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From what little I know Bhodi’s father isn’t in his life other than in name. I don’t get it. The kid is great. William’s loss is my gain.
Holly slumps down on the bed. “A part of me gets it, except I don’t understand why William doesn’t ask for his parental rights to be revoked. He hasn’t even seen Bhodi since he was a baby, and that statement makes it seem a lot more sunshine and lollipops than the visit was. I guess I don’t appreciate the way he went about reducing his payments either time.”
“This has happened more than once?”
“Yes, Jake posts headshots on Sweet Caroline’s website of all the female employees to attract clients. He also likes that having a woman in charge makes it seem like there’s a legacy to Caroline’s balls-to-the-wall style. It allows him to fade into the background. Anyway, an unfortunate side effect is it allows William Mayer to internet stalk me. At first, I worried he’d use my job there to argue I was unfit and file for custody of Bhodi. Instead, he waited until I became the assistant manager and filed in court to have his portion cut.”
“Did they?”
“No, but he never sends the amount he’s supposed to either.”
What an asshole. Be it monetary or basic human decency, I’ll never understand why anyone has a kid they don’t want to be responsible for.
“Can’t you fight it?” I sit next to her and fold my hands in my lap.
“Lawyers cost money I hadn’t had to spare, and I ran the risk of him not paying at all. Not that it matters in the long run. Jake was livid at Trig when Kimber quit. He doubled my salary to be a jerk and it backfired… on me.”
“Okay, but if this William guy isn’t around for Bhodi anyhow, I can’t see how your raise makes it bad. Is it enough to cover what he’s trying to get out of paying? I don’t mind helping if you need a loan for the court costs.”
“You’re sweet, Cary.” She pats my leg. “But yeah, my salary now is enough. I’ll even be able to pay off a few bills.”
“I guess I don’t understand then how it wound up that we…” My voice trails.
Holly rolls her lips between her teeth. “It was the principle of it. I was wallowing in every poor choice I made when it came to William. I got hyper-focused on how much I love my son and wondering why his father can’t love him back. Why the person I thought I was creating a life with—a whole life, not just a human one—took. And not only the good parts. He actually left some of those because I got to be a mom; Bhodi makes everything right in my world. But each time William shows up, he uses our child to pick away again at the shell of a person he’d tried turning me into.” She covers my hand with hers as if she’s letting me down easy. “Thank you for being there.”
“But it’s better if it doesn’t happen again.” I complete her thought. “Don’t worry, I get it. And I have zero regrets being the person you leaned on, Holly.”
I lean in to kiss her cheek, comfortable with the idea that we are sticking to a cordial friendship for Bhodi’s sake. The two of us having sex shouldn’t be the reason she decides I can’t hang with the kid anymore.
The situation is precarious. My feet are set on a rung not much higher on the womanizing ladder than William’s. However, I’ve made it a goal to change, and from what she’s told me, that’s more than I can say for Holly’s ex.
I want Holly to understand I respect her choice. Bhodi needs someone to look up to who won’t flake and bail. I plan to be that person.
Though as my lips graze her soft skin, our eyes connect. I fight the pull to bring my palm up, tilt her chin, and delve into the sweetness of her mouth, sucking her tongue into mine. I could lie Holly down, make her regret her words, and change her mind.
“Cary,” she whispers. Her reactions are proof Holly’s mind has gone in the same direction.
“I’m going to get moving.”
“Sure thing.” Our faces are still inches apart.
“We’re good?” I stop my voice from cracking.
Like being hit on the head by a coconut falling from a palm tree, the absurd notion strikes me that giving up on whatever happened between me and Holly is anythingbutgood. However, it’s worth losing out on for Bhodi’s sake.
Her tongue darts out, unsure. But she nods in agreement.
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9
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“Stop that now, Miss Holly. You’re gonna be puttin’ me out of business by makin’ me look bad.”
Mr. Johnston chuckles when I snatch my hand away from the lone brown leaf on the potted flower in his stall.
My lips purse together. “You caught me… Again.”
