I wake up surrounded by Penn, his front to my back, his arm banded around my waist, and face buried in my neck. It’s early, the sun’s just starting to rise and there’s a pale glow filtering through the edges of the drapes, but I can still see the huge diamond ring that’s adorning my finger.
Engaged. I’m engaged. The thought barely makes any sense but the proof is right here on my finger. Penn asked me to marry him. He asked me if he could adopt Poppy and I said yes. It makes no sense, it’s rash and impulsive and so incredibly right that I smile even as my eyes close and I relax back into Penn.
Thoughts of Roxanne and the baby that’s growing inside of her try to edge into the bubble of happiness we’ve created, but I push them away. I don’t want to think about her. Honestly, I want to pretend like she doesn’t exist, at least until I absolutely have to deal with her and all of the brutal reality that surrounds her.
If her baby is Penn’s, then their child will be a part of my life. I’ll be co-parenting he or she with Penn, and Roxanne will make all of our lives a living hell. Only yesterday I was questioning if I could handle that and the truth is that no, I don’t think I can. But I’ll deal with her vitriol and hatred every day for the rest of my life if my reward is getting to keep Penn. I love him, and now that I know he exists I don’t think I could truly live without him. These past few weeks he’s given me a glimpse into the future. Waking up with him, falling asleep with him, drowning in pleasure and passion and desire with him. Watching him care for me and Poppy, eating with his family, being happy and safe and cared for. He gave me all of that and now that I’ve had a taste of him and the life we could all have together, I want it… not just for me but for Poppy too.
I want my daughter to have a dad who loves her, who will take her to father daughter dances and teach her how she should expect to be treated by any boy that wants to go out with her; then chase off the boys that aren’t good enough. She deserves a man like Penn to be her daddy and although I would have been mom and dad and whoever else she needs me to be, finding someone who will love her like she’s his in every way, is more than I’ve ever dared to hope for both of us.
Hiding away yesterday was perfect, but it was only putting a band-aid on a festering wound and I know today we need to face her as a united front. Roxanne might be family, but she’s never liked me and although in the past I’ve let her bad behavior slide to keep the peace, I won’t let her ruin Penn and me because she’s jealous.
I lie in Penn’s arms as the sun rises in the sky, content just to be with him until Poppy wakes up and I’m forced to roll out of bed and grab my robe from beside Penn’s on the back of the door. By the time I’ve collected her from her room, Penn is awake, sitting up in bed and waiting for us.
“Morning,” he smiles.
“Hi.” Climbing back into bed I sit Poppy between my legs, but it’s only a matter of moments until she’s cooing and holding her arms out to Penn for him to pick her up. He takes her from me and lifts her into the air, lowering her down and covering her face with kisses before he extends his arms and lifts her again.
“I need to go and see Roxanne to tell her about the paternity test, but you don’t need to see her. I don’t want to listen to her insult you and you shouldn’t have to be verbally assaulted because she’s bitter, jealous and crazy. I don’t want to keep you from Chloe, but I’ll bring her back with me, we could maybe even see if she wanted to stay the night, we have the room.”
“Penn,” I say, reaching out and laying my hand on his arm. “I can’t hide from her. If this is your baby, I’m going to have to deal with her for the rest of our lives. She already hates me, avoiding her won’t make it any better.”
“She’s lying,” he says through gritted teeth.
“Then I want to be there when she has to admit it’s all bullshit.”
He nods, cradling Poppy into his chest, his eyes a mix of anger and desire.
“We should have breakfast, then we can head down to Chloe’s, might as well get this over and done with so we can enjoy the rest of our Sunday.”
Penn showers while I get Poppy dressed, then, for the first time, I head into the main house without Penn. We’ve spent every night here for the last couple of weeks, but I tend to stay in his apartment except when we eat with his family. Even then I only ever head into the main house with him, never alone.
It’s still early considering it’s a Sunday morning, but Since Bonnie’s announcement that she wants to have a baby, Beau convinced her to give up her job at Wake Up and Go Go. Something he’s been apparently trying to get her to do since before they got married. She might not need to get up at 4.00am for work, but she’s still an early riser and she turns from where she’s mixing something in a large bowl in the kitchen and smiles at me the moment I enter the room.
“Morning, how are you feeling? Did you and Penn get everything sorted out?”
