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“He can’t take those kids from me, Seth.” Her voice wobbles even as she tries to keep it steady. “He’s an attorney! I don’t even want to know what kind of dirty pool he’d play if he takes me to court. And I don’t have themoneyfor this to go to court, anyway. Why did I let this happen? I should’ve just responded to his texts. No, I should’ve just gone inside and got the kids up so he could see them. I know I can’t keep him from them, but I just don’t want him to catch them off guard. Especially not right now, because I know how much you mean to them and if he would try to influence them against me or you—I would never forgive myself.”
“Hey. Jen, look at me.” I grab her gently by the shoulders to turn her towards me, then wait until she meets my gaze. “If he played dirty pool, I wouldn’t let him get away with it. And this is your property in your name, so if he walked through the door without your consent, he’s trespassing. Even if his kids are here. I know he has the right to see them, but coming to your home this late is a cheap shot.”
“Seth, he has so many connections that there wouldn’t be a way to get proof of anything. The Williams family is practically the Vanderbilt family of Kansas City. It would be their word against mine, and I don’t think my word would carry much weight.”
“Maybe not, but you wouldn’t be doing it alone.” I brush wisps of hair from her cheeks and allow my hands to rest on her neck. “You have me, you have Joanna and Ben, you have Alice and Jack, you’ll have the Bryants, you’ll have an honest but skilled attorney, and the best of all? You’ll have the truth. I guarantee you all of that. It’s hard for lies to thrive when the truth is involved. What you need to do right now is text him so you hold up your end of the promise, and then see what he has to say tomorrow.”
Jenna stares up at me with uncertainty swimming in her eyes and drowning out the optimism I’m used to seeing there. “He has so much influence, Seth. I want to believe you. I really do. I just don’t know if I can.”
I sigh, but because there are no words I can say to convince her otherwise, I don’t try to. I pull her into my arms and tuck her head under my chin, knowing the only thing I can do right now is hold her.
Chapter Forty
Jenna
The only reason I got any sleep last night was because of Seth’s tender words and that hug and his goodnight kisses before he left. Even then, I think I was awake more than I was asleep, staring at my ceiling and wondering if Pete has already set the ball rolling to take me to court. Worrying about my children, who were both sleeping peacefully (I checked on them no less than three times each) because I have no idea how to tell them about this. Knowing Pete has every legal right to see them and being terrified he’ll try to work them over when he does.
I was also laying there, absolutely stunned that my ex-husband’s new wife is the woman who dragged Seth’s heart through the mud. I didn’t know what I expected the woman to be like, but it was not that. Sierra is at least five inches taller than me without heels. I mean, I’d seen a photo of Pete and Sierra together, so I knew what she looked like, but knowing she and Seth… It blows my mind, to be completely honest.
I was almost scared to look at Seth last night when he said they’d dated, afraid I’d see regret or sadness in his eyes. That was not the case. Either he was just hiding it, or he just didn’t have any of those emotions. I really hope it was the latter because it felt like he was telling the truth about me having him. And yes, Pete and Sierra are married. I know for a fact that Seth’s not the kind of man to go after a married woman. I’d bet my house on it.
But that didn’t stop me from playing the comparison game in between bouts of restless sleep last night. I had to have some way to keep my mind occupied while I was staring at my ceiling or checking on my kids. I compared my body to hers—Sierra has long, lean legs and a body that speaks of plenty of time spent in the gym, and she looked perfect in her dress with her stylishly cut hair and flawless makeup. I don’t have gym-shaped curves and I don’t have perfectly bleached hair or wear flawless makeup. Nor do I have the innate ability to hide my feelings like she seemed to have. She looked shocked, certainly, but she didn’t let her jaw hang to the floor or anything.
Honestly, Sierra is what consumed at least fifty percent of my thoughts last night.
But then Seth showed up at quarter after six—he texted me beforehand, even though he promised last night to come by. He had a box of four mouthwatering cinnamon rolls in his hands and a good morning kiss that communicated very bluntly that he was not heartbroken over seeing Sierra again. Once he’d sufficiently convinced me, he led me to my kitchen table and explained in depth what Pete’s rights are and what he could potentially doifhe decided to take it to court so he could get custody of the kids. He also carefully laid it out that there is nothing to justify keeping Pete from the kids, and if I did try, it would backfire on me if it went to court. The fact that I was awarded full custody gives me the right to be there with them if and when he sees them, but I have no legal ground to stand on to keep him away.
