by C. Morgan
Take Me Back
C. Morgan
BrixBaxter Publishing
Contents
Description
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Epilogue
More Good Reads
Come Swoon With Us
About the Author
Copyright
Description
My bad reputation used to be cool… not so much anymore.
My life looks like an old country song.
The wife left. Took the kid. My career is doing nothing special.
And I’m living in a bottle.
But I refuse to think this is forever.
Something inside of me knows without a doubt that my first love is my only love.
I can make this right and put my family back together.
My past might threaten to haunt me, but there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to get my wife back.
Including changing everything about me.
Funnily enough, no one is asking that.
Time to wake up and take back what’s mine.
Dedication
To my fantastic readers. I can’t thank you enough for checking out my work. I love the idea of families getting back together, namely because I come from a divorced family. Reconciliation is near and dear to my heart. Hope you enjoy this story of both!
C. Morgan
Chapter 1
Clay
After a long night at Thrills, the club I used to work at, I went to my hotel that I call home and crashed with no expectation of the morning and every intention of sleeping half of the day away. And then the phone rang, the sound louder than expected, but only because I’d fallen asleep with the damned thing on my pillow.
It continued to ring while I fumbled, trying to get my hands and eyes to work. I’d really pulled a hard one the night before, and the only reason I answered the phone was that I hoped it was Beth.
“Hello?” My voice was thick with sleep, and I could barely keep my eyes open.
“Hey, Clay.” My best friend since childhood, Zane Ballard, had a tone of concern in his voice. “Did I wake you up?”
“Yeah, and I hope it’s good news. I didn’t set the alarm because I didn’t want any annoying sounds waking me up.”
“Shit,” he said. “I called to see how it went this morning.”
“How what went?” I pulled the covers up around my neck and closed my eyes.
“Are you kidding me? You forgot, didn’t you?”
“Forgot what?”
“Your custody hearing, Clay. For Jack?”
I sat up in bed, my heart pounding. “Fuck, what time is it?”
“Jesus, Clay. You have got to grow the fuck up, man. Your son needs you.”
“And I don’t need a dad talk, but maybe some other time.” I felt bad enough already.
“What you need is a good kick in the ass.” Just because Zane was Super Dad didn’t mean I’d perfected the game.
“Yeah, well, I’m sure Beth is going to give it to me. I’ll call you later. I’m heading there now.” I hung up the phone and glanced at the time. It was nearly eleven. If I hurried, I could catch her before she left. Maybe the court was running late.
I shot to my feet and looked around on the floor for something to wear that didn’t smell like stale beer and cigarettes. I went to the closet and found a button-down with sleeves that would hide my tattoos, then grabbed the first pair of dress pants I could find. They were the ones Beth had bought me for the Christmas photos I had wrecked with a black eye, and since she’d canceled the photoshoot, they still had the tags on them. I ripped them off and slipped into them, surprised at how good they fit.
I brushed my teeth and tried to do something with my hair, which was a little longer than I liked it, giving it a shaggy look around the ears and collar. After masking the alcohol that had permeated my pores with cologne, I grabbed my keys and headed out to the car.
My dark green 1968 Pontiac GTO that I had fixed up with my father years ago was one of the only things besides my son that no one could take away from me. I only hoped it would last long enough to give it to him and that it would start for me.
Thankfully, she roared to life, and I was on my way in no time.
Minutes later, I arrived at the courthouse and parked in the first available spot. I was still yawning when I killed the engine, and a quick peek in the mirror told me I had better get more alert before going inside.
No judge would find me worthy smelling like a brewery and looking like I slept in a gutter, but the previous night had been particularly rough with everything that happened. But my temper had gotten me fired once again.
The courthouse entrance had a café, and it was not too busy, so I decided to stop there and order a quick cup to wake myself up.
“Can I get a coffee, please? Black.” I threw down some money and hoped they poured fast. “Better yet, could you load that up with sugar?” I needed all the help I could get.
The barista put the cup down and took my cash. “Thank you, sir.”
“Keep the change.” I grabbed the cup, which thankfully had a lid, and turned it up as I started towards the hall. “Fuck, that’s hot.”
“Yeah, they serve that stuff hot now. Can you believe it?” The feminine voice was like a song to my ears.
I turned to see who was talking to me and it was a blonde I’d seen at the club the night before. “The girl with the tall boots,” I said, pointing at her. She and her friends had requested three songs, and I had happily obliged. Being a piano player, it was my job to entertain.
