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In the morning,I hate leaving Hadley and the kids. It’s the first time I’ve felt this way in a while. I was eager to get back into the office after spending a year at home navigating my new life as a single parent. That’s why I hired a nanny.
And now, the only place I want to be is in bed with Hadley, or on the beach running with Colton and Piper.
“You’re leaving,” Hadley asks, her sleepy voice breaking through the cacophony of my thoughts.
“Yes,” I tell her. “I have to prepare for a meeting with one of my biggest clients this week, but I’ll be back on Friday, and we can all go to the farmer’s market on Saturday.”
She smiles as she stretches, lifting her arms above her head, the camisole she put on last night riding up to reveal a hint of her stomach. “So, you’re going to leave me to fend for myself? They’re going to have so many questions.”
I lean forward and brush a kiss across her lips. “You’re strong. You’ll survive.”
She latches on to my tie, tugging me back for a thoroughly tempting kiss before she releases it with a laugh. “See you Friday.”
“Friday,” I whisper.
I hurry from the bedroom before she can lure me back into the bed like a siren, stopping to check on Colton and Piper. They’re still asleep in their beds and I don’t want to disturb them, so I quietly make my way downstairs to my office to grab my things. My phone pings with a notification, an email from my lawyer asking me to call him, which I do during my drive to Portland.
Instead of greeting me the usual way when he answers, my lawyer asks, “Do you want the good news or the bad news?”
“Always start with the bad,” I tell him.
“Serena . . . er, Jordan, since that’s her name, will be released at the end of the week.”
I hold back the expletive on the tip of my tongue. “And the good news?”
“Well, she can’t leave the state of Washington for a while because she’s on probation. Even if she applies for an interstate transfer, it’ll still be a few months before she shows up in Oregon. If she’s serious about seeing the kids again, then she won’t risk going back to prison by breaking her probation.”
“And the custody agreement?” For now, I have sole custody, but knowing my ex, she will challenge it once she gets herself settled.
“I think you’re solid for a while. She can’t really go after you for anything while she’s on probation in Washington. But I don’t think you’re going to convince her to give up her rights.”
I hum, biting down on my lip. “You’re right, and I don’t want to take it that far. Keep me informed of any updates regarding her probation, and if she is granted a transfer.”
The call ends and a bit of relief washes over me. Even though Serena is getting released early, she won’t show up unannounced for a while, buying me time to plan for her inevitable return.