“Morning Bonnie,” I smile, resting my hip against the counter as I balance Poppy’s tush on the granite surface. “We got things sorted more or less. I mean, until we know if Penn is the father, we can’t really do much.”
“Oh my god,” she squeals, interrupting me as she grabs my hand and stares down at the huge ring on my finger. “Is that what I think it is? Oh my god, you got engaged?”
Smiling shyly, I nod. “Do you think I’m crazy? It’s too soon, isn’t it?”
Rushing around the counter she throws her arms around me. “No, it’s not too soon, it’s fantastic, I’m so happy for you both.”
“Thanks,” I say, hugging her back with one arm while I keep Poppy steady with the other.
“So when are you getting married? Is it going to be a city hall thing like Alice and Granger or you could have it here, or did you want to do it in Chicago with your family?”
Holding my hands up to stop her, I feel the panic creep into my expression. “This just happened last night, we haven’t even discussed the actual getting married part yet.”
“Of course, I’m sorry,” she giggles, her cheeks heating to a pale pink color. “I’m just so glad you and Poppy are going to officially become part of the family. We need more women to even the numbers out, it’s a total sausage fest in this place.”
I grab myself a cup of coffee and chat to Bonnie until Penn appears freshly showered and smelling of mint and lemon. His eyes warm as he walks toward us, taking Poppy from me as soon as he’s close enough and then leaning down and pressing a lust drenched kiss against my lips. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I smile.
“Congratulations,” Bonnie shrieks, bouncing over to him and hugging him tightly.
“You told her?”
“I saw the rock, it’s beautiful,” Bonnie tells him, grabbing my hand and lifting it so she can admire the stunning ring on my finger again.
“What are we congratulating?” a sleep rumpled Cody asks as he emerges from his door shirtless, in just sleep pants with multicolored donuts all over them.
“Lulu agreed to marry me and let me adopt Poppy,” Penn says proudly.
All the sleepy distraction clears from Cody’s expression in an instant, replaced with pure happiness. “That’s amazing, congratulations.”
I’m pulling from hug to hug as the rest of the Barnett clan hear the news and offer their congratulations. Bonnie sets three platters piled high with freshly made waffles and bacon down onto the table and we all sit down and eat together, one huge, rowdy, wonderful family.
My good mood lasts until we turn onto Chloe’s street and I see Roxanne’s red two-seater sports car parked in the driveway. “You don’t have to come in with me if you don’t want to,” Penn offers, reaching over and taking my hand in his.
Inhaling a fortifying breath, I shake my head. “No, we’re in this together, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“So, we need to show a united front. We go in there, tell her about the appointment, I talk to Chloe, then we leave. I don’t want to be away from Poppy any longer than we have to be.”
“Poppy has six uncles and three aunts taking care of her, she’ll be fine,” he assures me.
“I know she will, but weekends are my only real time with her, I don’t want to miss out on more than we absolutely have to, especially because of Roxy.”
“Agreed,” Penn says squeezing my hand as he parks at the curb and kills the engine. “You ready?”
“Not even slightly, but let’s do it anyway.”
Penn keeps hold of my hand as we walk up to the front of the house, his finger twisting my engagement ring from side to side. I contemplate knocking when we get to the door, but damn it, I refuse to let Roxanne make me feel like a stranger in the place I called home until two days ago. Turning the handle, Penn opens the door and leads me inside, closing it behind us. Chloe is sitting on the couch, nursing a mug as she smiles wearily at us.
“Morning.”
“Morning, you look tired,” I tell her, pulling my hand free from Penn’s and sitting down next to her on the couch.
“My daughter is enough to make anyone exhausted,” she says with a wan smile.
“There’s coffee in the pot.”
Penn nods and moves to the kitchen, pulling out mugs and pouring coffee with a practiced ease that shows how much time he’s spent here the last few weeks.
“Where is she?” I ask, taking the coffee from Penn.
“In bed, being as self-absorbed and self-righteous as she is takes it out of a girl,” Chloe snarks, rolling her eyes.
“We’ve booked an appointment for a paternity test on Friday,” Penn tells her.
“I’m not taking a damn paternity test,” Roxanne screeches, stomping down the stairs, her boobs practically falling out of a bralette, her ass barely covered by tiny booty shorts, her bulging stomach completely on display.
Of course she doesn’t appear to have a single stretch mark marring her taut skin, her belly a perfect beach ball shape, nothing at all like my whale-like appearance when I was carrying Poppy.
