Take Me Back (Vegas Bad Boys #2)

by C. Morgan

  “I do know, though.” I had learned my lesson with Clay already. And now the worst memories of his childishness were all coming back to me. “He didn’t show up for the court date, Del. He couldn’t even wake up early and come to court to save his custody. He does this. He shows up and makes an effort just long enough to trick me into thinking it’s going to be different this time. And I’m the fool who always lets him do it.”

  “You’re not a fool. You’re a caring and warm-hearted person. You see his potential, even when he doesn’t.”

  “He’s missed everything.” I folded my arms and sank down in my chair.

  “Technically, he’s only five minutes late if you consider the clock.” She pointed up at the clock, and the monitor below it flashed, “Whitmore. In surgery.”

  My heart dropped to my feet, and suddenly, it seemed like the entire world had stopped turning, and nothing else mattered. How could Clay not be there with me, feeling the same things?

  Della grabbed my hand. “It’s going to be okay. The doctors are the best and will do all they can to take care of him.”

  I wiped the tears from my eyes. “Please let him be okay. I just want him to be okay, hearing or not.” I suddenly felt as if I’d made the wrong decision. That if I could be so dumb to let Clay back in, maybe I had been stupid to let them operate on my boy. “I shouldn’t have done this. I’ve put him through this.”

  “Hey,” said Della. “He’s going to come out better than ever. Don’t think the worst. You’ve got to be strong.”

  “I know. I just feel like I always have to be. I don’t get to break down and be upset. It’s just a mom’s role, I guess. While dads get to be big kids.” I glanced at the clock again and balled my fist. “Where is he?”

  Della took my phone and walked away. I knew she was going to call Clay, and if she reached him, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. But she turned back to me and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Beth. I don’t know why men are the way they are sometimes.”

  “It’s just proof that I should have stuck to my guns and kept him away. Instead, he wormed his way back into our lives and preyed on my weaknesses. I don’t want to see him again.”

  “You don’t mean that.”

  “Yes, I do. I hate him.” I wanted to. I really did. But even as I said it, I knew it wasn’t true.

  Della patted my hand. “You don’t hate him. It’s the opposite. People you hate can’t hurt you this way. This is a broken heart, and you know that’s love every time.”

  I hated it when she made sense.

  “A lot of good it does me. It just hurts.” I wasn’t even as angry as the first time I’d made up my mind to leave him. Now it was just the pain of loss and losing someone I had just realized I still loved enough to keep in my life.

  “I know.” She seemed helpless, trying to make me feel better, and I knew I just needed to calm down and focus on Jack. He was all that mattered in my life now. We would just have to pick up and start over. Thankfully, he was still young, and it wouldn’t hurt him as much, having to say goodbye to his father all over again.

  I paced the room and checked the message board for any changes or updates, wondering what on earth was more important to Clay than his own son.

  Chapter 35

  Clay

  Planning my getaway around the announcements had been a bad idea, and when I glanced over and saw the clock strike seven, I knew I was already in trouble. But I had made my decision, and now I had to live with it.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t care about Beth or Jack, but I was their provider, and I had a job to secure that would pay the medical bills.

  As soon as my set was finished for the time being and the announcements began, I got up and started for the door. That was when I ran into Lloyd while pulling my keys from my pocket.

  “Hey,” he said, looking at me like I was crazy. “Where are you going?”

  “I have to go to the hospital for my son’s surgery. I thought I’d do that during my intermission and the key announcements.”

  “But they need you for the final set. You run off now, you could really upset Hawk. And he wants to talk to you about that contract.”

  “I’m coming back after. I looked at the program, and while you’re a little behind schedule, I think I can be back in time. I just need to go. I’m already late.”

  “You realize you could lose it all, right? Hawk might not want to give the contract to someone who is going to run off in the middle of a gig.”

  “Well, if he can’t understand that my son is in surgery and I’m doing everything to please both him and my wife, then maybe he’s not the man I want to work for. I’ll be back.”

