Silently, I absorb this information with Tyler watching me warily. If hush money was involved, how on earth did Tylergather this information. And how does he know it’s true? At last, I find my tongue and ask.
Tyler’s expression turns from concerned to proud. “I’m sure I’ve made many mistakes throughout Austin’s career. But the best decision he and I made was hiring Kate Green as his publicist. You will never meet a person who can dig up dirt as well as she can. She found all this.”
“And you trust that it’s true?”
“Yeah, Kate does her homework. Trust me.” His words almost sound like an afterthought as he starts slowly shaking his head, swallowing hard.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You’re doing it. When you were twenty-two, you told me you wanted to leave your mark, make a difference.” My nose starts to sting as he continues. “What I heard in there? You’re changing those kids’ lives, Jo.”
Tyler’s gaze holds me captive, and with my heart in my throat, I wrap my arms around his torso, letting his solid form ground me. He catches up quickly, pulling me closer to drop a kiss to the top of my head.
“Thank you, Tyler. Thank you for, well, for being you. For seeing me. I know things are weird right now, but you have no clue what it means having you here to witness that.”
Tyler holds me in his arms for several heartbeats until eventually, we break the hug. Leaning back, Tyler’s eyes roam my face and one hand goes to twist one of my curls. “Glad to see the curls have returned.”
Huffing a short laugh, I admit, “I hated my hair that day. I was being petty.”
“Jo, I hope we can talk about what’s happening here soon.” He scrubs a hand over his stubbled face. “Nothing feels right. You’ve got to feel it, too.”
Pressing a hand to his heart, I nod. “We’ll talk soon. Good night, Tyler.”
“Night, Jo.”
I watch his retreating form as he walks across the parking lot, climbs in his vehicle, and drives away.
Abby is quiet, sending texts on the way home, so I’m surprised when, right as I’m about to cut the engine, she says, “I know you said this is adult stuff, and I may only be thirteen. But I really hope you figure out whatever this is you’re doing and invite Tyler over again. You were happier that way. We all were.”
Chad Wilson. Today is the day I pay him a visit. Kate sent me an address with all the details I’d need. She told me he should be in his office today and made an appointment for me under the guise of a potential sales negotiation. Austin thinks this is a terrible idea, but I disagree. Jo said she wishes he’d disappear to close that chapter, and I’m here to make it happen.
In my head, I’ve worked through every possible scenario, and if all goes as planned today should go smoothly. I’m not walking in there to start a fight, but I need to look him in the eye and have an honest conversation.
If Jo lets me back in, I have real plans with her, and he’s standing in the way of one of them. Jay. For a man who’d given up on having kids, I’ve definitely jumped in feet first. Don’t get me wrong, the idea of kids and a family always sat somewhere in the back of my mind, it just didn’t look like it would happen. I love Abby and Jay, and they need to be free of this looming shadow.
The car GPS informs me I’ve arrived, and I parallel park right in front of a strip of businesses. Checking the information from Kate, I drop my phone into my center console and head to theoffice directly in front of me. Once inside, I let the receptionist know I have an appointment.
Only a minute or two pass before my name is called, informing me I can go on back.
With confident strides, I find his office quickly and knock twice. A gruff, “Come in,” sounds from beyond the door, and I enter.
Chad stands, extending a hand for me to shake, and I do. Calm and polite. My eyes do a quick sweep of his office, to find it covered in family photos of him, a moderately attractive woman, and a smiling child. Still shaking his hand, I grip harder. His brows furrow and when I see him wince, I release his hand satisfied. Several inches taller than Chad, he has to look up when he greets me.
“You’re here to talk business?” Chad rounds his desk to take a seat back in his chair, motioning for me to do the same opposite him.
Once seated, I prop a foot on my knee and shake my head.
“Chad, I’ll get straight to the point. My name’s Tyler Kent. I’m not here for a sales negotiation.”
His eyes narrow to slits, but I go on. “I’m Abby’s father.”
A low chuckle hums and he shakes his head. “Of course you are. She looks like you. But what does this have to do with me? That family is in the past.”
Anger swells and my fingers grip the armrest so hard my knuckles turn white, but I keep my voice calm and even.
“That family,” I say, a low growl, “is in my present and future.” I take in a deep exhale to rein in my temper, I so rarely allow out of my control.
Chad lets out a low whistle and sits back in his chair. “All I can say is good luck. You’re signing up for nothing but a mess.”