“Is that because you’re ready to admit the baby’s not mine?” Penn asks.
“We had sex, Penn. Babies are what happen when you’re not careful,” she says, a malicious grin etched across her lips.
“I was careful and thank god I was, seeing as I found you stabbing holes in the condom you tried to get me to use and I haven’t touched you in over a year. Please just be honest and stop living in this fantasy world you’ve created in your warped head.”
Instead of acknowledging Penn’s words, she narrows her eyes and turns a hateful glare in my direction. “Why are you here? Penn and me have absolutely nothing to do with you. This is our baby, the three of us are going to be a family. You need to take your fat, used up, jealous ass and leave, take that reject brat with you.”
I open my mouth to tell her how much of an evil bitch she is at the same time that both Chloe and Penn start to shout. In the end, Penn’s tirade is louder and angrier than both mine and Chloe’s and we fall silent.
“Do not speak to my fucking wife like that ever again,” he growls. “If by some miracle that kid is mine, I’ll take care of the baby, I’ll be a good dad, but you will only ever be that child’s mother to me and nothing more. I love Lulu, she’s mine and Poppy is our daughter so you can keep your bitter, vile delusions to yourself. Now you will be having this paternity test on Friday and if you don’t attend, I’ll get a lawyer and drag you through court until a judge orders you to get one.”
“You’re an asshole, you led me on, told me you loved me and got me pregnant. We had a future planned and now she’s ruining everything.” Tears roll down her cheeks as she points at me like I’m the scarlet woman who’s stolen her happiness away. What the actual hell is going on here?
“Roxanne, three weeks ago you were engaged to a felon and asking me for ten thousand dollars for a dress and a honeymoon. Baby, I love you, but this has to stop,” Chloe says, her tone imploring as she moves toward her daughter.
“This is all because of her,” Roxy hisses, pointing menacingly at me. “You’ve always loved her more than me, your real daughter. Now she’s here and trying to steal my man and you’re taking her side.”
“Roxanne,” Chloe sighs.
“No, fuck you, all of you,” she cries, then turns and leaves, stomping up the stairs in dramatic fashion.
For a moment the three of us just stand there and stare at each other. I believed Penn when he said the baby wasn’t his, but I think even he had an inkling of doubt. Roxanne is more than calculating enough to take advantage of him when he’s drunk and his judgement is impaired. But the performance she’s putting on is most definitely overkill. A drunken mistake would have been more believable than the song and dance she just put on about her and Penn being in love.
“She’s lying,” Chloe says, breaking the silence.
“I know,” I agree.
“I’m sorry, Chloe, I know she’s your daughter, but fuck, that bitch is certifiable.” Penn exhales, running his fingers through his hair agitatedly.
Slumping back down onto the couch, Chloe shakes her head. “I just don’t know why she’s like this. I don’t understand her animosity toward you, Lulu, you’re practically the same age, we’re family, as good as cousins. You should be close like you and James are, there’s no reason for her to hate you.”
“I’m so sorry, she’s your daughter and she’s obviously upset that I’m here, that must be why she’s acting out like this,” I cringe, feeling awful that she’s having to deal with all this drama.
“Don’t apologize, Kitten, this is all on Roxy not you, she’s a god damn adult it’s time she started acting like one.”
“Penn’s right, honey,” Chloe agrees. “Send me the details for the appointment and I’ll make sure she’s there. Once the results prove this isn’t Penn’s baby, you can put this behind you and I can try and get her some help.”
As much as I hate to do it, for the rest of the week I keep Poppy away and avoid Chloe’s house and Roxanne like the plague. I know Chloe would never let anything happen to Poppy, but I don’t want her in a house with Roxanne. After explaining the situation to Taylor, he agreed that I could work from home for a week until I can sort alternative childcare for Poppy. I’m not sure Janet even realizes I’m not in the office, as the menial tasks she’s still having me do keep arriving in my email.
When Friday arrives I’m a mess of nerves, my stomach threatening to revolt when I sip the coffee Bay hands me.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Not even slightly, I just want this over with.”
“I get it,” he says with a sad smile. “It’ll be okay, sis, whatever happens.”
