The introduction was aimed at both, and he offered his hand in greeting. The boy shook it with a nice strong grip, but the mother only presented him with a few fingers to shake.

"I'm Simone."

"Pleasure to meet you."

Simone set her purse aside and took a pen from the bouquet of Bics in the center of the table. "If you teach fifth grade, why are you at kindergarten orientation?"

Because fate was leading me to you, and I'm just along for the ride.

That's what he wanted to say, but he went with, "The school always needs extra help on days like today."

The beautiful lip she'd been chewing on turned upward into a smile. "Tell me where to start, Mr. Howard."

He went over each form, and once she started filling them out, he struck up a conversation with Selah, but kept one eye on her entries. Father's name. That's what he wanted to see. She wasn't wearing a wedding ring, but that didn't always mean anything.

"You're a good way out there," Devon remarked when she wrote her address down. "Almost to Hollingsdale."

Her pen stalled for a split second. "We are, but I like my privacy."

When she finally reached the father's contact information, she wrote something, but paused, and then scratched it out. Devon took the opening. "Is his dad not involved?"

Her shoulders stiffened. "Yes, he's involved, but lives out of town. There's no need to put his name on the paperwork."

"If he ever wants to pick Selah up from school, or come and have lunch with him, he'll need to be listed."

Simone placed the cap back on the pen. "He won't."

"Daddy might," Selah urged. "He might come. Put his name down."

"Hush, Selah."

"I'll write his name." Selah grabbed a pen. "I know how to spell it. B-E-N."

"That's very good, Selah," Devon said, puzzled over the panic coming from the goddess. "Can you spell your dad's last name?"

"F—"

"Franklin!" Simone shouted, startling not only herself, but everyone around them. "His last name is Franklin, and yes, we get the irony."

She rose abruptly, the legs of her chair scraping across the floor as she grabbed a new blank form. "I can turn these papers into the front office later, correct?"

Unsure of what was happening, Devon nodded, and before he could say another word, the pair were out the door.

Coach Bradshaw appeared at his side, watching through the cafeteria windows with him as the boy and mother all but raced to their car. "When should I be expecting a wedding invitation?"

Devon snatched the partially filled out paperwork left behind. "Soon."

Calling the home number listed on the form later that night, he felt a tiny smidge of guilt, but got over it as soon as he heard her voice.

"Have dinner with me," he said when she answered. Silence greeted him, and he winced. "Please?"

"Who are you talking to, SiSi?" a woman in the background asked.

"And why do you look like you're about to throw up?" another added.

Simone shushed them. "Wouldn't that be highly inappropriate?" Her voice went husky, and soft, giving him chill bumps. "You're a teacher at my son's future school."

"It's the teacher," gushed the first unknown female. "The hot science guy."

"Be quiet!" the second hissed, closer than before. "I'm trying to listen!"

Ah, so she had already discussed him with others. Taking that boost in confidence, he plowed forward. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. I would be a fool not to ask you out."

"Oh my God." The first woman was closer now, as if she had her head right next to Simone's. "Who is this guy?"

"What?" There was a scuffle. "I can't hear! Move!"

"He said SiSi was beautiful, and he would be a fool to not ask her out," the first woman's whisper shouted.

Simone released a sigh, and Devon heard something—likely her hand—cover the receiver. She spoke firmly and returned within seconds. "Mr. Howard, my life is a mess."

"I'm sure you're worth the mess."

"I assure you I am not."

"Try me," he replied. "I'm asking for one dinner. That's it."

When she went quiet again, Devon thought he might be wearing her down, and went in for the kill. "You can bring Selah if you'd like. We can eat at the new boardwalk area in Port Michaelson and maybe hit the ice cream shop afterwards."

"It's been a while, but the last time I checked, dates didn't involve children."

"They will if you want them to." Victory was near, and he couldn't mess this up now. "Whatever the lady wants, she gets."

"Oh, is that right?" He could hear the smile in her voice and wished he were there to see it. "Well then, how can I say no?"

They met later in the week at a seafood restaurant on the tip of the boardwalk. She came alone, much to his surprise. During dinner they discussed Selah, and he learned she had a brother named Ty, who lived with her.

"I also have, um," she struggled for a minute, "roommates."

"Roommates?"

Simone's mouth pressed into a hard line, and she nodded, her eyes lowered to the crab soup. Dressed head to toe in red, the color fit her to a tee.

"My friend's husband died in a car wreck, and she and her new baby moved in so I could help her recuperate. Laura Jean is doing much better but misses Albie terribly."

Albie. Dr. Albert Eddins. The wreck that had taken the life of the up-and-coming Port Michaelson doctor had been all over the news last year. "Oh, wow. Yeah, I heard it was bad."

Her gaze snapped up at the recognition, and he shrugged. "Small city gossip moves fast."

