Riding into love

Chapter 11: Challenges

The first real test of their unconventional arrangement came in November, when Maya's ex-mother-in-law, Derek's mother Patricia, arrived in Cedar Ridge unannounced.

Maya was at work when Rose came rushing over, her face pale with worry.

"Maya, honey, there's a woman here asking about you and the twins. Says she's their grandmother."

Maya's blood ran cold. Patricia Hoffman was a bitter woman who had never approved of Maya and had blamed her for Derek's problems. The fact that she'd tracked them down could only mean trouble.

"Where is she?"

"Sitting in booth three, nursing a cup of coffee and looking like she's ready for a fight."

Maya took a deep breath and walked over to the booth where Patricia sat. The older woman looked up with cold eyes that reminded Maya painfully of Derek.

"Patricia," Maya said carefully. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see my grandchildren," Patricia said, her voice sharp. "The children you stole from their father."

"I didn't steal anyone. Derek told me to leave."

"Derek was drunk and angry. He didn't mean it." Patricia's eyes narrowed. "And now he's dead, and those children are all I have left of my son."

Maya felt panic rising in her chest. "Patricia, the twins are in preschool. They're happy here. They have a good life."

"With what? A waitress mother and two criminal bikers? I've done my research, Maya. I know about your new... arrangement."

The disdain in Patricia's voice made Maya's cheeks burn. "Cole and Jax are good men. They love the twins."

"They're not the children's family. I am." Patricia leaned forward. "I'm filing for custody. Derek was planning to do the same before he died. I have a right to those children."

The world seemed to tilt around Maya. "You can't—"

"I can and I will. I have money, a stable home, and a legitimate claim. What do you have? A job that barely pays the bills and two boyfriends who probably won't stick around when things get difficult."

Maya felt tears threaten, but she refused to give Patricia the satisfaction of seeing her cry. "I'm their mother."

"You're an unfit mother who exposed those children to domestic violence for years. Any judge will see that."

Before Maya could respond, she felt a familiar presence behind her. Cole appeared at her shoulder, his expression hard as stone.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm.

Patricia looked him up and down with obvious disdain. "You must be one of the bikers. I suppose you think you're intimidating."

"I think I'm protective of my family," Cole said evenly. "And you're upsetting my family."

"Your family?" Patricia laughed harshly. "These aren't your children. They're Derek's children, and Derek was my son."

Jax appeared on Maya's other side, having arrived at the diner just in time to witness the confrontation. "Ma'am, I think you should leave."

"I'm not going anywhere until I've said what I came to say." Patricia stood up, her eyes fixed on Maya. "I'm filing for custody tomorrow. I suggest you get yourself a lawyer, though I doubt you can afford one."

After Patricia left, Maya collapsed into the booth, her hands shaking. Cole and Jax sat on either side of her, their faces grim.

"She can't really take them, can she?" Maya whispered.

"We're not going to let that happen," Jax said firmly.

"But what if she's right? What if a judge looks at our situation and decides it's not in the twins' best interest?"

"Then we'll fight," Cole said. "We'll fight for you and for them with everything we have."

Maya looked between them, seeing the determination in their faces. "This isn't your fight. She's right about one thing—you're not their biological family."

"The hell we're not," Jax said fiercely. "Biology doesn't make a family, Maya. Love does. Choice does. And we choose them, and we choose you."

"We need to call a lawyer," Cole said practically. "Someone who specializes in family law."

"I can't afford—"

"We can," Cole interrupted. "Whatever it costs, we'll handle it."

Maya felt tears start to fall. "I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking," Jax said gently. "We're offering. We're all in this together, remember?"

That evening, after the twins were in bed, Maya sat on her couch with Cole and Jax, going through the legal documents Patricia had left behind. The custody petition was thorough and damning, painting Maya as an unfit mother who had exposed her children to violence and was now living in an immoral arrangement.

"She's hired a good lawyer," Cole observed, reading through the papers.

"She has resources we don't," Maya said, her voice hollow. "What if she wins?"

"She won't," Jax said firmly. "We won't let her."

"But what if—"

"Maya," Cole said, taking her hands, "look at me. We're going to fight this, and we're going to win. Those kids belong with you. Any judge who spends five minutes with them will see that."

"We'll get character references," Jax added. "From Rose, from the preschool teachers, from everyone in town who's seen how happy the twins are here."

"And we'll get married," Cole said suddenly.

Maya and Jax both stared at him.

"What?" Maya breathed.

"We'll get married," Cole repeated. "All of us. Make it legal and official. Show the court that the twins have a stable, committed family."

"Cole, we can't all get married," Maya said, though her heart was racing.

"No, but you can marry one of us, and the other can adopt the twins," Jax said, catching on to Cole's thinking. "It would give us legal standing."

Maya looked between them, overwhelmed. "But which one? How do we choose?"

"We don't," Cole said. "You do. Whoever you choose, we'll both be there. We'll all be family."

"I can't choose between you," Maya said, her voice breaking.

"Then don't," Jax said softly. "Choose both of us, just like we've been doing. We'll figure out the legalities later."

Maya felt a rush of love so strong it nearly knocked her over. These two men were willing to do whatever it took to keep her family together, even if it meant making their unconventional arrangement official.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "Really sure? Because once we do this, there's no going back."

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," Cole said.

"Same here," Jax added.

Maya took a deep breath, then smiled for the first time since Patricia had walked into the diner. "Then let's do it. Let's get married."