“Of course. We can catch up at dinner. I’ll have Jack or Alyssa let you know where and when.”
“Oh, they’re coming with us today. We’re meeting down at the pier,” Maz said.
“Even better. I’ll see you all at dinner then. Have a great day.”
After Keaton left, Jake convinced Ry to give him Maddox. Once they had the backpack strapped on to his and Ry’s satisfaction and Maddox comfortably seated in it, they headed out.
“So you haven’t said much. What happened up there?” Maz asked.
“Lory was there.”
“And?”
“And apparently she’s loaded.”
“Loaded? As in rich?” Ry asked.
“Yep. And so is Maddox.”
“I’m sorry what? Maddox is now rich?”
“To the tune of fifty-two million dollars.”
Ry coughed and Maz stumbled. Both of them stopped and stared, mouths open.
“Did you say fifty-two million?” Maz whispered, her gaze moving to Mad behind him.
“Yep.”
“Wow. Guess I know who to hit up for a loan in the future,” she murmured. “Again, wow. That’s just… Wow.”
“I know.” He still couldn’t believe it. He also couldn’t believe how wrong he’d been about Lory’s motives for getting to know him and Mad. “I think I got Lory all wrong.”
“Oh?”
“She got Renee to sign away her parental rights.”
“What?” Maz stepped in front of him and grabbed his arms. “Why didn’t you lead with that!? You’re free! Maddox never has to worry about that bitch again!”
It wasn’t often that Maz swore. For her to do it in front of the boys was an even bigger deal. “I don’t need that money but I’ll take that signature.”
Maz stepped in and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m so happy for both of you. Now we can finally put this all behind us and move on.”
“Gotta get through her appeal yet.”
“You’re going to go?” Ry asked.
“Yes. I want her to pay for what she did. If that means I have to face her in court I will. I owe it to Mad. To you and Maz. To myself. She put us all through so much. I’d regret it if I didn’t do everything I could to make sure she paid for it.”
And he would make sure of it. In fact he’d get Keaton to talk to Lory’s lawyer and see if they could be a united front when it came time to go to court.
He ignored the bubble of anticipation that rose inside him. He wasn’t doing this to see Lory. But if he did see her, he’d take it as a bonus and hopefully they could get time to talk. Time to see if the attraction he knew went both ways was still there. He’d bet all fifty-two million in Mad’s trust fund it was.
He’d been a fool to think he could let her go without seeing her again. It should have been obvious to him when within three days he’d gone from not being about to think of her as Lory to only thinking of her that way. Now he’d seen her again, he knew he wasn’t letting whatever had been between them end this way.
If it was up to him, what they had wouldn’t end. He would do what he could to build on it. It wouldn’t be easy; they had to talk about what had happened and he had to tell her that he forgave her.
She might have gone about everything in a deceitful way but she’d done it out of love. Love for Maddox.