"Don't I know it," she mumbled and took a sip of her red wine. "Then there's Rebecca and her two."

"Two kids?"

"Um, yes." She shifted in her seat. "Let's not talk about them. Tell me about you. How did you end up becoming a science teacher?"

Devon wanted her to relax, and it seemed that discussing herself wasn't going to do it, so he indulged her with the boring history that was his life. Raised by a single mom in Birmingham, he'd gone to college on a band scholarship, and pursued his teaching degree from there.

"You play the tuba?"

He grinned. "I do."

Simone fell back in her chair as if seeing him for the first time. "You're a tuba playing, bow tie wearing, science teacher?"

The smile on his face spread so wide his cheeks hurt. "I wear the bow ties for the kids, and I'm only wearing one tonight because I thought Selah would be joining us."

Her eyes dropped to his bow tie, and as they returned to meet his own, lingered on his mouth long enough to send a clear signal. "You can wear them for me, too."

Because of her roommates, they went to his place, and somewhere in the middle of their second round of earth-shattering sex, his goddess let go of her inhibitions.

"Give me one of your bow ties."

The one he'd been wearing had thankfully landed on the nightstand and he passed it to her. "What are you doing?"

With a smile, she fastened the bow tie around her neck and, gripping the headboard firmly, rode the ever-loving hell out of him while wearing it. Lost in the feel of her body, Devon held on for dear life and swore he would never be without a bow tie again.

Simone insisted on leaving when midnight struck, ignoring his pleas to stay. They continued to see each other, until it became an almost nightly thing, with her sneaking over once Selah was in bed.

A month into the relationship, she allowed him to spend time with Selah. Those dates often consisted of going to the park or a public beach over in Port Michaelson, but when it was the two of them, they never left his apartment. By the time fall break hit, he was hopelessly in love. And yet, while she knew everything there was to know about him, he still knew very little of the enigma that was Simone.

He made plans to change that and on one of their nights alone, he plied her with food, wine, and the dirtiest, sweatiest sex possible. Only when she was dozing off after being thoroughly ravished did he ask questions. It took one or two before she opened up, but when she did, the first things he learned was of her mother's death, and how her father hadn't wanted her or her brother, so he sent them to live with their Aunt Maudie.

"And that is how," she sucked in a deep inhale as they laid facing each other on the bed, "I came to work for the Fairweathers."

"Whoa." The rumors involving that crazy family ran rampant. "The Fairweathers are kind of scary. Like the mafia or something."

"Don't be silly. I mean, they're awful people, for the most part." She snuggled closer. "But, um… how do I say this? Ben Franklin? Yeah, it's not Franklin. It's Fairweather."

Devon laughed. It was unintentional, but she couldn't possibly be serious. "You're telling me Selah is a Fairweather?"

"My house? It's a Fairweather house. An old one. I live there pretending to be the housekeeper while Ben and I work at keeping Selah a secret."

She shot straight into the entire story. Ben. Haven House. The Fairweathers. Rebecca. Laura Jean. Devon liked to pride himself on being easy going, with not much able to shock him. But this? This shocked him. The Fairweathers were notorious. Evil. Awful. Horrible people. Everyone knew it, and everyone steered clear.

"I want to meet Ben." He planned to spend the rest of his life with Simone, and if he had to go through hell to have her, he would. "And don't shake your head so hard. It might fall off."

Rushing from the bed, Simone dressed as if his apartment were on fire. "This was a mistake. I should never have—"

"Tried to have a little happiness of your own?"

"It's not that. Ben can be difficult."

Difficult was probably an understatement, but Devon knew what he was getting himself into. "I can handle him."

"Many men have thought the same." Some sort of deranged laugh erupted from her. "And he's destroyed every single one of them."

"Well, I'm not most men." Devon cleared his throat, ready to take the leap. "I'm the man in love with you. The one that wants to spend the rest of his days doing nothing but making you happy."

Simone froze, one pant leg on, and her mouth hanging open. When she remained speechless, he rose to stand in front of her.

"No one is going to take you from me."

"You love me?" She sounded as if the very idea was terrifying. "Love? Me?"

He took her hands. "I am in love with you, Simone."

"Why?" she squeaked, blinking rapidly as if confused. "I mean, how?"

"What do you mean, how?"

"I'm a nobody."

Devon recoiled as if she'd slapped him. "Where did you get that idea?"

"It's just sometimes… I've never had anyone say they love me. Not my parents, or my brother."

His heart broke for her, but all that was in the past. A lifetime of being adored lay ahead. "Simone, may I have the honor of loving you forever?"

"Oh, my." She let go of his hands, pressing one to her stomach. "Okay?"

"So, I can meet Ben?"

She debated for a minute. "No, you'll come to Haven House for dinner and meet my family first."

