Finding YOU Finding ME (You & Me Trilogy Book 2) Read online

  “What?” I asked, applying lip gloss, then brushing out Mom’s hair.

  “That blonde lawyer girl from that movie…Legally Blonde. So positive! I adore Reese Witherspoon.” Mom said.

  “Well, it worked in the movies…maybe it’ll work right now,” I said, leading Mom out of the restroom and headed back to the courtroom.

  Collins was standing there with a tall gentleman with grey hair and a nice dark tailored suit.

  “Howard, here they are. Mrs. Sullivan and her lovely daughter Samantha Sullivan.”

  Howard’s charcoal grey eyes appraised us both, but landed on my mom’s eyes. “I can see where the lovely daughter gets her loveliness,” he said smiling charmingly at my mom. Did my mom just blushed?

  Collins and I exchanged looks, and his lips turned up at the outer edge, suppressing a smile. I didn’t expect Collins’ lawyer to be that handsome and distinguished looking.

  We both glanced back at my mom and Howard. They were busy talking about the case, but it seemed there was some serious chemistry going on between them.

  OMG, I could not believe what I was seeing…

  “So,” I walked up to Collins, wanting to kiss him for bringing a guy like Howard here to help my mother out today, “where did you meet this riffraff off the streets?”

  “Off the streets,” Collins said, noting my sense of humor.

  “Think this guy is a tad too plain-looking for the courthouse?” I asked.

  “I should’ve gone with a modeling agency, but at least Howard’s from one of the top law firms. He’s the one who’s been working on getting my Tate out of jail.”

  I took Collins’ hand, squeezing it. Collins had been working on that for a while now, and was about to have his brother released to him when he stopped all procedures. “If you don’t mind me asking, how is that going?”

  I didn’t mention anything else about Tate, and how finding out about him and Collins’ plans for him and me, nearly drove us apart a few months ago.

  “Tate’s out. Just like that. Seems like he’s been out for a while now, when I was in Europe.”

  “How? How did he managed that when you’ve been trying for years…”

  “Simple. My good-for-nothing deadbeat dad got him out. He’s still his legal guardian, and with all the framework Howard had built up for the release of Tate already in his files, all my dad had to do was sign some papers, then Tate was free to go.”

  Collins stared blankly ahead, his mouth grim.

  “Why aren’t you happy about that?” I asked.

  “Because…” Collins let out a deep breath. “Tate is well…complicated. I wished I got to him earlier in his life before he turned out to be the asshole that he is now. He’s reckless, easily-influenced, hormonal, smart, and diabolical. Unfortunately, I see everything that I was when I was living off the streets on my own as a teen, in him. If I can turn him around…he can have a better life.”

  “So why the glum look?” I asked, putting my arms around his neck to kiss him softly on the lips. Why did Collins looked so distracted and tortured all of a sudden.

  “I hear he’s gotten into some bad circles already…thanks to my asshole father. I don’t know what my father is planning, springing Tate out of jail like that. I’ve never heard from my father since I got out of jail, and that was a long time ago. He wanted me to join in his crime ring, but I refused. For obvious reasons. I’d rather go on living on the streets than join him. Thank goodness the man who helped me become the man that I am today came by later in my life, like it was Godsend, and helped me pick my life back up.”

  “You can still do that with Tate,” I said.

  “I wished I could, but from what Howard tells me, Tate is pretty hardened. He was much harder than I ever was. I was in jail briefly mainly for loitering because I didn’t have a place to go, but Tate…he’s doing hard time for robbery, assault, and carrying a conceal weapon.”

  “You’re leaving something out,” I said, my intuition kicking in.

  Collins smiled. “My smart and sexy Valedictorian…I knew you were more than a pretty face.”

  “Well, what is it?” I asked, looking at him directly in the eyes.

  “Attempted murder,” he said.

  My mouth flew open. This was the boy Collins was originally going to have me tutor when he got out?

