Second Chance at Love (Love Conquers All) (24 page)

“Thank you, Miss Linda.” Holding her hand out to admire the ring, like she had done about a hundred times since receiving it, she added, “I think it’s beautiful, too.”

“You know my cousin is going to be upset.” Winking at Karen, the other woman teased, “You know he’s been holding out for you for the last three years.”

Karen’s face heated up in mild embarrassment. Miss Linda had been playing matchmaker for years. When she wasn’t trying to hook her up with her cousin, she was trying to hook her up with some church member, or a friend’s nephew. “You’re just too pretty to be by yourself. And those children need a daddy,” she would gently chide Karen.

Karen had always respectfully declined her attempts at matchmaking. Sheepishly smiling, Karen apologized.

Linda clucked her tongue. “Oh, no you’re not. I saw that handsome thing come in here earlier. I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t give that up either.”

“I know, right?” Patty chimed in, picking up the clipboard Karen had sat on the reception desk.

Like a hawk searching its prey, Patty’s eyes zeroed in on Karen’s left hand. While Linda had been discreet, the young woman screeched her excitement. “OMG! You got engaged on your lunch break?”

Putting a finger to her lips, Karen hushed Patty. But it was too late. The patients in the waiting area had begun to murmur among themselves. Eighty-three-year-old Mrs. Silver boldly shuffled her way behind the reception area. Her fragile hand held a slight tremor as she was the third person to inspect Karen’s left hand. Lifting her grayed head, she announced, “Yup, our girl is getting married.”

The small crowd went wild. Karen’s face flushed from the whistles and cheers filling the room. Patient after patient broke office protocol by going behind the reception desk to give her hugs and congratulations.

Eight-five-year-old- Mr. Silver led the crowd in a spirited song. “For she’s the jolly good fellow, for she’s the jolly good fellow…”

The staff and patients were so caught up in their celebration that Dr. Smith’s presence hadn’t been noticed. Crossing his arms over his chest, he demanded to know, “What is going on out here?”

The lively crowd and small office staff went silent. Mr. Silver slowly turned with the aid of his walker to address the dentist. What was his problem? It wasn’t every day that one was able to experience such good news. At his age, he’d grabbed on to any bit of happiness he could. No way was this young buck going to put a damper on the highlight of his day. Looking the younger man up and down, he answered for everyone. “We’re celebrating our Karen’s good news.”

Mrs. Silver, still standing behind the desk at Karen’s side, hitched her chin up in a defiant manner. “She’s just gotten engaged and we’re all happy for her.”

“That’s nice,” Dr. Smith said, digging his heels in. “Now get back to work.”

The room erupted in laughter when Mr. Silver lifted a fragile fist, shaking it at the dentist. Pivoting on his heels, no one saw the corners of his lips twitching up in the beginnings of a smile. Although the Silvers thought
they
ran the office, he found them beyond adorable and never really minded their pushy dispositions.

“Sorry,” Karen whispered to her coworkers as she called the next patient back to an exam room.

“Don’t worry about it.” Patty whispered back as she too called a patient to the back.

He’ll get over it,” Linda said in her normal voice, waving her boss off.

Karen finished taking an updated history on the patient and thoroughly cleaning her teeth. “Okay, Tiffany, I’m all done. Everything looks good.” She smiled at the nineteen year old. “No new cavities.”

“Whew, thank goodness. I can’t stand getting fillings.”

“Keep flossing, brushing and stay away from the sweets as much as you can and you should be good.”

Tiffany smiled, showing off her sparkling, newly cleaned teeth and gave her the thumbs up sign.

Laughing, Karen returned the gesture. “I’ll let Dr. Smith know I’m done. Sit tight, he’ll be in to say hi in a few minutes.”

Stepping into the hallway, she nearly collided with her boss. “Ooh! Sorry, Dr. Smith.”

Karen wanted to duck and hide from the bushy eyebrows that were furrowed into a slight frown. He was obviously upset with her. First she had a nerve to take a two hour lunch break and then get the waiting room in an uproar. Letting out a sigh, she passed him Tiffany’s chart. “Here you go.” Turning, she headed toward the front desk.

“Karen.”

Now what?
She thought to herself as she slowly turned around, taking in a deep breath. She was never taking another extended lunch break. She didn’t care if an angel came down from heaven and offered to cover for her.

“Yes, Dr. Smith?”

The furrowed brows relaxed as his lips curled up in a smile. “Congratulations on your engagement. You deserve to be happy.”

“Thanks, Dr. Smith. I really appreciate it.”

“Good. Now get back to work.”

Giving her boss a mock salute, she teased, “Yes sir!”

The day had gone by quickly Karen mused as she made her way to her car. Inserting the key into lock, she saw a dark, large blurry figure in her periphery. Deftly removing the key, she positioned her pepper spray. Whoever this was creeping up on her was about to get it. Spinning around, she aimed the spray.

The large figure stopped short, the pepper spray aimed directly in his face. “Wait a minute, Miss. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“What do you want?” Karen demanded, her voice loud and forceful.

“Are you Karen Johnston?”

“Yes. Who wants to know?”

Before she could blink he slapped an envelope in the palm of her hand.

“You’ve been served.”