  Lloyd gave me a nod and a hard look. “Here, at least take this. But you better not leave us hanging.” He handed me the money for the entire gig and walked away.

  I knew he was going to talk to Hawk, but I didn’t have time to stick around and see how it played out.

  Beth was probably already livid, but I knew once she understood why I was late, she’d know I had done the right thing and made the right choice for the family. Sometimes, men had to do things that would benefit the future, and while it was a hard choice, it was the only one.

  Beth was strong, and she could handle it. I just wished I’d been able to be there. If the schedule had been on time, I would have been too.

  I made it over to the hospital, and when I parked, I realized my phone had been turned off for the gig, but when I turned it on while in the elevator to the North Tower, I saw I had a lot of missed calls. “Shit. She’s probably pissed.” I knew what I was walking into when the elevator stopped and the door opened.

  Beth was sitting at the end of the hall, wiping tears. I hurried down to her. “I’m sorry I’m late.”

  “And suspiciously overdressed.” She looked me up and down. “You did play that gig.”

  “I had to. I had it all planned out, but someone made a long toast at the open, and it threw us off schedule.”

  “Well, I hope it was worth it. It cost you your family.” She turned away from me.

  “I know you’re mad because you wanted me to be here, and I tried to be. But I was out earning this to pay for the deductible, and I had to secure our future.” I offered her the envelope.

  “Our future? You were just worried about yourself. Meanwhile, your little boy is in there on a table getting poked, prodded, and sliced open.”

  “And I’m here to check on him. I showed up.”

  “Too little too late.” She threw the envelope back at me.

  “Beth, you should let me explain.”

  “I don’t have to do anything. You’ve had enough turns breaking my heart, and I won’t have you doing that to Jack. You need to leave.”

  “I’m not leaving until I find out if my son’s okay.”

  “It’s okay, Clay. You don’t have to pretend you care now.”

  “But I do care, Beth. You’re upset, and you’re letting this fear for Jack cloud your thinking. I can explain it all if you’d just give me a chance.”

  “I’m not clouded, Clay. I see it for what it is, crystal clear. You’re never going to grow up and do the right thing.”

  “And you’re never going to trust me again, no matter what I do. You say you want me to make the best decisions, and when I try, you get mad that it wasn’t done to suit you. But maybe your way isn’t the right way. And just because I screwed up in the past, doesn’t mean you’re perfect either. You’re tearing us down because you’re not getting your way. And you’re going to regret it.”

  “When it comes to getting rid of you, I regret nothing.” Her eyes were as cold as the day she’d told me to get out, and I could tell that all of the progress I’d made had evaporated.

  Della stepped over between us as I walked away. “Clay, she’s scared.”

  “Yeah, so I hear.” It wasn’t enough that LeRoy and Nick had explained it, but now Della too. “What if I’m scared too? She doesn’t think about that. And I�
��m tired of it all being her way. She can’t tell me to make important decisions and then shit on me when I do.”

  “Just give her some space. The waiting room is big enough for both of you, but you should go sit over there.” Thankfully, we were the only ones there at that hour, and no one had to be a witness to our drama.

  I knew Della was right, but that didn’t make me feel any better. “I’m going to check on Jack, and then I’m going back to work. I have to finish the set.”

  “Jesus, Clay. I’m trying really hard to stay neutral on this one, but you’re actually going to leave again?”

  “It’s a life-changing opportunity, and if I don’t take it, then with or without her, I can’t support my son. I have to do this for Jack. And frankly, what good am I doing here? She doesn’t want my comfort.”

  “No, she needed it.”

  “I know. I tried.”

  “Look, you just need to talk to her when she’s not so upset.” Della glanced over her shoulder.

  “I don’t want to talk to him,” said Beth, who could hear every word. “We’re done. If he wants to do something for me, he can sign those papers and get out of our lives.”

