Irrefutable (The Apprehensive Duet Book 2) (27 page)

Hailey follows us to the door of the office where we grab our coats. “Okay. I’ll set it all up.”

Quinn shoots Jordan a thankful look before smiling at Hailey. “Thank you so much.”

“My pleasure.”

Just before we’re out the door, Quinn turns and throws a smirk over her shoulder. “Judging by the way he couldn’t take his eyes off of you when we got here, you’ve got him right where you want him. Make him work for it.”

Hailey’s laugh fills the room as we exit and Jordan’s groan isn’t exactly quiet. I guess I wasn’t the only one who noticed Jordan looked pretty cozy with Agent Carter. But only Quinn would make a joke about it at a time like this. One of the many things I love about her.

WITH EVERYTHING GOING on, I never expected to be smiling on Christmas Eve. But looking around the room and seeing all the people who mean the most to me together and happy on Christmas makes me forget all my troubles, even if only for a brief moment.

The love in this room is overwhelming. Each person here has been through their own personal hell and yet everyone is at a point where they can feel joy. It gives me hope that I can overcome everything I’ve been dealt and still come out on top.

I watch as Ashley and Tanner laugh at Michaela and the fact that at five months old, she’s more interested in the wrapping paper than the present under it. They’re blissfully happy. After all the tragedy and grief they’ve been through, those two are two of the happiest people I’ve ever seen.

Tiffany and Candace, her new girlfriend, sit across from Ash and Tanner on the floor, laughing as they try to show Michaela the buttons on the toy they’ve brought her. Tiff’s pulled out of her own dark patch, in a new city with a new love and new outlook on life.

Jordan and Diana are astoundingly cheerful for this being their first Christmas without Martin. They’ve endure so much loss, and thanks to my father, unnecessary pain. Diana just lost her soul mate and can still find a reason to smile. Jordan has been thrown into a whole new world taking over the company and has taken on a huge task in helping me. And yet, they’re both very content.

When Ashley decided to have this dinner party, she made sure to invite them, and they were more than happy to come. Jordan has grown on Ashley since she learned that we wouldn’t be getting married. When I made a comment about it earlier tonight she simply said, “You were right. He’s great and I do like him, but he wasn’t the guy for you.”

I glance around the family room looking for the man that I hope
is
the one for me. I find him standing at the counter in the kitchen observing the festivities.

Standing from the couch, I make my way across the room dodging empty boxes and crumpled wrapping paper, then up the three stairs into the eat-in part of the kitchen and stand on the other side of the counter.

A smile forms on Alex’s lips and the sound of his voice warms me. “Having a good time, angel?”

After we left Jordan’s office the other night Alex put a gag order on talking about everything going on with my father and the Feds.

“It’s Christmas and we’re not going to spend it worrying over your asshole father,” he said when we got back into the town car that was waiting to take me home for the evening. “No talking about him or everything that’s going on. We’re going to celebrate our first official holiday as a couple again and not even think about him.”

Alex has done a pretty good job keeping my mind occupied outside of work. Despite his own taxing job and everything that comes with it, he’s been at my side whenever possible.

Yesterday he demanded we go and get a Christmas tree to put up in my condo and decorate. I was in no mood to go stand outside in the freezing cold in an empty parking lot to pick out a tree, but I did it anyway. I was caught off guard by how easy it was to lose myself in something happy.

We spent the night decorating the tree, drinking, listening to Christmas music, and ended the night watching
The Polar Express.
Regardless of the fact it’s a movie for children, it’s my favorite of all Christmas movies. I think it has something to do with the fact it teaches you all you have to do is believe and magic can happen. I didn’t think about my father or the mess he’s put me in at all.

“I am happy,” I tell Alex, giving him a smile of my own.

“Quinn, dear,” Diana says as she stops next to me. “May I borrow you for a moment?”

“Sure,” I smile at her then glance at Alex who gives me a nod as he exits the kitchen.

Diana links her arm through mine and guides me around the counter where we were standing further in the kitchen stopping at the main island in the center.

“We haven’t had the chance to speak since all this mayhem started,” she begins. There’s no anger in her voice. No resentment for lying to her or her son. I’ve been dreading this talk. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt the McCallahan family. “I’m happy that you finally told Jordan the truth.”