And with that the man pivoted on his heels, leaving Karen to stare after him as she blindly ripped into the envelope. Her cold fingers fumbled to open the document. The color drained from her face as she read the contents.

Karen slouched against her car. “I don’t believe this.”

Dom paced back and forth like a wild, caged animal. He’d been working on the final details of the brownstone project when Karen called, beside herself. Her words were coming out in a jumbled mess; he had to calm her down. “Baby, take a deep breath. I can’t understand what you’re saying.”

His deep, soothing voice had calmed her just enough to tell him the details of the letter. Furious, he barked a string of expletives to which Karen responded by bursting into tears. “Oh, baby I’m sorry.”

“Just hurry up and get here,” she tearfully pleaded.

His temper spiked when he pulled up in his truck next to Karen’s car to find her outside in the cold, shaking like a leaf. Jumping out of the truck, he pulled Karen into a tight embrace. He didn’t know if she was shaking from the bitter February chill or from being upset.

“Come on baby, get in the truck. I’ll come back and get your car later.”

Karen nodded in a daze as Dom helped her into the truck. Once inside he adjusted the heat so it was blowing directly on her.

His temper spiked even further when a fat tear rolled unchecked down her check. “Baby don’t
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”

“I can’t help it. They want unsupervised visitation rights. I know the next step is going to be partial custody.” Wiping a tear, she just couldn’t believe her former in-laws had gone through with their threat. Why are they seeking visitation rights? What was their motive?

Taking her cold fingers, he held them to his warm lips, tenderly kissing each fingertip. “Hey, look at me,” he softly demanded. His gut twisted in knots. If he could get his hands on that man again, he would do more than snatch him up by the collar. “Ashley and Kyle aren’t going anywhere. I promise.”

Karen took a deep breath. She wanted to believe Dom, but what if everything they talked about and everything they planned didn’t pan out? Then what? “But Dom
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”

He silenced her by putting a finger to her lips. “No buts, Baby. Those bastards are not going to get away with this. Do you trust me?”

Though she nodded her head, he sensed she didn’t believe him and that stung. Didn’t she know he would move heaven and earth for her and her children? He’d already proven his love for them. They’d begun the adoption process and he was willing to give them his name. What else did he have to do to prove to her that he would take care of them? What did he have to do to prove that they belonged with him right here and right now? He didn’t have to wait for some legal document to tell him otherwise. He didn’t say anything; he just continued to drive to the kids’ afterschool program.

Karen’s heart was hammering in her chest. She had hurt Dom and hadn’t meant to. Her emotions were all over the place. She knew he loved her, loved the kids and would do anything for them. But another part of her realized that he wasn’t some Greek god that had the power to control fate. Although she literally had a judge, private investigator and attorney in her hip pocket, it didn’t necessarily mean she was on easy street.

When she shifted in her seat to look at him and he didn’t shift his eyes to sneak a quick glance like he’d always done, her heart sank. Why was she doing this to herself? Why was she giving the Johnstons so much power over her, over her emotions? This man had pledged his life to her and the kids. And at the first bump in the road, what does she do?
Act like an ungrateful fool.

Dom’s eyes shifted to glance at her when she lightly touched his arm. “Dom, I’m sorry. I know I have no reason to doubt your love. I’m just so scared.”

The tight clenching of his jaw slowly released. Reaching over, his large hand enclosed her smaller one. “Baby, I know you’re scared, but I’m going to take care of you and the kids.” Tilting her chin up with a finger so she would look at him, he said, “Okay?

Karen gave him a tiny smile. “Okay.”

Karen came downstairs after checking to see if the children had started their homework. An uneasy feeling settled over her as she watched Dom angrily pacing the floor.

“What’s going on?”

“I just got off the phone with Bass,” he clipped out.

“That’s the private investigator, right?”

Dom nodded his head and motioned for her to sit down on the sofa.

“How well did you know your husband?”

Karen didn’t like where this was going. The look on Dom’s face was murderous. “I guess not well enough.” She was still somewhat bothered by the ugly things Gregory had told his parents.

Dom scratched at the five o’clock shadow on his jaw. Bass had offered to tell her his findings, but Dom felt it would be better coming from him. Taking a seat next to her, he wrapped a muscular arm around her shoulder. He smiled when she rested her head on his shoulder.

“It appears that your deceased husband’s paternal grandparents had a trust fund he would inherit on his thirty-fifth birthday. The trust states that in the event of his death it goes to any children he may have fathered.” Dom took a deep breath. “There’s also a stipulation stating that the surviving parent or legal guardian has full control of the trust.
”

Karen sprung up from her resting place on Dom’s shoulder, her eyes widened in shock. Gregory had never told her that he was a trust fund baby. She guessed she didn’t know him after all. “This just keeps getting better and better.” She felt a headache coming on.

“Oh baby, it gets even better.”

She slouched back against the sofa, massaging her temples. “Oh, dear God.”

“Whereas granddaddy Johnston wouldn’t allow Gregory to touch the money until he was thirty-five, twenty-five percent of the trust has been allocated to provide care for the great-grandchildren, another twenty-five percent for college education, and the remaining fifty percent upon their thirty-fifth birthday.”

Her head was spinning as Dom broke everything down to her. It all made perfect sense now. The Johnstons weren’t interested in building or nurturing a relationship with Ashley and Kyle. Their interest was in the almighty dollar.