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“Sometime this evening. When I told her I could pick him up for dinner, she said she would never send her boys home with empty bellies.”
I laugh. “That’s such a Cindy Ellis thing to say.”
“So we have a couple more hours.”
“Oh, let’s order Athena’s Table,” I suggest. Cody isn’t a big fan of Greek food, so we rarely have it.
We step out of the shower and get dressed. I call to order food while Katie gets us beers from the fridge. We cuddle on the couch to watch the reality show we are both obsessed with. It’s like watching a train wreck. You can’t tear your eyes away.
A knock on the door makes us both frown. I get up from the couch to see who’s here.
“Is that our food? You just ordered like ten minutes ago.”
I open the door to a guy standing on our front step. “Can I help you?”
“I’m looking for Katherine Cole.”
Katie comes up next to me. “That’s me.”
He hands her an envelope. “You’ve been served.” Before we can say anything, he turns and walks back to his car. I don’t take my eyes off Katie as I shut the front door.
“This is it, isn’t it?” Katie’s terrified eyes meet mine.
“Probably.”
She walks to the kitchen and sits at the island to open the envelope. She pulls out the papers, confirming our worry. Bryce has officially sued Katie for custody.
“He’s going to try for full custody?” Her head whips over to me. “He’s got to be joking.”
“He’ll never get it. We both know that.” I slide my hand down her back. “Let’s call Adam. He could help us find an attorney who can handle this mess.”
“No.” Katie stands.
I shake my head as if I didn’t just hear her right. “What do you mean, no? We need to do something.”
“We don’t need to do anything. I need to find a lawyer that won’t bankrupt me, and I’ll probably need to take some time off work if this drags out.” She starts to pace, muttering to herself about her to-do list.
I stare at her in shock. She’s serious right now. “Katie. You don’t have to do this on your own. We can help you.”
“This is my problem. My mess to fix. Character witnesses are still a thing, right? Fuck. I have no idea what I’ll need.” She yanks open a drawer in the kitchen and pulls out a notepad and pen. She starts writing furiously, and I can no longer stand the distance between us. I move around the island and put my hand on her back. I need her to know I’m here for her.
“Don’t.” She shakes out of my touch. “I need to focus.”
Helplessness swamps me. My shoulders fall with defeat as I move back to the bar stool. This isn’t about me. It’s about Cody. It’s about figuring out what’s best for him. I just thought I’d be able to help keep him here with us. He’s come to mean more to me than I can even put into words. I love him just as much as I love his mother.
But how can I protect him if I’m being kept on the sidelines?
CHAPTER 34
Nolan
To say things have been strained in the house would be an understatement.
Katie has been more high-strung than I’ve ever seen her. She’s been snapping at Cody so often that he’s started coming to me first if he needs anything. I’ve done my best to keep my mouth shut, but this past week hasn’t been good. I’m about ready to blow, so I can only imagine how Katie is starting to feel. We’re approaching our breaking point. If anything gets added to this mess, I’m not sure how we’ll survive the aftermath.
Katie still hasn’t found a lawyer. Most of the ones she can afford are slimy bastards. She’s been trying to balance doing everything on her own, along with working and being a mom. It’s too much.
I’m not able to sit back and watch this happen any longer. I can’t let her continue to suffer when the solution is staring at us right in the face. I know she’s not used to having a support system, but she has a big one. There’s no reason not to use it.
