by Heather Long
I dropped back another couple of steps, and Jake was already sliding between me and this dude. Hands up, Reed shot me another grin before he looked at Jake. “Man, I was just gonna ask her out. Nothing kinky.”
“Yeah, you’re not asking her shit. You’re turning your ass around and walking the fuck away while I’m still willing to let you do it.”
Leaning my head out from behind Jake, I added, “But let me also save you the trouble of trying to find me alone again. The answer is no, I don’t want to go out.”
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”
“I can,” Jake informed him. “You leave her the fuck alone and you can tell anyone who asks, they don’t go near her either. Got it?”
“Sure thing…though if any spots open—”
Dammit.
I winced as Jake’s fist plowed into the guy’s mouth. Reed deserved it, but I lunged forward and caught Jake’s arm before he could keep swinging. He glared at me, but I dug my heels in and held on. He wouldn’t hurt me to yank free. “Don’t,” I said quietly. “You can’t afford to be suspended.”
“It’d be worth it,” he muttered.
“Frankie. Jake.”
Shit.
I glanced over my shoulder to find G standing there.
“And Mr. Reed,” his voice dipped in disapproval. Reed hadn’t quite collapsed from Jake’s punch, but he had dropped his bag and half-froze on charging back at us when G stepped out. “I think you and I need to have a discussion, Mr. Reed, on appropriate behavior.”
The other guy wiped the blood from his mouth and glared at Jake. “I’d like to file a complaint.”
“You could do that,” G told him. “Then I would also have to answer that complaint with your overt and inappropriate attention to a female student who quite clearly told you she wasn’t interested. In case you were wondering, the first clues were the way she backed away, but the second one, the largest one, was when she said ‘no.’”
Reed blinked.
“I thought you might see a little sense. Come with me, Mr. Reed.” He glanced at me and Jake. “As for you two, I suggest you go on about your day, unless you’d like to file a complaint, Frankie?”
“I’m good, Mr. G,” I told him, still wrapped around Jake’s arm. Some of the tension bled out of him, and I relaxed.
“Very well.” With that, G said, “And Jake?”
“I know.”
“I know you do, son. Don’t let me see that again, yes?”
“Yes, sir.”
Reed glared at us once more, then he followed G away, and I let out a breath and rested my head against Jake’s arm.
“I can handle a suspension. He doesn’t get to talk to you like that.”
“I know,” I soothed him. “Thank you for rushing to the rescue, but beating him up just hurts you.”
“Trust me, Baby Girl, it would hurt him a whole lot more.” With that, he wrapped an arm around me. “Let’s get this shit show on the road.”
The drive to Wittaker’s law firm was tense and uncomfortable. Archie’s bad mood descended as soon as Jake filled them in on why we were late. I hadn’t missed the look he and Ian exchanged either. Could people just leave us alone long enough to get done with high school? Then we’d be out of here and it wouldn’t matter anymore.
Jake followed in his SUV with the guys while I rode with Archie. “You know,” I told him after we went another couple of miles without exchanging a word. “I wanted to ride with you so we could talk.”
“I know, babe, and sorry, my head’s not in a good place right now. I’m trying to remind myself that we’re not going into that meeting with you, and I’m hating it all over again. Then I hate that you even have to see her…”
“I don’t.” Even at the soft volume I used, it would be hard to miss in the silent car.
“What?”
“I said I don’t hate that I have to see her. Not this time.” Not when I had more than a few things to say to her myself.
He frowned. “Why not?”
“Because…I have questions. Before you say I can’t believe anything she says, you’re right. I can’t. That doesn’t change the fact that I have questions and I want the chance to demand answers from her.” As alien as that even sounded to me. I hated rocking the boat with Maddy. A lifetime of broken moments with her trained me to avoid conflict. It never ended well. She could turn every situation to her advantage.
Something Erin and I had discussed during our last session when I told her about the craziness with the tests and the fact that I would have to talk to her eventually. Maddy turned everything around to make it about her, my words not Erin’s, but I didn’t have to accept the premise of her statements. Erin suggested I reframe them every single time to rob her of the power she wanted to take.
Sounded good, right?
My phone buzzed, a message from Rach, but I’d check it after. I needed to keep my focus on where we were and where we were going.
“Why ask? If you know you can’t trust what she says, why ask?”
“Because I deserve better,” I told him. “Just like you deserve better from Eddie, and I told him that.”
For the first time today, a real smile creased his face, and he reached over and tangled our fingers together. “Babe, you’re too damn kind sometimes.”
“No, I’m not,” I argued, leaning my head against the seat but keeping my gaze on him. “I’m protective. He treats you like crap, and I’m tired of it. You have been blowing off their behavior for years and acting like it’s normal. Just like I pretended it was normal with Maddy and never wanted any of you to see the cracks, because if you did, I had to admit they were there.”
Then because he didn’t need to be on the spot, I squeezed his hand.
“Maybe they don’t see you or can’t, but I do. I know you deserve a lot better.”