  “I know, Sam, I should have warned you, and I know better now that it’s not fair for me to expect you to help me with such a troubled kid as him. He’s dangerous, and it was a dumb idea of mine to think he can be trusted around someone like you.” Collins kissed me on my lips softly and then firmly. “Once he gets a whiff of you, he’d be all over you, Baby. I’m making sure there is no way that he does.”

  “Collins! You overestimate me. I’m not some kind of siren or she-devil who lure men away…”

  “You are to me,” Collins said. “And judging from every man I’ve seen next to you, you have that pull…”

  I playfully hit Collins in the shoulders. “Oh come on. That’s because you’re biased, and I love you for it.” I kissed him.

  He deepened the kiss with his tongue, “I love you,” he growled. “I can’t wait to get this over with so we can go back to what we were doing last night.”

  “You do, huh?” I said.

  “I’m feeling pretty ‘lucky’ after this,” Collins said.

  “We’ll see,” I said, walking off. “Time to head in. Hope we’re all pretty lucky today.”

  Chapter 16

  It was strange seeing Dad in court sitting on a separate table from the one Mom and Howard sat on. Collins and I sat in the back.

  I was wondering where Nydia was, but glad she wasn’t here to see how Mom and Dad would be acting or to hear the accusations that would come up. She was still in kindergarten. She didn’t need to hear anything that would be said here today.

  There were a scattering of people in the room. Some people from church, including Pastor Michael, who sat in a chair on my father’s side. His warm eyes met mine when he turned around to see me sitting at the back of the room. He smiled, and there was a look of longing on his face as he looked. Then he noticed Collins sitting next to me, his face grim, his eyes shooting daggers at Michael for even giving me a too friendly look. I haven’t talked to Michael for a while, since Collins came back.

  Michael got up and came over to the row in front of me and said, “Sam, I haven’t seen you in a while.”

  I don’t know if that was for Collins’ benefit or mine, but I smiled. “I know. I haven’t been to Dad’s church ever since this started. It’s awkward you know,” I said.

  “Tell me about it,” Michael said. “Both of your parents are good friends of mine. I don’t even want to get into the middle of it, but your father asked me to come today. So here I am.”

  “I know my parents want to keep everyone from church from finding out,” I said.

  “Unfortunately, the truth is, there will be some talk, but I’ll try my hardest to divert any embarrassing gossip away,” Michael said. He looked over at my Dad, sitting there, looking so composed with his lawyer. “You do know that after this, your Dad’s going on vacation. I’ll be running the church until he gets back.”

  “No, I didn’t know that,” I said.

  “He’s going to take some time off, spend it with Nydia, take her to Disneyland and all the places she wants to go. Be more of a Dad to her.”

  I gulped back some tears. Dad never wanted that with me. I knew why, too. Mom told me a few months ago that I was never his. No wonder why he’d always treated me with indifference.

  “Sam,” Michael leaned in closer so he can talk to me in private. “I could really use your help at church while your father is gone. You know the procedures, you know the music, and you can help run the youth group while I take over your father’s duties. Without you, I don’t think I can handle running the youth group, choir, and run the entire congregation.”

  “I’m starting school at UC Irvine,” I said.

/>   “You are?” Michael’s obvious joy couldn’t be contained. “You’re not going to Stanford?”

  “No,” I said.

  He pulled me into a hug, which made Collins stand up. “Congratulations on UC Irvine,” Michael said. “I knew you’d amount to something…”

  “Oh, stop,” I joked.

  “So would you at least think about it, especially now that you’re staying in the O.C.?” Michael asked, ignoring Collins, who was staring Michael down.

  “I will,” I said.

  “Good,” Michael said, his eyes caressing me. He walked back to his seat, and stared ahead.

  “You’ll think about what?” Collins asked, leaning into my ear so I can feel his warm breath tickle my skin. I shivered. Even that sent thrills down my spine.

  “About helping out at church,” I said.

  “You’ll be too busy,” Collins said, taking my hand.

  “School doesn’t start until Fall,” I said.

  “You’ll be too busy with me,” Collins said.

