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“You planned on going to trial and proving your innocence.”
“Something like that.”
“But that’s the worst thing for Brody, and let’s be honest, you were caught at the bakery.”
His face was pinched. “I’m aware.”
“A jury might assume if you did one, you did it all. If you know who else is responsible, you might be able to get some leniency.”
“I just have a public defender. Those guys are a waste of space.”
I didn’t mention the obvious. They were attorneys who’d worked hard to get where they were. “If you go that route, I’ll hire private counsel for you. But you can’t do that media interview.”
“Seeing Brody’s face. I don’t want to hurt him.”
“Please do what’s right.”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll talk to this attorney you get me and see if they can help me get out of this.”
“You won’t get out of it, but maybe they’ll reduce your sentence if you cooperate. It’s the best-case scenario.”
“I’m not a bad guy.”
My jaw ached with tension. “I know that.”
I’d seen glimpses of the man he could be at times. But it never lasted.
“I want to be better.”
“I want that for you too. But I’m not going anywhere. If you get out, I’m in Brody’s life. I want the best for him.”
“I figured that.”
“You’re not going to fight me.”
“You’re good for him. You’re there for him in a way I couldn’t be. I just want to be involved.”
I stood, eager to get back to Brody. “I’ll make some calls. Find a good attorney for you. But you need to hold up your side of the bargain.”
“I’ll call off the interview and keep a low profile.”
“You do that. Take care of yourself.” I turned and strode toward the door, almost desperate to see Brody and make sure he was okay.
“Nick?”
I turned to face him. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for taking care of him. He’s everything to me.”
He had a funny way of showing it.
“You’re welcome. I love him like he was my own.” And I was about to have another baby. Our family was about to expand. I could see everything clearly now. Brody living with me. Getting a court to declare him mine. Setting boundaries with Austin.
As I walked outside into the sunlight, the weight of being in that jail and near Austin lifted with each stop. By the time I walked into the sunshine, joy filled me. I was excited about my future. I wanted Brody to have safety and security. To know that I wasn’t going anywhere. That Abby and Hunter were in our lives.
That we weren’t going to move at the first sign of trouble. I knew exactly what I needed to do.
Brody sat with Ethan in his car. Getting in, I asked, “You okay?”
