AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sure.Talk,” I added, emphasizing with air quotes.
“God, you are being such an asshole right now! Where is this coming from?”
“I’ll tell you where it’s coming from!” I bit viciously. “I come back to findmywoman in another dude’s arms. That’swhereI’m coming from!”
Exasperated, Dee said, “Well,I’mtrying to tell you that Dennis came here because Diane dumped him and he wanted toapologizefor doing what he did to me!”
“And he just happened to drop by just now? Right after we got back from our weekend? It sounds a little too convenient if you ask me!”
Dee shook her head again. She was clearly losing patience with me and well, I was doing the same. I was already fed up with myself but I just couldn’t stop.
“It was purely coincidental. He also wanted to talk about me seeing the boys again.” Her voice brimmed with hope, but I was not at a point where I wanted to listen. All I could focus on was Dennis here in her house, trying to worm his way back into her heart. Where did that leave me? Now that he was suddenly single again would she dump me and go back to him? Was I just someone she claimed to love, or was she just using until that undeserving dickhead realized he’d fucked up?
Whatever the answer, I didn’t want to be here to find out. Instead of staying and dealing with this like an adult, I spun on my heel, flung the door back so hard it slammed against the wall, and stormed out her house without another word. Dee called after me as I stormed down the driveway, got into my car, and sped off. It wasn’t until I got home and stormed through the front door that remorse kicked in. But I knew that it was too late. I’d fucked up and now, I didn’t know whether or not she’d be willing to let me apologize, to say this was our first official fight, and continue to build our relationship. I just knew that I’d be lucky if Dee Cavanaugh ever bothered to look my way again.
thirty-three
Travis
TuesdaynightandIwas at the bar nursing an old-fashioned, steadily working my way towards getting shitfaced drunk and trying to decide whether I wanted to eat. Since Amie was with Tami’s parents right now, I could oblige myself because even though it was a weeknight, they’d called and asked if they could spend time with her. After what I’d learned this afternoon, there was no way I could deny them. They’d just learned they would probably never see their daughter again and all they had left of her was Amie. Only a monster would take that from them.
It was just past noon today when I received a call from my lawyer. Melinda asked if I could meet her at her office, stating she had some news involving Tami’s sham custody attempt. I immediately called Russell and explained what was happening. Having been through the ringer with his ex-wife, he was the one person who knew exactly what I was going through. He told me to take the rest of the day off and if it came down to it, I could take off as much time as I needed. My job would still be there when I came back. I’d left lunch and headed over to Mel’s office where her secretary let me right in.
“I cleared my schedule for the next two hours,” she explained as her assistant interrupted us, carrying in two cups of coffee and an assortment of add-ins. She waited until her assistant had left to continue speaking. “As I said, I received a call from Tami’s lawyer. She’s dropped her attempt to get full custody.”
Yes!I cheered inwardly. Finally, something was going my way.
“Before you get excited, it’s not because she wants to.” Mel paused as I sat there confused as hell. “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Tami recently traveled to Thailand along with her new boyfriend.”
“That guy that was in that mid-90’s band that had like two hits.” I couldn’t help but toss out a dig.
“Barry Barkwell. Lead singer of Riot Force. Has a long history of substance abuse.”
“Didn’t he get busted for driving under the influence right after he got out of rehab the last time?”
“That’s the one.” Mel leaned forward as she prepared to deliver what I knew wasn’t going to be great news. “Apparently, he and Tami were getting ready to leave Suvarnabhumi airportwhen authorities caught up to them. A drug dog busted him with several small bags of cocaine while Tami was busted by an agent in the ladies room. She was snorting lines of coke on the edge of the sink when the agent walked in.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me?” I was shocked. Absolutely shocked from the ends of my hair to the tips of my toes. “Tami’s been doing drugs?” I’d heard rumors before. Hell, she supposedly was photographed using by a reporter from the gossip rag, Gossip Daily News, but I just couldn’t bring myself to believe it. Until now.
“From what her lawyer told me, Tami has struggled with a serious drug problem over the last few years. Her lawyer said it started around the time she did that sleazy nude spread for that cut-rate men’s magazine.”
Something she did months before our divorce.
“Do you think that’s why she blew through her money so fast? It all went up her nose?”
“Combined with her drinking and excessive lifestyle, I’d say yes. Apparently Barkwell thought she still had money and was using her as his meal ticket. It was his idea to hit you up for more money, and Tami had no objections going along with it. When he realized you weren't going to fork anything over, he immediately asked for a plea deal to reduce his sentence. He was denied, by the way.”
“I can’t believe it.” I really, really couldn’t. As much as I despised her, if Tami had needed help with getting treatments for addictions, I would have given her whatever she needed. After all, she was Amie’s mom and there was no way I would stand back and be the douchebag dad that refused to help. I was better than that and I wanted Amie to look up to that. But that didn’t mean I would expose her to the shitstorm Tami had gotten herself into. Someone had to protect Amie and ensure she grew up happy, safe, and knew that the sky was the limit, and that someone was me. I just hoped Dee would be by my side along the way.
“Wow,” I said once Mel finished explaining everything. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I don’t think there’s anything you really can say.” Melinda leaned back against her chair.
“But know that I’ve got your back through this. Whatever pops up, we’ll get through it, but tonight, know you can rest easy. No one is going to try to take that sweet little cherub away from you. Your daughter is safe and you still have full custody.”
Mel’s words should have soothed me—and they did, to a point, but it all seemed anticlimactic. After thanking her, I left her office. My shoulders felt lighter but there was still a weight anchored around my heart. I wanted to call Dee to tell her the news, but I couldn’t. I’d acted like a jackass and she wasn’t speaking to me. I had no one to blame but myself, especially if I managed to fuck up the best thing that ever happened to me.
Once I reached my car, I fired up the engine, but instead of driving off, I sat staring out the windshield. Shaking my head, I forced myself to focus on my daughter and debated how I’d eventually break the news about her mother. Right now, she was too young to understand, but one day, I knew there’d be questions. The only thing I knew for certain was that no matter how the subject of where her mother was came up, I’d have to be honest. Amie deserved the truth and when that time came, that’s what she’d get. But right now, I needed to focus. Focus on taking care of my daughter and finding a way to get my woman back.