Then, when my kids woke up, Seth shifted the attention from my heightened emotions regarding the impending meeting with Pete by carrying Ella and Eli downstairs potato sack style. He dished up our cinnamon rolls and made scrambled eggs with Ella’s help, provided us plenty of funny knock-knock jokes to keep the giggles floating around the kitchen and dining table, and then said he’d hang out with the kids for the day.
I can read between the lines. He doesn’t trust Pete to stay away, and he wants to be with my children if he decides to show up. Not a phone call or a text away, but right here with Ella and Eli.
And now, as I sit at a table outside Farm to Table waiting for Pete to show up, I play the comparison game between the two men. (Because somehow, my attorney ex is always late and can get away with it. I wonder how that goes in court.)
Pete is a good-looking man. I have not and will not ever deny that. Just a couple inches shorter than Seth, he’s built like the gym-rat he is, and he clothes his athletic body in exquisite suits. With his neatly trimmed dark hair—which curls when it gets longer, hence the reason both of our kids have their curls—and his dark eyes, he’s pretty to look at.
So is Seth.
But that’s where their similarities end. Pete thrives on attention, works when his social schedule allows it because his family has that luxury, and can basically schmooze his way with anybody for anything. Seth shies away from most attention, works hard and often when he’s not scheduled to, and doesn’t have to schmooze because he doesn’t try to win over anyone who doesn’t want to give him the time of day. Or if he does, he doesn’t schmooze. He confronts them bluntly and doesn’t sugarcoat the truth.
The differences are, quite frankly, starker than the white cloth napkin in my lap against my black T-shirt dress.
I’m about to text Pete when he walks through the doors to the outdoor seating area. Alone. I’ll choose to look on the bright side that he respected when I asked to speak to him without Sierra. He gave me that much. But based on his confident swagger and the way he smiles at everyone but me, that’s where his kindness is going to end today. I’m glad it’s not any busier than it is at Farm to Table, but there are enough prying eyes as is to make me wish I’d chosen somewhere else to have this meeting.
Pete lowers into the chair across from mine and sets his phone face up on the table—some things never change—and reaches for the menu waiting for him. He studies it for a moment without saying a word, then clears his throat, gaze still on the menu. “What’s the best thing to order from this place?”
“I’m not here to have lunch with you, Pete.”Because I probably couldn’t eat if I tried.I do manage to keep my voice even, though, and I mentally pat myself on the back for that. “I’m here to talk about what you want regarding our children. That’s it.”
He raises his brows and sets the menu aside, leaning back in his chair and resting his left arm on the back of the chair beside him. “I didn’t make myself clear last night?”
“No, you did not make yourself clear last night. First, you showed up to—” I make air quotes “—‘see the kids’ at an hour when you knew they wouldn’t be awake. Then you thought I was going to let you and your wife stay at my house and take Ella and Eli to the zoo today. And then, when I put a kibosh to those plans but offered a fair alternate one, you threw your weight around.” I keep my posture straight and my tone cool, channeling the inner opposite-of-people-pleaser energy I normally don’t have. “What you didn’t take into consideration is that I’m not just going to lay down and let you walk all over me like a doormat. Been there, done that, and I’m not about to do it again.”
“You can’t keep me from seeing my kids, Jen.”
“Pleasestop calling me that.” From Seth, it’s an endearment. From Pete, it’s because he wants to get a rise out of me. “You lost your right to call me that the day you walked out on our children and me. And yes, I’m aware I can’t keep you from them. Again, I never said I would. I just wasn’t going to wake them up and force them to process everything when it was so late.”
He releases a sarcastic laugh. “Ah. So it’s going to be about the fact that I left. Why am I not surprised?”
“I can’t really pretend it didn’t happen because I’m still living with the repercussions today. Yes, I know you do pay me child support, and yes, I’m grateful for that. But Pete, money is a poor substitute for having their father in their lives.”