I nod, leaning into him when he pulls me in for a brotherly hug. I’m not sure when it happened or if it’s been this way since the first time Penn bought me back here, but this feels like home and the Barnett clan feel like family. Spending all my time here in the last week, I’ve had the chance to do more than just eat with them. I’ve watched films with Teddy, visited the ranch with Bonnie, helped out Cora with Maverick. None of this is big or special, but I think that almost makes it more important. Since I told my family about Poppy I’ve been completely alone except for Chloe, but I’m not alone anymore. I have brothers and sisters, Poppy has aunts and uncles and I have Penn. My man, my love, my heart, Poppy’s daddy.
Bay’s right, whatever happens today it’ll be okay, Penn and I will be okay.
The drive to the clinic seems to take forever, even though it’s only about an hour from Rockhead Point. We arrive first and Penn is taken back by a nurse in blue scrubs just before Chloe and a pissed looking Roxanne push through the entrance.
“God, you’re like a bad smell, you just won’t go away,” she sneers to me.
“Go check in,” Chloe says, offering me a sad smile as she herds Roxy to the desk, waiting for the nurse to escort her away before she sinks down into the chair beside me.
“I never even got to say congratulations or tell you how sorry I am for not telling you about Penn and Roxy,” Chloe says, her expression stricken.
“That’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. It’s not okay at all. I knew they had a dalliance, but it was so long ago and all I heard was that they’d been seen together a couple of times at a bar.”
“It doesn’t matter now, neither of us were virgins before we met.”
“I should have said something, but I just wanted you and Poppy to have the happiness I knew Penn could give you so bad that I kept it to myself.”
“I might have been a little more prepared, but really, knowing about them wouldn’t have changed anything. I might have fought a little harder, but we’d still end up in the same place.”
“When did he ask you to marry him?
I tell her about Penn asking, how he just blurted it out completely out of the blue.
“Have you told your parents?” she asks.
I shake my head, “Not yet, I will. We check in every couple of months so I’ll tell them then.”
“How’s Poppy?”
“She’s fine, being spoilt rotten having me, Penn, six uncles and three aunts all doting on her, I’ve no idea how she’s going to cope when I go back to work,” I laugh, although it sounds as strained as it feels.
“I miss her. Maybe I could come to the Barnetts’ and watch her there if Roxanne is still here next week?” She sounds so hopeful that I take her hand in mine and squeeze it. “Of course you can, if that’s what you want, she misses her aunt Chloe.”
The nurse reappears at the reception desk and the sight of her brings back the reason we’re here. Nausea leaps up my throat and suddenly I know I’m going to be sick. Jumping up, I clamp my hand over my mouth and surge toward the desk. The nurse eyes me and calmly points down the corridor. “Bathroom is the third door on the left.”
Without pausing to thank her, I run for the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before the coffee and toast I ate this morning make a reappearance. Once I clean up and splash cool water on my sweaty face, I open the door, pausing when I hear the familiar sound of Roxanne’s voice coming from the room on the opposite side of the corridor.
“Dr Connor, I need this test to show that Penn is this baby’s daddy, maybe we can work something out between us to make that happen. I’ve been told I can make a man feel really good and this pregnancy is making me all hot and bothered all of the time. My pussy is so wet, I’d bet you’d just slide right inside of me.”
“Miss Mason, this is completely inappropriate,” a male voice says.
“No one would ever have to know, this could be all our little secret,” she says seductively, her voice breathy and sexified.
“Miss Mason, I’m going to have to ask you to leave my office. I am a doctor, a professional and I would never fabricate results.”
“I’m sure there’s something you want, something your wife would never let you do, a fantasy you’ve never confessed to her. If you help me, I could help you. Anything you want, I’m incredibly…” she pauses for a minute. “Open-minded.”
“Miss Mason, is the father of your baby Mr. Barnett?” the doctor asks in a no-nonsense tone.
“Of course it isn’t, but that’s why we need to come to some kind of arrangement,” she purrs, like a sexed up porn star.
I can’t help it, my feet move without thought and I push the half open door wide and step into the office. “Do you even know who the father is?” I demand
“What are you doing, you can’t be in here, this is a private meeting between me and my doctor. Get out,” Roxanne yells, actually lifting her hand and pointing in the direction of the door as if that’s going to make me leave and forget what I just heard.
“I heard you. I heard you try to offer this doctor sexual favors in exchange for him faking the results of the paternity test.”
“You’re crazy,” she says with a flounce.
“There’s only one crazy person in this room and it isn’t me.”
“Miss Morgan, you just confessed that you know that Mr. Barnett isn’t the biological father of your baby. You attempted to bribe me to doctor the results. I think it would be best if we bring in Mr. Barnett and inform him of what you have just advised me,” the doctor says calmly.