It was settled, and the next afternoon he drove out to the middle of nowhere. She wasn't kidding when she'd said the place was hidden. As his car bumped down the clay road, and the house came into view through the trees, he hit the brakes to stare for a second.

"Holy macaroni."

It was enormous. Devon spun around as he walked up the path, taking in the house and its immense grounds as if he were Alice having entered Wonderland.

He let out a startled shout when a small blonde woman popped out from behind a batch of bushes planted near the porch.

With her finger to her lips, the woman shushed him. "We're playing hide and seek." She returned to a crouching position. "I'm Laura Jean, by the way. I'm not very fast, so I have to wait Livy out."

"Who's Livy?"

"MEEEEEE!" Another small person, this time an actual child, came giggling around the corner of the porch. Her tight curls bounced as she ran full barrel at Laura Jean. "Tag, you're it!"

Laura Jean laughed, slowly rising. She seemed stiff, and Devon tried to help her stand. "Here, let me help."

"I'm good." She waved his outstretched hand away. "But don't tell SiSi. She'll make me do extra squats tomorrow."

"Your secret is safe with me."

The front door opened, and a woman wearing the shortest shorts in all creation stepped out on the porch. Smacking on some gum, she gave him a once over, and obviously liked what she saw. "Yum, aren't you adorable."

Simone hurried out next, knocking the younger woman aside with her hip. "Don't scare him off, Becca," she said, traveling down the steps two at a time, excitement shining in her eyes. "Welcome to Haven House."

They all went in, and Devon swiftly learned dinner at Haven House was a casual affair. A loud gathering where the adults sat around the small kitchen table, while the children were spread out on various highchairs or barstools, depending on their age.

Between the music, the laughter, and the yowling cats begging for food, it was a storm of sound assaulting his ears. The cats were really the worst part. Balls of menacing fur judging him as he ate. They all had literary names like Frodo or Lady Macbeth, and during dessert, he thought it might have been Daisy Buchanan who took a chunk out of his ankle.

A scientist at heart, he watched and learned, observing the dynamic of the household. Simone was the mother. That was easy to see. She fussed over the other women, reminding Laura Jean to sit straight to help her back, and scolding Rebecca for feeding the cats under the table. She ordered the older children to clean up when they finished eating and kept one eye on the toddlers.

The late doctor's wife was the free spirit, wanting everything to be beautiful. She went around from child to child as they ate, adding random garnishes to the plates, or arranging their food and condiments in such a way that it almost looked like a floral painting when done.

Rebecca was obviously the youngest of the group. She joked with the kids, making silly faces at them as they ate. Out of the four children present, two belonged to her, meaning she must have been quite young when her oldest was born.

As dinner ended and the noise level grew, Devon leaned down to whisper to Selah. "Is it always like this?"

Selah proudly grinned. "Yep."

Once the night was over, Simone walked him out, and he snuck in a kiss on the darkened porch. "Are you coming to my place later?"

She fingered his bow tie. "Yes."

An older model pickup truck in tip-top condition rambled up to the house, parking right off the driveway. "Is that Ty?" Devon asked.

Simone brought him over to meet her brother, and the first thing out Ty's mouth was, "Has he met Ben?"

"Mind your business." Simone crossed her arms. "You're as bad as an old woman trying to stir something up."

"I'll be meeting him soon," Devon replied, grinning at how flustered she seemed. "Hopefully, the next time he's in town."

"He's flying in tomorrow," Ty said, smiling along with him. "Or did my sister forget to mention that?"

"She did."

Ty pulled out a wallet from his back pocket and presented him with a business card. "This is Ben's private local office number. Call at nine sharp and only speak to Hillary. That's his personal assistant."

"Why does he have to call at nine sharp?" Simone asked warily.

Clucking his tongue, Ty rolled his eyes. "Because I'm calling at ten to find out what all was said."

The following day, Devon called the Fairweather offices and asked to speak to Hillary. When she answered, the woman sounded irrationally annoyed for so early in the workday.

"This is Hillary."

"My name is Devon Howard."

There was a pause and then Hillary spoke again, shooting rapid fire instructions at him. "Mr. Fairweather said if you were to call, I should remind you of your meeting with him at Markham's restaurant in Port Michaelson. Tonight. Seven on the dot."

"Uh? Okay?" The line went dead, and he held the phone out to stare at it. "What just happened?"

He thought about calling Simone and telling her of the meeting but decided against it. The woman needed to learn to have faith in him. He would get this over with, and Ben Fairweather would no longer be a concern.

A little before seven he arrived at Markham's and, after giving his name to the hostess, was shown into a rear private room. While he waited, a lone waitress entered to take his drink order. She returned a few minutes later with his request and an empty second glass, which she placed in front of the vacant seat across from him.

"Mr. Fairweather will be with you shortly," she said, pulling a bottle of scotch from the sidebar to sit next to the empty glass. "He's good about not keeping his guests waiting for very long."

