Catching Feelings [bwwm]

Chapter 23- Celebrations

alright this is completely unedited & probably messed up bc I wrote & uploaded this on my school iPad

──

"So, following careful examination over everything presented to me for the past few months, I have come to an indefinite decision. Based on all the evidence, I know now, without a doubt, full custody should be awarded to the parent I see as more competent, which is... James Stiller."

Outside the courthouse, James wrapped his arms around my waist. Lifting me up, he spun me around excitedly.

As the sun shone down on us, James and I looked into each other's eyes as he rested his soft hands on the sides of my face after putting me down.

"I love you, Mia," He breathed out.

For a moment I was taken back, but a smile soon spread across my face.

"I love y-"

And then James pressed his lips against mine, cutting off the rest of my statement.

~*~

"Mia, there are children everywhere!" Liv hissed as she approached me.

I snorted. "I mean, it is a children's birthday party."

Scurrying away into the house, she dodged kids left and right as Jonathan followed closely behind her.

It'd been two weeks since James was awarded sole custody of Little J, and things were already back to normal and were going great. It was almost as if the entire court case hadn't even happened.

I'd moved into the house full time and it was actually nicer than I thought it'd be. I was worried that James and I would be overwhelmed seeing each other every moment of every day, but we actually didn't see each other as often as I thought.

When I wasn't at work or out with Josie, I was at my modeling classes. When James wasn't sleeping or binge-watching Netflix, he was in his office with the door locked doing God knows what.

Josie was as happy as ever. Looking at her, you would never guess that just mere days ago she was being asked questions about her absentee rehabilitated drug-addict mother during a custody battle.

As she and her friends danced wildly on the makeshift stage James had put out, Josie looked like she didn't have a care in the world.

James had also changed since the end of the custody case. He no longer walked around looking like his world was slowly falling apart piece by piece.

It was like as soon as the judge banged his gavel and ended the case, all the stress just melted away from James' life. He'd been way more calm and laid-back about pretty much everything.

He allowed Josie to invite the boy she liked to her party and didn't immediately march over and separate them whenever they spoke.

He even invited Julianna to come to the party and she surprisingly didn't show up. You would think someone who was suing for full custody of her child a week ago and lost would be jumping at any opportunity to see them, but I guess not.

Hell, he even stopped annoying me about my modeling job. He hadn't spoken about it negatively at all recently. He'd even somewhat gave me his blessing to go to the fashion show tomorrow. Not like I really needed his approval though; I still would've gone if he hadn't given it.

It's just the little things like that that were making me love and appreciate him so much more.

"Alright, it's time for cake!" James announced, walking out of the house towards us, holding the pastry in his hands.