She gave a little giggle. “Yep, that’s me, and you’re the asshole who threw a glass through the window. I heard you got banned when they threw you out.”
“And fired. But in my defense, I thought it was a wall. I only hoped to smash the glass.”
“Yeah, well, what happened? Did they lock you up too?” She had that whole sexy librarian thing going for her, but I had to get to court and had no time to chat.
“No, I actually have a hearing. I should go before you get me in more trouble.” I gave her a wink, doing my best to flirt, but she only laughed.
“I’ll see you around. Maybe next time, you’ll be sober.” She laughed as she walked away, and I didn’t think for a minute she was laughing with me.
I had become a joke, and she was just another reminder.
As she walked down the hall, I tried to avert my eyes from her sway. I had to get to court and hoped there were delays. That was the only thing that was going to save me.
When I turned around to go to the courtroom, I found Beth standing just feet away. I didn’t know how long she’d been standing there, but I could tell it had bee
n long enough.
Even though she looked like she wanted to put my head through a wall, she was still the most beautiful girl I’d ever known.
With her long, natural honey-blonde hair, and big blue eyes—that were burning a hole in me—she had a wholesome look that stole my heart the very first time I saw her.
“Did I miss it?” A lump formed in my throat. I’d fucked up.
“Was she your ride?” Beth put her hand on her hip.
“No, I was on the way to court, and she stopped me to ask the time.”
Beth glanced up at something over my head, and I turned to see a large clock on the wall. “Well, did you tell her that you didn’t know how to use a clock either? Because you missed it.” She walked past me.
I tried to keep up as she power-walked to the doors. “Wait, Beth. So what happened?”
Beth huffed the way she always did when she was aggravated with me as she kept walking. She pushed the door open and left the building.
I had to stop her. I had to know. “Beth, please. When can I get Jack?”
She spun around and pulled her lips in tight as if she wanted to cry. “You can’t. It’s done, Clay. We’re done. You lost your son. I hope whatever you’re chasing is worth it to you. Because you just paid one hell of a price.” She stormed down the steps, and I went after her, still not quite understanding what she meant.
Jack was my son. How could I lose him? “What do you mean I lost him?”
“Are you that clueless? I’ve been telling you to straighten up until I’m blue in the face, and now you want me to spell it out again? I won sole custody. Which means he’s mine and you don’t get any say in his life. And since you didn’t show up to fight for him, I don’t have to let you see him. And even if I let you spend time with him, you’ll have to call and make arrangements.”
“Beth, how could you let that happen?” I didn’t understand how she could let the judge go that way. She should have spoken up.
That only angered her more. “Me? I let this happen? All you had to do was show up, Clay. Just one morning, you needed to be a father to our kid. But you couldn’t even do that. Tell me, did you forget all about it? Or did you just get so drunk you couldn’t wake up on time? Better yet, save your excuses, because I don’t care anymore.”
I never thought she’d take things this far. I figured she and I would work things out. We had been getting along, and things had been fine. Or so I thought. “Beth. Baby, I’m sorry, I—”
She held up her hand to keep me away. “It doesn’t matter. It’s done. Me and Jack are both better off without you.”
“You can’t do this to me. You aren’t that kind of person to keep me from our son. Come on, Beth. We’re not these people.” This was the type of shit that happened in movies and on television or to the couple down the street but not us.
We were made for each other. She had always said so. I thought she was going to be with me forever, but I could handle being without her if I had to. But my son? “It’s my right to see him.”
Beth wiped a tear. “I can’t trust you, Clay.”
“I’m still the same person you fell in love with, Beth.”
“That’s just it, Clay. You are still that immature boy I fell in love with. And I needed you to grow up, and you haven’t. And at this point, I don’t think you ever will. Me and Jack needed you to be a man, a father. But it’s too late.”
“Give me a chance. I’ll do better. I swear, Beth. Don’t take him from me. Please?”
“It’s done. I’ve given you a chance, Clay. I’ve given you years of my life and months of Jack’s. I hoped you’d grow up, and I stuck by you, but you’re too busy breaking shit in bars to care about either of us. And God only knows what you did in Vegas.”
“I didn’t do anything. I swear. When I came back, I told you I wanted to work shit out.”