  “Why? I have Sawyer House, but other than that, I’ll have more time to help out.”

  “No you won’t,” Collins said.

  “Why?” I looked over at Collins, and he bit his lips while looking down.

  “Because,” he said, running his finger around my hand. “You’ll be helping me with my subsidiary in Europe. You’ll come with me there. We’ll go on a cruise before then. I want to show you around, let you see my chalet in Switzerland, my chateau in France, my villa in Italy. I want to show you a little more of my world, Baby.” He brought up my hand to kiss the knuckles, and then leaned in again to whisper. “I’m so crazy about you, Sam, I can’t see straight. And I’ll do anything to keep you from spending your time at your father’s church, ‘helping’ that young pastor friend of yours who only want one thing, and you’re too innocent to pick up on that.”

  “Michael wouldn’t do that. We’re just friends. But you’re serious about going to Europe with me?” I asked.

  “Yes, Baby, I am. I still have so much to do there. I would have stayed, but when you told me you’re not going to Stanford, and I knew the reason behind it, I had to return. I’m here, Baby, all because of you. Everything I’m doing here and today, Baby, remember, is all because I love you.”

  “Oh Collins!” I threw my arms around him and kissed him. I didn’t care how I looked in court, I just knew I loved this man.

  Michael shot us a look then, and I knew what Collins was saying was true. Michael looked jealous and angry, as though he really did feel something for me. I felt bad that he did, but I never knew nor did I actively encouraged it.

  After we kissed, Collins sat up straight and stared ahead. The bailiff came to the front of the court and said, “Your Honorable Judge Colleen Seevers is presiding.”

  Everyone stood up while an exquisitely beautiful woman in her late thirties walked in, wearing a judicial black robe. She had long straight black hair, an oval face with high cheekbones, and beautiful green eyes. I couldn’t tell from the robe she was wearing, but she seemed to be trimmed and elegant, too.

  I was not the only one spellbound by this beautiful woman. The entire courtroom seemed taken aback. She sat down and everyone sat. “So, we have Sullivan vs. Sullivan,” she began, her booming deep voice commanded the room.

  She looked at my father sitting at the table, looking calm and cool. “You’re the pastor of a large congregation in Newport Beach,” she said. “I know you have a reputation to keep up so we won’t be mudslinging here in court today.”

  She looked at my mother sitting with Howard at the table across from my father’s. “That goes for you.” She looked at everyone in court, her bright green eyes assessing the room. When she spotted Collins sitting next to me, she stopped. Her eyes seemed to devour him for a moment while her tongue shot out to lick her lips.

  “We’ll leave all the he says she says and sob stories in the bedroom where it should be. I read all the files you submitted to me, counselors, and I thank you for making it well-organized and easy-to-follow.” She looked at Collins again, a smile on her face.

  “Mrs. Sullivan has shown remarkable progress in her support group, it seems,” she flipped through pages and pages of paperwork. “I commend you for making the effort and putting your child first,” she said.

  “Thank you,” my mother said.

  “And you,” Judge Seevers nodded to my father, “Your plans to spend more time with your daughter this summer is noted. It will do you and everyone some good to take time off to spend with your children. They’re only this age once so make the most of it.”

  “Thank you, I will,” my father said.

  “So the court appoints Pastor Sullivan and Mrs. Sullivan joint custody of Nydia LeeAnne Sullivan. Case rests.” At that, the judge stood, gathered her files, and walked out of the courtroom. Before she left, though, she turned and glanced back at Collins with a smile that would have made me burn with jealousy had Collins not told me he loved me minutes before.

  I ran down the aisle to my mother’s table and gave her a big hug. “You did it, Mom!” I said. “You have joint custody of Nydia. That’s so much better than before.”

  “Yes, it is!” Mom said, her eyes tearing up.

  “Thank you, Howard,” I said. “I don’t know what you did since you only had less than 24 hours to do all this, but thank you anyways.”

