AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How fucking dare you. You had no right.” Her voice shakes with emotion. “I told you I did not want to talk to them about it, yet you ran straight to control freak Adam the minute my back was turned. I don’t need help. I have a lead on a lawyer. If this doesn’t work out, then I’m just going to handle it myself. I’ve been researching what’s needed to go to court. I can do this with or without a lawyer.”
“Katie…” I shake my head, at an absolute loss. “You don’t have to do this on your own. There is a whole team of people who are willing to help you. Do you really believe doing this yourself is what’s best for Cody?”
Fuck. That was absolutely the wrong thing to say. I knew it the minute the words came out of my mouth. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.
“Everything I do is for him,” she practically growls. “You don’t get to sit there and act like you know best. You don’t know shit about anything.”
Ouch. Talk about a direct hit. I sigh. “Look, all we’re going to do is say shit we don’t mean. I love you. I love that boy out there. Let me know when you’re ready to listen to reason.”
I walk away without waiting for her to respond. Nothing about that conversation was productive. She’s not thinking clearly, and I’m too sensitive to take her barbs without internalizing them. I already struggle with feeling inadequate. I don’t need her to confirm those worries right now.
When I walk into the living room, Cody is engrossed in his history documentary. He gets free rein over the TV, and he chooses to watch something educational. I squat down in front of him, and he immediately pauses his show.
“So, I gotta go into the bar a little earlier than I planned. I figured I’d order you and your mom some tacos for dinner. Would that be okay?”
He nods. “Did you and Mom get into a fight?”
“Kind of. She’s just dealing with too many things right now, and I said something dumb.”
“Are you going to leave?”
“Of course not. I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me. Things are just a little tough right now.”
“Okay. I love you, Nolan.”
Tears prick my eyes. “I love you, too, Code-man.”
He wraps his little arms around my neck, and I soak up the embrace. We’ll be okay. If I can stay strong for Katie, we’ll figure it out. She deserves to have someone stand by her side in every situation.
Even when it’s hard.
CHAPTER 35
Katie
“That fucking bastard,” I spit. Anger like I’ve never experienced before courses through me in waves. I could explode with everything I’ve been shoving down this past week. And Nolan has the audacity to pull a stunt like this when I’m at my breaking point.
Who does he think he is, asking if what I’m doing is best for Cody? Of course, it’s what’s best for Cody. I wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t. It’s my only goal. Keeping him with me is the only thing that matters right now.
I growl through my clenched teeth, only getting more steamed up as I think about what he said. I cannot believe he would do this. We were so in sync before. Now, I don’t even know what we are. Not to mention, he just walked away while we were talking. I can’t believe him.
Stomping over to my phone, I swipe it off the bed. My finger smashes Ellie’s name on my favorites list. It rings a couple of times before she answers with a soft, “Hey.”
“He’s an asshole.”
“You’re telling me. I can’t believe he’d sue you for custody and think it was okay. I’m not even going to be mad at you for not telling me. I’m sure you’ve been freaking out.”
“Wait, what? No. Not Bryce. Nolan. Well, Bryce, too, but he’s not who I’m talking about right now.”
“Huh? Nolan? What did he do?”
“He went behind my back and talked to Adam.”
Her silence gives me ample opportunity to vent out every thought I’ve had about our conversation.
“He waltzed in here, telling me about Cody’s day, knowing I hadn’t had a chance to talk to him yet. Then he drops the fucking bomb about going straight to Adam and how Adam is just going to fix everything. I’m not a damsel in distress. Jesus. I can handle this shit on my own, you know? Like, where’s the loyalty here? I told him I didn’t want to tell anyone, and what did he do? Goes straight to the one person who will take over everything. Fucking bastard.”
I’m breathing hard by the time I finish my diatribe. My pulse is thumping while I pant. Damn, I am worked up.