  Della turned her attention back to me. “I’m sorry.”

  I walked out into the hall where I could still see the monitor and leaned against the wall. I glanced down at my shiny shoes and realized I must look like an idiot in the fancy clothes, but renting the tux was part of the deal, and I hadn’t had time to change. I decided sitting on the floor was probably a bad idea.

  I stood there for at least forty more minutes before they came out to talk to us. Dr. Elmer called us over. “Everything looks good. I think we managed to straighten things out, and now we wait to see how he heals.”

  “Can I see him?” asked Beth, still wiping tears.

  “I’m afraid not right now. He’s in recovery for the next half hour.”

  “But you don’t expect him to have any problems?”

  About that time, Dr. Lenz came out with a big smile on his face.

  “He shouldn’t,” said Dr. Elmer, who looked me up and down. “You look like you’ve got somewhere to be.”

  “Yes, sir, but I wanted to make sure he was okay first.”

  “He’s good. I’m sure your wife will call you if anything changes from here on out. But we’d like to keep him overnight, of course. I should get back to it.”

  “I’ll be staying with him.” Beth gave me a hard look. “His father has somewhere else to be.”

  Dr. Lenz shook my hand. “Of course. You know us dads. We sometimes have to leave these things to mothers. I myself have to get home. It’s my wife’s birthday, and she’s keeping my dinner warm.”

  I glanced at Beth, who didn’t seem bothered that the man missed his wife’s birthday dinner to attend her son’s surgery. Especially considering he didn’t have to be there.

  But her tone had changed a bit. “I’m sorry you had to miss that but thank you.”

  “Oh, it was a no-brainer,” he said. “I’ll have the nurse let you go back and see him a little sooner since you have to leave, but you should let him sleep as long as possible.”

  He turned to leave, and Beth and Della hugged. I let out a long breath and checked the clock. I was probably going to lose my contract, but I’d already lost everything that mattered. I’d taken a chance, and if I went back and they didn’t want me, then it wasn’t meant to be.

  The nurse came right out and waved us back, and Beth and I followed her to the back where Jack lay on a gurney, the side rails up to protect him.

  Beth put her hand to his heart, and I put my hand on her shoulder as we looked down at him. “I hate having to go.” I kissed my fingertips and smoothed down his hair, careful not to disturb him. “I’ll see you, little buddy. Daddy’s got to go to work.” I turned around, walked out, and Beth never said a word.

  I found Della outside pacing. “Is he okay?”

  “He’s still perfect,” I said. “Can you stay with her a bit longer?”

  “Yeah, as long as they’ll let me. I’m sorry she’s mad. I’ll try to talk to her.”

  “Thanks.”

  I left the hospital, and when I got back to the party, Lloyd was sitting at the piano playing a classic tune. He waved me over, and surprisingly, he didn’t seem angry.

  “I’m sorry it took so long. I waited to see him in recovery.”

  “Ahh, it’s okay. A man has to do what a man has to do sometimes.”

  “Well, I guess I lost my contract.”

  “No, you did the responsible thing, Clay. You found a stand-in, and you came back.” He patted my shoulders and walked away. I went about playing the piano and hoped that Ezra Hawk was as big hearted as Lloyd.

  I got my answer when I played the final note of the song.

  “Mr. Whitmore,” said Hawk, who had walked up with his wife. “I hope all is well with your son.”

  “Yes, he’s out of surgery and doing okay.”

  “This is my wife, Flora. This is Clay Whitmore, my new entertainment manager for the Williston branch of Hawk Entertainment.”

  “It’s good to meet you, Mrs. Hawk.”

  “It’s good to meet you. You’re so talented. When my husband told me about your little boy’s surgery, it melted my heart. Please give your son our blessing, and we’ll be keeping you in our prayers.”

  “When you’re done with your set, make sure and stop by and see me. I have that contract for you, if you’re still interested?”

  “Yes, sir. I’m ready.”