Even though she says the words without malice, they still cut me deep. Thinking about how angry and hurt Jordan was the night I came clean isn’t a fond memory. “I know I should’ve…”

“Please,” she interrupts, placing her hand on my forearm, “I’m not mad anymore. I’m just glad that everything was finally out in the open before the two of you made a mistake. I never knew how pressured Jordan felt to find a wife and settle down. I would’ve been thrilled to have you forever a part of our family, but that was no life for either one of you. I see the way that Alex looks at you and you at him. Reminds me of the way my Martin used to look at me. You’ve got something special there and you deserve it.”

I don’t know why hearing her say that makes my eyes well but they do. “Thank you.”

“But that doesn’t mean we don’t love you. Martin thought you were an amazing woman and that’s because you are. What your father is doing to you is wrong. But please know that you are never alone. I am always here for you. You’re like the daughter I never had, and I still love you regardless. Jordan still loves you, just in a different way than he originally thought. There’s no reason for you to carry any burden for what happened. I don’t think any differently of you, and I’m proud of you for being true to yourself and to my son.”

My own mother has never once told me she was proud of me. But this woman, who I’ve lied to and whose family my father tried to take advantage of, is standing here telling me things my own parents never have.

“That means a lot to me,” I tell her, wiping a rogue tear from my eye.

“None of that,” she chuckles, swatting my hand. “It’s all true and don’t ever let those vile creatures you got stuck with as parents make you feel otherwise.”

A loud round of laughter echoes up from the family room breaking our little heart to heart.

“We should get back. That’s a great group of people. We don’t get to pick our blood families, but we do get to pick our real ones and you’ve got one in there that makes up for the crap hand you were dealt,” Diana says, pulling me into a hug and squeezing.

I find Alex sitting on the love seat when we rejoin the group, beer in his hand, smile on his face. I can’t help but run my fingers through his hair as I come around the side of the couch to sit next to him.

“Hi,” I smile fondly at him and cozy up next to him.

“Hi,” he repeats back, wrapping his arm around my shoulder to pull me flush against his side. “Everything okay?” he asks, leaning down kissing my temple.

Looking back out at all the joyous faces in the room, I nod. “Perfect.”

Laying my head down on his shoulder, I watch everyone doing their thing. Chatting, laughing, and enjoying the company of one another.

If I can make it through this mess and have a million more days like this one, I’d be a very happy girl. But if this doesn’t work out for me, at least I have this great day to help me last through the bad ones to come.

MY CHRISTMAS REPRIEVE didn’t last nearly as long as I’d have liked. Currently we’re parked a block away from my parents’ brownstone on the Upper West Side, getting everything set. It’s a far cry from the quiet day Alex and I spent alone in my condo yesterday. We lay in bed most of the day losing ourselves in each other, ordering Chinese and watching Christmas movies. Exactly what I needed to gear up for today. Waking up safe and secure in Alex’s arms this morning didn’t hurt either.

“We’re just going to pin this to the strap on your bra and you’re all set,” the tech guy who Hailey introduced as Chino says, holding up a small clear circle that looks like a colored contact lens. “We’ll be able to hear everything and there’s no way your father will notice it.”

Unbuttoning my coat, I slide one arm out and slip my shirt down my shoulder giving the agent access to place the bug where it needs to be.

Deep breath.

“You okay, angel?” Alex asks from beside me.

I don’t know what kind of strings Hailey had to pull to be able to allow Jordan and Alex to be here, but I’m very glad. I need them. How had I ever thought I’d be able to get through this ordeal by myself?

The calm I woke up with slowly dissipated as we drove over here an hour ago, going over the plan again. I’ll confront my father about everything. Show him the file then try to get him to admit to setting me up. Getting him to confirm his plan to me is the only shot we have left.

Once I’m all mic’d up and ready to roll, I’ll head over to my parents alone while a van full of people listen in. People I really care about are about to get unfiltered access to the real Louis Taylor. I don’t like that Jordan, Alex, and Hailey are about to hear all the nasty things my father hopefully going to say about me.

Hailey’s informed us the van will be parked a few houses down the block and will be listening for the confession. As soon as they get it, the team will move in and arrest my father.

Despite all the nerves and anxiety flowing through me, I can’t wait for this whole shit show to end in under an hour or so.

No more lying. No more sneaking around. No more watching my back. No more unnecessary drama or stress in my life.

I’m starting to think my father suspects something is off. He’s been asking a lot of questions regarding the wedding I know he doesn’t really care about. Jordan told me my father reached out to him the day after we met with Hailey. He wanted to make sure everything was going as planned on Jordan’s end. He wanted to make sure I didn’t think anything other than a wedding was going on.