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“Where’s Gummy?” Whitley asked.
“Hanging out with me since our son is infatuated with you.” She flashed a saccharine smile.
“It’s only fair since Peanut is always with you.” He glanced toward her stomach.
Jealousy swarmed through my veins. I’d been robbed of the chance to see my child growing inside her mother. Robbed of all these moments my friend was so lucky to have.
JoJo cringed and fidgeted with her scarf. That she picked up on my moods aggravated me too. Our earlier conversation was another dagger, carving out my chest. I hadn’t had time to process how I felt about what she’d said. What I wanted.
But I was good at distracting myself with work. Now I had the perfect opportunity to continue to ignore the constant stabbing of emotions.
Whitley let out a low whistle. “Fifty mil. They know she’s your daughter?” He flicked his chin at me.
I looked to Penelope.
“I haven’t told anyone,” she said. “Not that I don’t want to. It’s just all so new and—”
“It’s okay.” I didn’t want her to worry she’d hurt my feelings.
“If they were aware of Kane being her father, they would’ve asked for more,” JoJo said quietly.
She was right. That figure was based off Cunningham money, not mine.
“I haven’t been charged with anything. How can they sue me for something I didn’t do?” Penelope cried.
Blake rushed over to her and climbed in her lap. She appeared startled, but wrapped her arms around him. Were all kids this taken with her? They certainly weren’t with me.
“It’s that shyster, Bart Garras. That guy gives all of us a bad name.” Whitley curled his lip in disgust.
Bart Garras was one of those attorneys who advertised on TV in every commercial break. He had billboards all over the place. So many that I got tired of looking at his face. He rarely litigated anything in court. In fact, I didn’t think he’d been before a judge in at least five years. Everything was a settlement.
But if this son of a bitch wanted to go after my daughter, we were going in front of a jury.
There wouldn’t be a settlement.
“I’ll draft a countersuit. Defamation at the least.” Whitley stood and grabbed a legal pad and pen from his desk.
I pulled out my own from my briefcase.
“Can you sue for defamation if they haven’t actually put Penelope’s name in the public?” JoJo nibbled on her bottom lip as if she didn’t want to step on toes.
“That’s why we’ll draft it. Once we win, we’ll turn around and sue them for damages.” Whitley scribbled on his pad.
“I don’t want to do that,” Penelope said. “The woman lost her son. She’s wrong for pinning it on me, but I’m sure she’s hurting.”
“Let’s worry with that down the road,” I said. “For now, we need to start with your side of the story. And I’m going to ask you for something I never do from my clients.” I took off my glasses. “I need you to tell me the truth.”
Whitley held up his hand. “Hold up. Think it through. And JoJo, you should go get to know Marlow. She can be nice when she wants to be.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said.
“You could be implicated or asked to testify. It’s better you have nothing to do with it,” he said sternly.
“I’m happy to testify—”
“He’s right.”
She glared at me. “You are not keeping me out of this, Kane Zegas.”