And that was most certainly the truth. Not but a moment later, Benjamin Fairweather swept into the room just as the waitress left.

"Never call me at the office again."

The man was everything Devon expected. An elitist in a thousand-dollar suit with no care or concern for anyone but himself.

"I called the number Ty gave me."

The corner of Ben's mouth ticked as he removed his suit jacket to hang on the back of the chair. "Listening to that jackass will get you into trouble."

"I'll be sure to remember that."

With a heavy sigh, Ben sat and poured himself two fingers of scotch. "And you're already in trouble, by the way." He tossed back the liquor in one go and poured another. "You didn't tell SiSi you were meeting me."

Devon ran a finger over the rim of his glass, holding back the urge to down his drink. He needed something to steady his nerves but wanted to keep his wits about him. "I bet she knows now, thanks to you."

"Keeping secrets from her is flat out stupid," Ben replied. "And I'm not stupid."

"If you say so."

Ben's glass paused on the way to his lips, and with a smug half smile, he knocked back another two fingers. "You honest to God think she's going to marry you."

It wasn't a question. "That's my business."

"No, that's my business." Annoyed with the way the conversation was going, Ben stabbed the table with his index finger. "Anything involving Selah, or Simone, also involves me."

"Simone is no longer yours."

"And she never was," Ben snapped. "Let me make one thing clear, Selah is the result of one lonely night where a couple of friends drank too much wine. I love my children more than my own life, but Selah was —"

"A mistake?"

When those two little words slipped past his lips, Devon quickly came to the realization that the whispers were true. The man in front of him was capable of every single horrible act people claimed he and his family committed. Terrifying things, which Ben Fairweather was likely planning to do to him once their meeting was over.

"If I ever hear you call my son a mistake again," Ben took a breath, his nostrils flaring as he kept himself in check, "I'll rip your goddamn tongue out."

"Understood." Devon grabbed his drink and gulped it down. The hot burn threatened to gag him, but he refused to allow his body to show any weakness. "Selah is smart, you know? Test scores are off the chart."

And just like that, the rage in Ben Fairweather's darkening eyes dissipated, his entire demeanor softening in a matter of seconds. "Yeah?"

"Highest entry placement scores in the school's history."

Ben examined his glass, the faint smile of pride dimming. "He likes you."

And there it was. Benjamin Fairweather might be a mean, arrogant son of a bitch, but he knew he should be scared. Another man was entering his son's life, one that could potentially become a father figure.

"You've got yourself a good kid, Fairweather."

Reclining in the chair, Ben leveled his gaze at him. "Alright, you can have her, but these are the rules…"

Devon let him talk, respectfully keeping quiet as two hours and a bottle of scotch vanished. "They're safe with me," he promised once Ben's speech ended. "And yes, I want to marry her. I'm going to marry her. I'm not looking for your permission when it comes to Simone. With your son, yes, but Simone is mine."

Ben barked out a laugh. "Is that so?"

"I'm aware of what your family is capable of, and I'm willing to keep this farce up for Selah's sake, but when it comes to Simone, I owe you nothing."

"I appreciate your candor," Ben said. "And you'll be pleased to know that Simone's happiness is of my utmost concern."

"Because she could take Selah from you."

An unnatural stillness came over Ben. "Nothing on earth can keep me from my children."

There were limits to every man's patience, and Devon relaxed as he decided to slam into Ben Fairweather's. "You can't expect her to stay hidden in that house forever."

"I fucking know that, just as I know SiSi is…" Ben waved a hand in the air as if exasperated. Like he'd attempted to craft an explanation for Simone's behavior at least a thousand times but had yet to come up with an adequate enough phrase or word to fit the woman, "a force unto herself."

A force unto herself? Devon's smile widened. The description fit Simone perfectly. Maybe Fairweather really knew her after all, and she wasn't just some woman he knocked up at random.

"If she wanted to take Selah and run, she wouldn't hesitate. SiSi is smart enough to move mountains if so inclined and could easily hide from a handful of Fairweathers," Ben continued. "Hell, how do you think we've managed this scheme for so long? Most of our strategy comes from her because she knows a win for me is a win for her and Selah."

Impressed by the respect he was hearing, Devon nodded. "Her happiness really does matter to you, doesn't it? And not just because she's the mother of your child."

"Of course, I want her to be happy. Before anyone else, SiSi and Ty were my first real friends, and authentic people in the life of a man like me is a rare commodity I don't mean to squander."

Devon gave himself a pause to think it through, but after a minute, offered Ben his hand. "I'll have your back. We'll do the co-parenting thing, and I'll try not to step on your toes with Selah if you don't get between me and Simone."

"Then I guess we have a deal, Mr. Howard." Ben shook his hand. "Welcome to the family."