Page 125 of Getting Down to Business

It wasn’t like he needed to avoid her because she was giving him a hard time or being nasty. It was the exact opposite. She was still indifferent and pleasant, just like always. It was killing him.

“You okay?” Doug asked.

“No. I’m not. You look better.”

“I’m back with Chanda,” his friend smiled.

“She took you back after you demolished her art show?”

“Yeah. Can you believe it?”

Actually, he could believe it. That was what people did when they loved someone. They didn’t give up.

“Good for you.”

“She’s got some secret plan to get my visitation with Lucy back. She told me to relax and let her take care of it.”

“You’re not relaxing.”

“No. I’m scared. You don’t know what it’s like being called before child services. All your words get twisted around and you end up looking like the villain.”

“Why don’t you hire a lawyer?”

“I can’t even afford a new phone, Gray. How am I supposed to get a lawyer?”

“Maybe I could—”

“No. It’s my thing. I’ll take care of it.”

“If you need me.” If anyone ever needed him, he would be there. Nobody did.

“I heard a rumor,” Doug said, looking over his shoulder.

“About?”

“Seems you’re looking to go somewhere warmer?” Shit.

“Yeah. I think it’s time to move on.”

“Your family is closer here.”

“And I will fly out to see them as much as I do now.”

“What about Liss?” Doug challenged. It was clear he knew Alyssa was the reason he was leaving.

“She’ll be fine.”

Doug snorted at this and shook his head.

“And I thought I was bad at this.”

* * * *

Doug left work early to go to the meeting with the family counselor. Chanda had been working on what she called her secret weapon. When he’d asked, she said she wasn’t positive she could pull it off and didn’t want him to get his hopes up.

Now as he walked up to the office—his only hope being able to see his daughter again—he saw Chanda waiting for him with a big smile on her face.

He rushed to greet her, and only noticed the man standing next to her when he was a few feet from her.