  Howard smiled and looked a little sheepish. “I just filed some paperwork I got from some sources. The one to thank is Collins. He’s pulled some strings, and this time, he really asked for a huge favor.” Howard glanced over at where the judge just departed.

  “The judge?” I asked. “They know each other?”

  Howard nodded. “She was the one who got him out of jail when he was a teen.”

  “Oh,” I said. “So she’s a friend of Collins. That’s great, I’d love to meet her and get some insight into him…”

  Howard laughed. “I’d suggest if you want any insight into Collins at all, you’d have to talk to him yourself. He’s pretty mum and mysterious to all of us.”

  I turned to head back to Collins but couldn’t find him anywhere in court. I walked out of the room, thinking he was outside, taking a call. I turned and walked down the hall to see if he was near the restrooms, but he wasn’t.

  Then I heard some voices. Collins and a female voice.

  I walked closer to an area close to the courtroom where the voices were louder. They were coming from a hallway hidden behind the courtroom, but the vent where I was standing allowed me to hear part of the conversation.

  “I’m with someone I care about now,” Collins said. “I don’t want to hurt her. She’s not used to the lifestyle. She won’t understand.”

  “But you know what I did out there, didn’t you?” came the female.

  “Yes, thank you,” Collins said.

  “So you’ll meet me at the club, won’t you? For old times’ sake.”

  “I’m through with that. I’m not into that anymore,” Collins said. “I’m trying to have a normal relationship…”

  “But you love what I do to you,” the female said. “You’ve always have ever since I took you out of jail, took pity on you, and taught you what it is like to have love and pleasure.”

  “No, you taught me to be your sex slave, if nothing else!” Collins said.

  “No you were a very willing participant, I recalled,” the woman said.

  “No, I was a teen, a minor under 18, and you took advantage of me and my situation,” Collins said angrily.

  “I showed you love. I loved you, Collins. We would have been beautiful together,” she said. “You know you desire me. You never forgot me. I bet you were trying to find a girl to be my replacement with this new so-called love of yours, whom I just did you a big favor for.”

  “That’s not true,” Collins said.

  “Then why are you responding to my touch right now, Collins? You’re getting so hard, we can do it here in the hallway and no
one would know.”

  “Keep your hands off of me,” Collins said angrily.

  “You may say that, lover boy, but your body is humping me right now, and why aren’t you stopping me from slipping my hand down your pants to play?” A moan. “You feel so hard and hot, I’m going to unzip your pants and…”

  “No, Colleen!” Collins said. “I don’t even know why I agreed to talk to you again, but I’m here because of her, not you.”

  “Really,” she laughed. “I took a good look at her sitting in my court today. If you haven’t forgotten me, I don’t know what. She looks like my doppelganger. Same hair, eye color, and even body type. Really, Collins, you should pay more attention to your subconscious. It would have told you your new girlfriend is a replica of me, your original love…before you get all high and mighty with me.”

  I couldn’t listen anymore. My heart was in my throat. I was shocked. I had so much respect for the gorgeous judge that I just admired in court. But she and Collins had been lovers?

  I couldn’t refute that from the conversation. And she was right. We did share the same coloring. I did look like a younger more innocent version of Colleen Seevers.

  I couldn’t stand it. I ran into the restroom and threw up.

  Get yourself together! You have to show you know nothing.

  Oh shut up! I told Susan.

  I let the tears fall, and when I was done, I head back outside where my mother and Howard was waiting.

  “Where’s Collins?” I asked.

  “He texted me with a message saying he had an emergency he had to deal with and to please take you and your mother home,” Howard said.

  How could I tell Mom that the reason she won was because my boyfriend had promised a favor from the judge? How can I tell Howard that?

  “Fine,” I said, looking at my phone. There were a few texts from Collins. One of them saying he had an emergency, and he apologized he can’t take me home.

  My heart dropped. Was Collins really going to go meet her?

  When Howard dropped me off at the entrance of my apartment building, I went straight up to my apartment, wanting nothing more than to take a shower and sleep, feeling emotionally exhausted and drained. Afterwards, I didn’t know what I was going to do.