  “Well, I want to thank you for your hard work. I know it wasn’t easy making this occasion, but you’ve shown that you’re willing to work hard to make things work out for everyone. I can respect that.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But in the future, tell me when you have another obligation. I’ll make sure to help you out. And remember that while I’m a stickler for business, family should always come first.”

  “Oh, believe me, sir. It did.” I had managed to secure the job and impress him. The only thing that had gone wrong was Beth, and I wasn’t sure how to fix it.

  Chapter 36

  Beth

  I was just checking Jack out of the hospital when Della arrived for a visit.

  “How’s he doing?” she asked, tucking a purple monkey bedside him.

  “We’re out of here. The doctor said he’s stable enough to recover at home.”

  “Did you talk to Clay?”

  “No, I haven’t.”

  “I can’t believe he didn’t come down to see him.”

  “Oh, he did. But I asked him to leave. Well, I had the nurse ask him to leave for me, but still.” I shrugged it off as if it were nothing, even though I wasn’t proud of doing it.

  Della didn’t like it either. Her face said as much. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “Well, you heard him. I make stupid decisions, too, apparently.”

  “Well, there’s stupid, and then there’s just plain mean. His son has surgery and you sent him away?” She shook her head. “You really should consider it might do Jack some good to have his father right now.”

  “I know. But Jack’s sleeping a lot through his healing, and I didn’t want to listen to his excuses.” I had heard them enough, and besides, my heart was still aching. I didn’t want him to see me cry over him. I just couldn’t tell her that.

  “Do you want to come to the house for a bit?” I asked as the nurse came in to help me with Jack.

  “Sure,” Della said. “I’ll help you get him in the car.”

  “I’ll meet you at the house. I’ve got to pick up his prescriptions on the way.”

  “I can do it if you want to get him home faster.”

  “Nah, it’s cool. I have the discount card, and I’ll just go to the drive-thru. It won’t take a minute.”

  “Okay, I’ll meet you there.” She helped me with Jack’s diaper bag, and the orderly walked us all the way to the car.

  Della waited unt
il I drove away to go to her own car, so I knew it gave me a head start as I needed to stop by the pharmacy.

  After a quick trip and checking my phone to see if Clay had messaged me, I arrived back at the house only to find Della was sitting on the steps.

  “I wasn’t that long, was I?” I asked, getting out of the car.

  Della kept a straight face and walked over to hand me a large envelope. “Clay was leaving when I got here.”

  I opened it and looked inside.

  “Divorce papers.” I turned to the marked page looking for his signature, which was there right under mine. “Oh, he signed them.”

  For some reason, I thought he might come and throw them in my face unsigned and make some big gesture to fight for me. This was just so calm and responsible. It didn’t seem like Clay at all.

  “I’ll get Jack.” She gave me a sympathetic look and went around the car.

  I wiped the tear that had run down my cheek. “It’s fine,” I said as we went inside. “It’s what I wanted.” Or at least, what I’d asked for.

  “Is it? Because you don’t look like the girl who suddenly got everything she wanted in life.” She put Jack down in his playpen. He was still groggy and trying to finish his bottle. “He said there’s a letter. Not to let you miss it.”

  I looked in the envelope, and on the other side was a smaller one. I opened it and pulled out the slip of paper. The blood rushed from my face. “It’s a check for ten-thousand dollars.”

  “Is there anything else?” Della asked, looking just as surprised as me.

  “Isn’t ten grand enough?”

  “I mean a letter. Anything?” She was right. There had to be some kind of explanation. Clay didn’t have that kind of money to give, and I knew he couldn’t have gotten that much from his mother. She had cut him off years ago, aside from the hotel room, which she got a kickback on.

  I looked again and found a folded slip of paper and opened it. “It’s a note. It says, Dearest Beth, I want you to have half of my signing bonus. Use it for the bills and put some away for Jack. Love always, Clay.”