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“Honestly? You’re best off waiting and seeing. He probably won’t want anything to do with his child. After all, he’s not bothered to contact the mother at all in the past eight years. There would be no reason for him to do so now.”
Unless he heard Aiden was around. Or stopped to consider that Brooke had access to her parents, who were the richest couple in Angel Sands.
“And if he does come here and demand his son?”
“If he does, you can come back and talk to me,” Mark said. “I can’t promise anything, but I’ll help you and the mother fight it all the way.” He lowered his voice. “But you have to be prepared that he’ll get some level of custody, and he’ll definitely get the right to make decisions. Your best hope is that he doesn’t come around, or if he does, he signs away his rights.”
Aiden slumped back in his chair, defeated. If Brooke knew any of this – if she even had an inkling that Jamie might come back – she’d panic like crazy. She’d been bad enough when she’d thought they were homeless. God only knew what her reaction would be if Jamie asserted his rights. Damn, she’d be a mess.
He couldn’t let that happen.
“I want you to keep the PI on retainer. Ask him to monitor the parole board, and let me know the outcome of any application for release. And if Jamie gets out, I want to know every move he makes. I can’t take the risk he might come back here.”
Mark scribbled a note on the legal pad in front of him, and nodded, looking back up at Aiden. “Of course. When he gets out, you’ll be the first to know.”
16
Brooke leaned back on her chair and looked out toward the ocean. The coffee shop was bursting with customers, and Ally was behind the counter, her face beaming as she dealt with every order. It was such a change of sight compared to that of a few months ago, when the Beach Café had been like a ghost town. But thanks to Ally and Nate’s hard work, the newly renamed Coastal Coffee had become a big meeting point in Angel Sands – and finding a table on the deck like this one was like discovering a shining nugget in the gold rush.
“There you go. A latte for you and an Americano for me.” Ember slid the tray onto the table and pulled out a chair. “Ally’s swamped in there, but I’ve never seen her happier. Isn’t Nate a great guy?”
He really was. Since the day he’d walked into town having bought the Beach Café from Ally’s dad, he’d transformed their friend’s life. Although both Nate and Ally had fought against the attraction between them, their getting together had been inevitable as far as Brooke and Ember were concerned.
“Talking of great guys, how’s Lucas?” Brooke asked.
“He’s working today. But off tomorrow.” Ember grinned. “He has this idea we’re going to spend all day in bed, but I’ve already written us a to-do list.”
“I’ve got a feeling he’s gonna put that list where the sun don’t shine.”
“I’d like to see him try.”
Like Nate and Ally, Ember and Lucas
were a great couple. Brooke felt warmth wash over her as she saw how content her friend looked. They both deserved happiness, and she was delighted for them.
Even if sometimes it made her feel a little lonely herself.
“So I got you a gift.” Ember leaned down and pulled a prettily-wrapped square from her purse. “For the new apartment.”
“You shouldn’t have.” Brooke’s eyes were warm as she looked at Ember. “But I love it already.”
“You don’t know what it is.”
“Doesn’t matter. You always have good taste.”
Ember raised her brows. “Don’t tell Lucas that. You’ll give him a big head.”
Brooke grinned as she opened the gift. Her favorite set of candles – blue and white and smelling of the ocean. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
“I thought you deserved a moving in gift, after everything you’ve been through.” Ember moved closer. “And how’s Uncle Aiden doing?” She wiggled her eyebrows. “I hear he’s smitten.”
“I think Nick’s smitten, too,” Brooke admitted. “Especially now that he knows Aiden’s his uncle.”
“You told him?” Ember leaned forward, her eyes wide, her chin propped onto her upturned palms. “When? How? I need details.”
“A couple of days ago.” Brooke blew out a mouthful of air. She still wasn’t over the anxiety of it all yet. “We took him out for ice cream and explained that Aiden is his daddy’s brother.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she remembered the conversation.
“You know my daddy?” Nick asked.
