Love Under Construction

42. Handled (Part II)

Spencer's POV

I wake up the next morning to go on my daily jog.

But because today is not exactly how I once envisioned it would be, I decide to take another route.— one that's a little more scenic.

In fact, I pass the local doughnut shop, two cleaners and a twenty-four hour liquor store right next to a church.

As I turn the corner, I check my watch before noticing flashing lights and a sign that says 'school zone', making me pause at a distance, as I watch mothers and fathers drop their kids off at school.

I lower the sound of the music in my headphones just to hear the excited children as they see their friends and teachers for another school day.

I smile at the thought of one day being able to drop my kid off. And I pray I never take those days for granted.

After kneeling down to tie my sneaker, I begin jogging again— before seeing Colson standing in front of a black SUV!

I try to look away and continue running, but the thought of my fiancée telling me my ego is too big for my own good, just won't let my feet move any longer.

"Shit," I, inwardly, condemn myself as I turn to walk towards him.

"Look, I ain't for no bullshit," he tells me as he holds his hands up in submission. "Only reason I reached out to Olivia yesterday was to apologize!"

His response surprises me because when Olivia told me he had reached out, I assumed it was to keep up the drama.

"I ain't here for none of that either! Matter of fact, I never take this route. So it's crazy I'm even running into you." I admit and he noticeably becomes more relaxed.

"Yeah, well, I'm here Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays just to catch a glimpse of my baby girl going to school."

I look over as he points towards the other side of the street with a genuine smile.

"What do you mean a glimpse?"

"Right over there!" He points again and I see a pretty little girl with long-curly hair. "That's my little rockstar!"

I look back at him and notice a shield of humbleness form in his eyes.

And for the first time, I don't see that conniving, snarky, unbearable human being, I know him as. Instead, I see a man with flaws.

"She's gorgeous, man! You're real lucky."

"Nah— I just might be the most unlucky man in the world, if I'm being honest."

"You don't carry yourself that way," I say and he laughs.

"Yeah! That's kind of what helps me cope. If I pretend long enough, I forget that everything and everyone around me for the past year haven't been takers."

I don't understand why he's deciding to tell me this, when less than 24 hours ago, I punched him in the face. Maybe, I knocked some sense into him. Or maybe this is the real him, without all of the attention, glitz and glamour.

"So what's the deal? Why don't you just take your daughter to school?" I ask as I try to make sense of it all.

"Four weeks ago, I got a call from my lawyer saying her mom is planning to move to Mexico with her. Something about her family can help her— a bunch of bullshit." He explains. "And ever since then, I've been fighting to keep her in California. I'm in and out of court!— Which is mainly why I reached out to Liv last night after our altercation. I don't want this shit between us to ruin my chances of partial custody of my daughter."