“I’ll go and get him,” I tell them both, my stomach still rolling, my legs unsteady. Penn jumps up from his seat the moment I step into the waiting room. “Are you okay? Chloe said you got sick.”
“It’s all a lie.”
“What is?” he asks, taking my hands and trying to lead me over to a chair.
“We need to go back there, I came to get you.”
“Why?” His brows are furrowed with concern and I reach out and smooth a finger across his face.
“It’s all a lie, I was coming out of the bathroom and I heard her speaking in the opposite room. She was offering to fuck the doctor if he falsified the paternity test results. She knows this baby isn’t yours but she wanted him to fake the results so you’d think it was.”
“Fuck,” Penn hisses through gritted teeth.
“The doctor wants us to go back there.”
Linking our fingers together, Penn’s gaze locks with mine as he lifts my hand to his lips and presses a kiss just above where my ring sits.
“I’m so sorry,” Chloe says, her voice shattering the intensity of the moment Penn and I were sharing.
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Penn says. “Roxanne’s an adult, she knew exactly what she was doing, don’t try to take responsibility for her actions.”
Chloe nods, swallowing visibly. “If Lulu hadn’t heard, if she’d managed to convince that doctor to help her. She could have ruined yours and that poor child’s lives, she’d have taken your money and let you think that baby was your son or daughter.” Covering her mouth with her palm, she shakes her head again as if the words she’s saying are just too horrible to say aloud.
“Come on, let’s go back there, I want to get this over and done with and go home,” Penn says firmly, guiding me in front of him as he reaches out and gently squeezes Chloe’s arm.
As we file into the doctor’s office, I avoid making eye contact with a sullen looking Roxanne who is playing with her cell, looking for all intent and purposes like she hasn’t got a care in the world.
“Please sit,” the doctor says, motioning to the chairs positioned in front of his desk. “Mr. Barnett, I presume?”
“Yes,” Penn confirms, leaning forward to offer the doctor his hand to shake. “This is my fiancé Lulu and Chloe, Roxanne’s mother.”
“Ahhh, yes,” the doctor says, glancing between Chloe and Roxanne. “I’m Dr Connor and I’m afraid to inform you that there has been an incident this afternoon, whereby Miss Mason attempted to bribe me to change the results of the paternity test you are here today to perform.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Roxanne snaps. “Kid’s not yours, Penn, I’m sure that bitch has already told you. I lied, okay? You pair can live your disgusting little happy ever after, you, her and the brat. Can we all go now?”
“Mr. Barnett, although the choice is of course yours I would suggest we perform the paternity test anyway. I personally took the sample from Miss Mason so I know it hasn’t been exposed to any kind of fraudulent behavior and I will oversee the testing and results. Normally you’d receive the result within twenty-four hours, but as we test onsite, if you can wait, I can have a definitive answer about the paternity of Miss Mason’s baby within the hour.
“I appreciate that, Dr Connor, I’m happy to wait.”
“Well I’m not,” Roxanne says, pushing up from her chair and moving toward the door. “I already told you, kid’s not yours. I’m leaving.”
“Miss Mason, the police have been called and they’re on their way, attempting to defraud medical records is a criminal offense, so If I were you, I would sit back down until they get here,” Dr Connor says, turning a steely glare in Roxanne’s direction.
Roxanne’s face pales and she looks to Chloe who just shakes her head, disgust at her daughter’s behavior clear on her face.
The next hour is the longest of my life. The police arrive and take Roxanne and Chloe into another room while Penn and I stay in the doctor’s office. The nausea I’m feeling doesn’t fade until Dr Connor enters the room, a file in his hand.
“I have the results of the test here, Miss Mason and her mother will be rejoining us shortly.”
Penn nods, gripping my hand tighter as Roxy and Chloe walk back in. My godmother’s eyes are red and puffy, it’s clear she’s been crying and I hate that in this moment I can’t go to her. I can’t make this any better, all we can do now is hear the truth and then go home.
“With regard to the unborn baby of Miss Roxanne Lillian Mason, the alleged father Mr. Penn Hanlin Barnett is excluded as the biological father based on DNA samples taken.”
He carries on speaking using technical jargon, but I barely hear him, because I’m stuck on the most important thing he said. Penn isn’t the father of Roxanne’s baby.