“And then you pulled the same shit a week later.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
I had made sacrifices too. “I had a chance in Vegas. I had a job offer at a nice club, and I gave it up to come back to you. But you filed for divorce anyway.”
“Maybe you should have just stayed there and made it easier on all of us.”
She walked away as those words sank in and produced tears. I quickly wiped them away as I watched her go. Then I sank down to a bench as my knees went weak.
How could I have let this go so far? I meant for things to get better. I wanted them to, but she had left me, and I spiraled again. But I never thought she’d stop me from seeing Jack.
At eight months old, he was growing fast, just starting to reach the fun stage of learning new things. He was already pulling up on things and crawling all over the house, but would I miss his first steps? His first day of school?
Would I even get to see my son again? Could she really do that to me? Just take him and keep him from me?
And that wasn’t the only thing that hurt. Deep inside, I ached because Beth wasn’t who I thought she was either, and I had lost them both.
I scrubbed my face with my palms and went out to the car before anyone could get close enough to see.
Chapter 2
Beth
I got to the car, and when I shut the door, I banged my hands on the steering wheel and lost it. I let the tears and anger I’d held back come out, and after, I sat there a moment to collect myself.
When I looked over and saw Clay walking to his car, I took a deep breath and tried to gather my thoughts. I had worried all morning if I had done the right thing, but seeing Clay still being so irresponsible while everything was at risk was just further proof that I had.
It pained me to see him throwing his entire life away, but he hadn’t cared enough to save me or our marriage. Why would our son be any different?
He had barely made it to the hospital in time to see Jack born, and then he’d gone right back to being a screw-up just days after we brought him home. All he cared about was his gigs and being a local celebrity in Williston. He had played every bar and hotel in town since returning from college, and I was the idiot who had encouraged him to follow his dreams and booked his gigs, all the while hoping it would take him somewhere. Take us both somewhere.
But then things didn’t change, and his drinking and temper—or should I say his ego—had gotten the better of him.
I waited for him to drive away and then started the car, promising myself he wouldn’t be my burden again. I had to be strong for our son.
I drove out of the parking lot and headed to my friend Della’s house to get Jack.
Before I got out of the car, I made sure to straighten my face and wiped away the last of the tears that had sneaked out on the way.
I couldn’t wait to get inside and see my son. He was the brightest part of my life, and I had to make sure and be his. If he felt I was scared and unsure, it might upset him too.
When I walked in, I found Della in her chair with the laptop, and Jack was in his Pack ‘n Play, laughing at the brightly colored toy that was in front of him. And when I saw that smile, I nearly lost it all over again.
“How did it go?” asked Della, who got to her feet and gave me a hug. Her long hair fell around me like a curtain. “I was beginning to wonder if things got ugly.”
“No, maybe if Clay had shown up, but the ugly part was after. I found him getting coffee and talking to some bleach job in the hallway by the café.” He had always been a flirt, and it hadn’t bothered me so much until I was pregnant with Jack.
Della’s shoulders slumped. “Oh, no. What was he doing?”
I dropped my handbag near Jack’s diaper bag that was placed by the playpen. “He was late. Too late. The judge had already made her decision.” I could still hear the judge repeating the verdict on a loop in my head.
“And? Did it go well?” Della sounded as if she already knew it hadn’t.
I looked at Jack, who still hadn’t acknowledged my presence. “For me, I guess. I don’t really know yet. But for Clay and Jack, i
t was a disaster. A boy needs his father, and all Clay can be is a deadbeat.”
Della’s expression was full of concern. “You sit with your son, and I’ll get you something to drink while you tell me everything.”
As she walked to her kitchen, I turned my attention to Jack. “Hey there, little man. Didn’t you miss me at all?”
I picked him up and cradled him in my arms. He hugged me tightly and laid his little head on my shoulder as I rocked him from side to side. “Did you have fun? Are you a happy baby?”
“He’s in love with that new toy his auntie bought him,” said Della as she took the cups from the cabinet. “I’m dying from anticipation, just so you know.”
I was only hesitant to tell her because I didn’t want to get emotional again. “The judge gave me sole custody. And that means that Clay can’t see him without my say so. He’s all mine.” I kissed his little head and placed him back in his playpen, still not feeling it was fair in my heart but knowing it was for the best.
I glanced over to see Della’s mouth hanging open like she couldn’t believe it.
“I know. You don’t have to say it.” Things had not come out as I thought, and she was feeling bad for Clay too.