Live In Position (47 page)

"Dr. Bishop, it's good to see you." A tall blonde man held out his hand with a large bright smile on his face.

"Dr. Greer, how are you?" Collin stood from the bench and grasped the man's hand firmly.

"I don't think I have ever seen you out here before."

"Yes, yes, well, I'm learning to live a little lately." I swear to God he almost blushed. Then both men glanced in my direction when I moved.

"Excuse me," I gave a small smile and tried to walk over to Victoria.

"Harry, please let me introduce you to Sophia." Collin grasped my arm and held me against his side.

"Well, it's a pleasure to me you." He held out a hand, I took it.

"It's nice to meet you as well." I smiled, uncomfortably. "I'm going to check on Victoria." I excused myself again and walked over as Victoria slid down the bright yellow pole. Catching her at the bottom, I tickled her sides.

"Ahh…stop!" She laughed out.

"Are you hungry yet?"

She smiled and nodded. Clasping hands, we walked over to Collin. He and Dr. Greer were still talking. We only caught the end of something Dr. Greer was saying.

"…
fiancé. That's fantastic."

For a moment I was curious about the conversation. Who was a fiancé? Dr. Greer had a bright gold band on his left hand and he couldn't possibly be old enough to have a daughter who would be getting married. Could he?

"Daddy we are going back to have the picnic," Victoria released my hand and bopped to his side, effectively ending their conversation and my horrible eavesdropping.

"Ah well then I'll come with you." He looked down at her lovingly before kissing the top of her head. Turning back to Dr. Greer he said his goodbyes and excused himself. We walked back to the dark green blanket.

Once lunch was finished and cleared away, Collin sat against a tree next to us. I pulled out 'The Little Mermaid' book I had been reading to Victoria. He pulled me between his legs with my back against his chest and I mimicked the position with Victoria.

With his hands on my sides he ran his nose along my neck. While I tried not to get distracted, I was. After his lips grazed the juncture my neck and shoulder meet, I prompted Victoria to read to us for a bit. She was hesitant until Collin urged her to read to him.

She read, with some help, while Collin held and nuzzled me. My hands found themselves a home on his upper thighs while I tried to focus on Victoria's words. He was being so distracting. He bit down lightly on my neck and I shivered. I could feel his proud smile against my skin, so I tugged at his hair. His low growl made Victoria turn around and look at him for a second.

"Sorry," he apologized quickly. I laughed.

He attacked my sides with his fingers and soon Victoria forgot about the book, instead joining in the tickle battle. I barely survived. Collin's cell phone pulled us out of our laughter fits.

"Hello?" Collin was breathless, still chuckling, and had never looked sexier. His face fell and I sat up, wrapping Victoria close to me. "Okay, I will see you then." He hung up and looked at both of us.

"What's wrong?" Victoria's words were merely a breath.

"We have to be at the courthouse tomorrow afternoon." He sighed heavily. "Victoria will need an early dismissal to attend as well."

The tears formed in my eyes, but I refused to let them spill over. Nothing was certain yet, we didn't know what was going to happen, and I had to look at that as a positive thing or I would really lose it.

Unlike the beautiful sunny and warm day we had yesterday, today it was raining. It was appropriate for the way Victoria and I were both feeling. Collin, also, seemed pained, but I couldn't tell if that was because of the meeting or if it was because we were so sad.

While I took Victoria to school, Collin checked in with the hospital and took care of some arrangements he needed to make. I decided being home alone was the worst thing I could do today, so I called Miranda.

"Hey you!" She squealed into the phone.

"It's been too long." I sighed out happily. Her voice was familiar and warm. I had truly missed her. "How was the honeymoon?"

"Oh, Soph, it was so great. We had such a wonderful time. I'm sorry I haven't called you since we got back."

"Don't worry about it, things get a little crazy." I told myself I wouldn't get upset, that I would make this a fun call, but I failed and Miranda saw straight through it.

"Uh oh, what's going on?"

"Nothing, just a meeting today at the courthouse with Victoria's mother." I sighed out.

"That crazy bitch still thinks she has a chance?"

"Rand," I giggled, "you certainly have a way with words."

"Well this is just insane. Hey, we need to meet in person. Meet me at the coffee shop, okay?" There was no arguing with her. She wouldn't hear about meeting another time, so we hung up, meeting in twenty minutes.

Rand's car was already there when I pulled to the curb. I put money in the meter and hurried inside, out of the rain.

"Sophia!" She pulled me into a huge hug. We squeezed each other for a long time. It felt so could to have her familiar comfort today.

"Oh god, I've missed you."

"You too. I already got your coffee, so have a seat. I brought honeymoon pictures too." She smiled warmly as we both took our seats.

I sipped some coffee and looked through her pictures. The Caribbean looked beautiful and their room was spectacular. Apparently, from what Miranda tells me, 'Dr. Bishop' arranged for their honeymoon to be upgraded. My heart fluttered at his name.

"So, you ready to talk to me about what's been going on?" She sipped at her tea. I had no idea where to begin. "Why don't we start with who it is you've been or were seeing at the time of my wedding?" She raised a brow at me.

I licked my suddenly dry lips and swallowed a large drink of coffee.

"Yeah, about that –"

"Oh, just spill it already." She leaned forward with a gleam in her eye.

"Yeah, um…his name is Collin." I peeked up at her from under my lashes.

Her brow furrowed.

"I need a last name, I don't know a –" I cut her off.

"Collin Bishop." I clenched my eyes tightly as the words left my lips, but then it felt like a massive weight had been lifted. It was like ripping off a Band-Aid.

"Collin Bishop?" she choked out. "Dr. Bishop?" she paused with wide eyes. "Dr. Collin Bishop?"

