AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cole stood, tucking his hands into his pockets. His jaw clenched and then his eyes lowered. That was answer enough for me.
I began to walk away when he stopped me.
“Just promise that you’re going to be good to her. That if Lacey comes back into the picture, suddenly sober and looking like the world’s greatest mom, you won’t drop Haley for her.”
What? Why would he ever even assume that?
“Why the fuck would that even be in your head?”
With a lift of his left shoulder, he simply said, “Because she’s the mother of your children.”
“My girls are the greatest gift I’ve ever been given, but surely you don’t honestly think I would ever take Lacey back,” I looked around, outraged by the notion that my best friend honestly thought I was that much of an idiot.
The way his eyes fell told me he was ashamed he did.
Seething, I paced away from him, bringing my hand to my nose, only to remember too late that it was busted.
“For the record, I am not pining for my ex-wife. She’s been playing the sober, perfect mother card for over a year. After what she did to Maddy, there’s no fucking way I would take her back.” I sighed, feeling defeated.
“We have to get past this. For the sake of our friendship, the girls, and definitely Haley. All of it.”
He nodded, and finally gave me his full attention.
“I’ll support you both. It might just take me a while to get used to it.”
I searched his face, needing to make sure. “You won’t freak out if I kiss her in front of you?”
Cole’s eyebrows shot up. “You already told the girls?”
My chest squeezed at the thought of sitting them down and telling them. There hadn’t been anyone permanent in our lives since their mother. This was a big deal.
“I will be telling them tonight.”
“Shit. Okay, yeah, we’ll get on board. I haven’t said anything to Nora yet. I won’t until you give me the green light that you’ve told the girls, okay?”
I nodded and then we stood and clapped each other on the back.
Now I just had to figure out how to convince Haley that it was time to tell the girls.
* * *
I reviewedthe email from another potential investor and tried not to feel discouraged. Honestly, I thought at least one of them would take me on, simply because of my name in the boxing world, especially after my recent tour in Europe. It wasn’t like I headlined or anything, but my name still circulated. I guess you could say I was a little cocky about it…but fuck, how that humility burned now. I just needed one person to take me on…just one who saw me as having something worth betting on.
I checked the books, and there wasn’t a single new membership sign up in the past two weeks.
Worry frayed my nerves, coiling in my gut.
What was I going to do?
Right as I closed my laptop, I heard my phone ring. Deciding I was done at the gym for the day, I grabbed my stuff and pulled the phone up to my ear.
“Hello.”
There was a pause, and then a breathy voice. “Liam?”
I froze in place.
Pulling the phone away from my face, I checked the number. It wasn’t familiar.