“I’ve got you, I’ve got Grandpa and Jeremy, and the guys,” Archie said, his smile growing without an ounce of mockery in it. “I’m not doing too bad, babe, I promise. I’m used to Edward and Muriel being less than interested in me. I was a business transaction, an investment. Probably one they aren’t thrilled with the dividends on.”
I made a face. “I don’t promise not to tell your mother off the next time I see her. I felt so fucking bad the last time…”
“You don’t have to feel bad for Muriel. She was a bitch to you, and you didn’t deserve it.”
“And you don’t either. So you need to agree with me, or I’m just going to be as annoying about this as I am about mini-golf.”
He burst out laughing. “The horror.”
I grinned, thrilled at the sound dislodging some of the darkness in his voice. “I bet you I can infuriate her. Have you ever gotten her to cuss at you?”
An amused, if thoughtful look crossed his face, and he glanced at me when we stopped at a light. “You don’t have to fight my battles for me.”
“Someone I adore told me they weren’t just my battles anymore. That I wasn’t alone. And that they would always have my back.”
His eyes softened, and he relaxed a little more. “You’re not going to back off on this are you?”
“’Fraid not. Love me. Love my stubbornness.”
He chuckled and leaned over to kiss me. It wasn’t long or deep, but it warmed me because he took a deep breath before he leaned back.
“Just remember, no matter what happens, we’ll be right outside that conference room, and there’s nothing she can throw at you that I can’t fix or block.”
“I believe you,” I told him. “And you remember that I’m a lot stronger than I look. I’m going to protect you, too.”
“I believe you,” he said, his smile soft. “But, babe, you’re going to have your hands full.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Twenty minutes later, Mr. Wittaker’s secretary led me away from the guys to the conference room where he was waiting with Maddy and her attorney. They’d arrived early, apparently, and he’d o
nly walked into the conference room after we’d arrived.
My stomach was in knots and sweat dampened the back of my neck, but I refused to let her get to me. Staring across the room to where she sat and seeing her for the first time in months, I hadn’t been sure what I was going to feel when I got here.
“Francesca,” Maddy said in a cutting voice. “How kind of you to join us finally. One would expect a little more appreciation for those of us with busy schedules.”
“Do married men only keep banker’s hours? I didn’t know you had to punch a clock for being on your back, Maddy. My bad.”
Her face flushed and her eyes flashed as she started to stand. The man with her put a hand on her arm, and Mr. Wittaker stood smoothly. “Ms. Curtis, you will address all of your comments and questions to me through your attorney. Miss Curtis is here only as a courtesy so we can settle this matter as amicably as possible.”
“You call that amicable?” Maddy snarled, and it took everything I had to keep the smile off my face. Shots fired?
Today was not that day, and I was not that girl anymore.
I pulled out a chair and dropped into it, trusting Wittaker to take it from here.
I probably should have let him handle it in the first place, but it felt good to clap back at her.
Real good.
Chapter Nineteen
Getting What You Want Isn’t Always What You Need
The weirdest thing happened after I took my seat. I was still pissed, don’t get me wrong. Pissed as hell. Maddy had fucked up Coop’s parents’ marriage. Now she was after Archie’s parents. Had she hit on Ian’s dad at some point?
Oh, that was a horrifying thought. Maybe that explained some of his attitude toward me and why he’d leaned on Ian to take a step back. Or maybe that was me reading too much into it. Really, really hard to tell. Jake’s dad might be safe from this particular nightmare. Then again, apparently, there had been three people in that marriage and that was still blowing my mind.
Not once had Jake ever mentioned it. I had a lot of questions. Ones I would never ask unless he wanted to share. That he’d trusted me with that information was a big deal. I intended to respect that. Which brought me full circle to the woman at the other end of the conference table. I’d taken the chair the farthest away from hers.
Mr. Wittaker now stood, nominally, between us. Though his attention was on the other attorney, whose name was…something. I honestly didn’t listen. Maddy glared at me, and I just stared at her back. The weird thing that happened though, was I didn’t really care what her response was. The fury in her eyes, the way her lips compressed, even the flush to her cheeks—those were all warning signs that told me to back off, retreat, change the subject, or at least try to placate her.
Fuck. That.
Instead, I just focused on her. Everything about her was put together, smooth, and professional. I’d bet every dime in my savings account that those were new clothes and probably designer. They looked expensive. I’d never even looked up the address for their new place, but I would imagine it was pricey, too. Didn’t know. Didn’t care. Never intended on living there.
But Maddy had on a skillful amount of makeup. The hair style hid it, but she’d gotten it cut. There were layers. Her nails were perfect. They were also the exact same shade as her lips.
Fuck, she looked almost like a Stepford wife, and that was creepy enough. It was worse that she was me in twenty years. We had the exact same eyes, nose, and chin. In so many ways, she was my distorted mirror. At least I wouldn’t be bad looking?
Ugh, it was enough to turn my stomach. That pretty face housed a really not pretty person, and I wanted to be nothing like her.
Ever.
“Frankie?” Mr. Wittaker said, and I glanced at him. He and the other attorney looked at me expectantly, and I hadn’t heard a word they’d said.
“I’m sorry, I was gathering my thoughts, could you repeat that for me?”