"Yes, those would technically all be his name." I smiled small and sipped at my coffee as nonchalantly as I possibly could.

"Holy shit Sophia," she gasped. "How, why, when, How?"

After the rash of embarrassment left my face I launched into the story. I told her everything from Grace on her knees, to drunken make-out sessions, sex, flowers, and his statement of love, Victoria discovering us, and our current situation. Surprisingly it felt a lot better than I thought it would, getting it all off my chest.

Miranda sat with a dazed looked on her face. She didn't speak and I had to wonder if she were breathing.

"Rand?" I waved my hand in front of her face, "Earth to Rand."

There was still nothing. Until.

"You thought you were pregnant and you didn't call me?" she exclaimed.

Now it was my turn to sit stunned. After all of that, she was most concerned with that situation.

"Really? That's what you are asking about?" My face was scrunched in confusion.

"Well, I mean –" she stammered.

"What is it?"

"Um, I'm pregnant." Miranda's face lit up with the largest smile.

I screamed and jumped up. She stood with me. I wrapped my arms around her.

"I just found out a couple of days ago and we just told our families."

"Oh my god, this is so great. I am so happy for you!" I slid back into my seat. She did the same.

"Too bad you aren't too." She winked.

The coffee in my mouth sprayed onto the table. She laughed furiously and I yanked a million napkins from the holder to soak it all up.

"That is so not funny," I bit back my laugh.

"I still can't believe you're with Dr. Bishop." She shook her head. "I bet he is really passionate in bed." My face turned red, I could feel it. "He is, isn't he?" She demanded. "Is he like a Dom in bed?"

I shook my head and buried my face in my hands. She laughed harder.

We sat there for at least three hours and ended up eating lunch together before going our separate ways. Miranda had a celebration dinner with both Benji and her parents. Everyone was thrilled about the baby.

After the coffee shop I went back to Victoria's school and picked her up. We raced back to the house. I quickly got cleaned up and dressed while Victoria ate a snack. Collin arrived
shortly after we had finished getting ready. Driving to the courthouse in silence, my hand was locked in Collins.

Stepping out of the car felt like we had arrived to a funeral. Walking into the building felt like I was there for my death sentence. We signed in at the front desk and greeted Mr. Stryker, Collin's attorney. They talked in hushed tones walking down the long hallway. I didn't hear one word of what they were saying. My eyes were fixated on one thing.

In what had to be the only conservative piece of her wardrobe Grace sat on a bench just outside of the judge's chamber. The sneer on her face was clearly meant only for me and having lost any sense of control where this bitch was concerned I glowered back.

Collin must have felt the change in my body because he pulled me closer to his side. Since I was clutched onto Victoria for dear life, she came with me into his side. Grace's eyes fell from my face onto Victoria.

"Oh baby," she purred and made her approach. Victoria buried herself into my side and held onto me tightly. Grace stopped her advance and glared at me. I held onto Victoria tighter. Grace and I held the most intense 'glare off' I had ever participated in.

She blinked first when the judge's door opened. I silently declared myself the champion.

"Good afternoon." He stepped forth and took in the atmosphere of the room. His eyes landed on Victoria, who was still buried in my side.

"What's the matter my dear?" he knelt down to eye level with her. She pulled her head out of my side.

"I don't want to go with her," she whispered out. I rubbed her head.

"Who?" he inquired.

"Her," Victoria nodded her head toward Grace.

"I see." He breathed out and moved back into a standing position.

"If you will Ms. Gold, Mr. Dygger," the judge motioned for them to enter his chamber. Then he turned toward Collin and Mr. Stryker. "Dr. Bishop, Mr. Stryker?"

Collin kissed Victoria on the top of her head before he turned and kissed me on the temple, which caused me to tense.

"Please go along with what I do?" he whispered into my ear.

Mr. Stryker, Collin's lawyer, stepped toward the door but then he paused next to me. I looked to him.

"I wanted to quickly congratulate you." He smiled and walked fast inside the door.

Congratulate me? What the hell was he talking about? The judge pulled me from my thoughts.

"Miss Ashwood," I looked to him. He smiled friendly.

"Yes, your honor?"

"Mrs. Foster will be coming for Victoria shortly."

"Okay, thank you." I smiled.

He winked at Victoria and then closed the door.

Mrs. Foster arrived quickly and escorted Victoria into the familiar room across the hall. There was a small commotion in the judge's chamber and I wondered what was going on. I jinxed myself, because the door swung open and Collin stood looking at me with a strange expression.

"Sophia, could you please join us?" Collin held out his hand.

I got closer to him and he mouthed one word, 'Please,' before he closed the door and pulled my chair out.

When he sat down next to me, closely, I was a bit uncomfortable. I didn't know what was going on and what I was supposed to do. Why didn't he tell me before we got here?

"Miss Ashwood," I looked up to the judge.

"Yes, your honor?" My fingers seemed to have a mind of their own, twisting into knots in my lap. Suddenly Collin's hand was grasping my right hand. I stiffened and he didn't try to hide the fact he was touching me.

"It's my understanding that you and Dr. Bishop have developed a more personal relationship?" I nodded. "Okay, when did this relationship begin?"

Oh god, how was I supposed to know what he told them or when he thought that our 'relationship' began? Was it the first drunken make-out session or was it –?

"Miss Ashwood?" I was snapped from my inner dialogue back to the reality in front me.

"Well, I can only speak for myself, but I would say it has only been a few months." I cleared my throat nervously. Collin rubbed circles with his thumb on the back of my hand.

"Honestly, my dear, I believe it started for the dear doctor much, much sooner." He chuckled out. I swallowed hard. My mouth was suddenly dry and I didn't think I could answer another question.