Page 26 of Contentious

“In his office last I knew.”

“Thanks, Hector.”

“Hey, Carson… I hope you know. People are worried about you guys today.”

“Don’t be. We’re all good. But thanks for caring.”

“Of course.”

The office was quieter than usual. Corbin and Kate’s news would’ve landed like a bomb among their employees, too, which was just another reason to be annoyed by it. With so many people depending on them, they ought to be more circumspect about their personal lives. Not that either of them had ever been known for circumspection when it came to their divorce and custody battle.

Julian’s fabulous assistant, Matilda “Mattie” Jones, greeted him with a warm smile. “How’re you doing, love?”

“That’s the question of the day from everyone I know.”

“I imagine so.” She looked concerned when she added, “You’re holding up okay?” Mattie knew better than most of the current employees how bad his addiction battle had gotten and how lucky he was to be alive and functioning at such a high level.

“I’m fine, but thanks for asking. Is Julian free?”

“He is. Go on in.”

“Thanks, Mattie.”

Carson knocked and walked into Julian’s office, where he was seated behind his desk, cell phone pressed to his ear, smiling like a loon.

Gee, wonder who he was talking to? Didn’t he just leave her after spending the night together?

“I’ve got to run, babe. Carson’s here to see me. I will. Love you, too.”

Carson was stunned to hear him say that last part.

“What?” Julian asked after he put down the phone.

“You’re already at the ‘I love you’ stage?”

“Have been for a while. If you feel it, why wouldn’t you say it?”

“Why, indeed.”

“What’s up?”

“Just ran into Dad in the garage. That was fun.”

“He’s ‘disappointed’ with us,” Julian said, making air quotes around the word disappointed.

Carson took a seat in front of Julian’s desk. “Well, he has that in common with us, right?”

“That’s what I said. I told him he can’t force this down our throats and he needs to leave us out of it.”

“What’d he say to that?”

“That they were simply asking for a chance to explain.”

“It’s the word ‘simply’ I find the most offensive about that statement.”

“I said the same thing. There’s nothing simple about this. I hate how it’s had me on edge since the second I saw them together at the beach.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about that?”