He gave me the kindest of smiles as he pulled out the chair next to mine, but that would also keep him between me and Maddy. “We just went over the terms of how this conference would go. Both Mr. Stevens and I would prefer that all communication be conducted between the two of us. Our job is to facilitate this interaction so that both you and Ms. Curtis can have all your concerns addressed. Does that seem reasonable to you?”
“That’s perfectly reasonable to me. I’m happy to let you do the talking.”
“I’m not,” Maddy snapped, and she shook off her attorney when he put a hand on her arm. “I came here to speak to you, not your attorney.”
I probably shouldn’t smile, but her aggravation at being blocked amused me. It was petty and small. But it was still funny. I leaned back in my seat and kept my focus on Mr. Wittaker. His eyes held the faintest twinkle to them as he raised his brows at me.
“You are aware of my goals, and I think you have a grasp on the big picture here.”
His eyes warmed, and he inclined his head. A split-second before he turned from me, all the warmth drained from his expression, and he favored Mr. Stevens with a look. “In that case, Mr. Stevens, do you need a few moments to confer with your client? She seems to be expressing some difficulty with this situation.”
“I’m not experiencing difficulty,” Maddy snapped at him. “I have a right to speak to my child. Mine, by the way, not yours. Not his. Mine. She’s not eighteen. She shouldn’t even have an attorney without my permission.”
“Ms. Curtis,” Mr. Stevens began, but she glared at him.
“You’re my attorney, you’re here to do what I want. Not what they want.”
“Of course,” her attorney attempted again, and I chuckled, I couldn’t help it. Of course, Maddy didn’t want rules or restrictions. They were getting in the way of what she wanted. “However, this conference is to discuss the fact that you plan to file an injunction to end the temporary emancipation. It would be better if we discussed that before we got into more complicated and emotional matters that might lead to an unfavorable resolution.”
Maddy glared at him.
“Frankie,” Mr. Wittaker said. “Let’s go to my office while they sort this out.”
“Sure thing,” I said and stood.
“Don’t you dare,” Maddy yelled as she rose to her feet and slapped her hand against the table. “I won’t be ignored like this or set aside while you let others do the talking for you. That apartment is not in your name. Nor is that car. I can take both away from you just like that.” She snapped her fingers. “You wouldn’t have anything without me. This tantrum of yours has gone on long enough. I am not changing my life just to make you happy.”
“Ms. Curtis,” Mr. Stevens tried again.
“When I want you to speak, I’ll tell you,” she snapped at him, and I almost felt sorry for the guy.
Almost.
“Mr. Wittaker?”
My attorney glanced at me, and I said, “Could you please express my regrets to Mr. Stevens, and I really do hope he’s charging her through the nose for every hour he has to put up with her.”
The twinkle was back in Wittaker’s eyes, and he inclined his head. “I can take care of that. Why don’t you head to my office?” He motioned to the door, and I nodded.
“If you walk out that door, you’re going to regret it—”
“Ms. Curtis,” Wittaker interrupted. “That will be quite enough. Understand that while Mr. Stevens may be your attorney and I am Frankie’s attorney, we are both sworn officers of the court and I will not stand idly by while you threaten or try to intimidate my client.”
I didn’t leave, I probably should have, but I kept my back to them as I listened. I wanted to hear this.
“How dare you?” Maddy demanded.
“I dare because I have ample evidence of a lifetime of gross neglect and emotional abuse. The case for abandonment can and has been made.”
“Excuse me?”
“Ms. Curtis.” Mr. Stevens must really want to earn those hourly fees. “This isn’t
doing your case any good.”
“If you’re not going to help me then why are you here?”
I bet he had to be asking himself that question.
“As I was saying,” Mr. Wittaker continued. “I’ve given Mr. Stevens a copy of our brief that was filed with the court. The evidence was compelling enough for the judge to grant the temporary emancipation order. We have received a court date for the first week of March.”
We had?
“If you have a brief you intend to file in opposition, you can file that at will and have this office served. I believe it would be in the best interest of my client to limit all contact with you…”
“Well, in that case, I’ll just have my car retrieved and notify the apartment complex that an unattended minor is living there and that I have moved out. Granted, I’ll have to pay the breaking of the lease fee, but that’s a small price to pay if it encourages my child to speak to me.” She let out a wet little choked sound, and since my back was safely to them, I rolled my eyes. “I understand I’ve made mistakes, but how can I begin to fix them if she won’t even speak to me?”
“I’m sorry,” Mr. Stevens said. “Maybe give us fifteen minutes, and we can try again?”
“Of course.” Wittaker turned, and he touched my back lightly as he motioned me ahead of him. Voice low, he murmured, “Just keep walking…”
Maddy’s voice rose and an actual sob broke from her.
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” I muttered as I got to the door. “Everything has to be a damn drama. This isn’t about me,” I told Wittaker, and fuck her if she heard me. “This is because she can’t get her way. Everything she accuses me of is what she’s doing.”
Wittaker gave me a razor-thin smile and an approving nod, but his tone was almost conciliatory. “I understand, but that’s why we’re going to give her attorney time to get her under control. Perhaps we should look into some psychological evaluations.”