Page 82 of Married to the Frenemy

“What do you mean?” I bring my coffee to my lips and take a sip.

“Playing Dad.”

I shrug. “Just trying to help Haley. That’s all.”

His light expression turns serious as he drops his voice. “How’s she doing?”

I shift my attention back toward Maggie, fighting to push down the renewed wave of anger that washes over me at the reminder of everything that’s now at stake.

“She’s hanging in there.” I laugh under my breath. “Hell, she’s probably handling it better than me.”

“And how are you handling things?”

I expel a long sigh and run a hand through my hair. “I don’t know.”

While Haley asked me to keep Oliver’s custody petition under wraps for now, since she hasn’t told Maggie about any of it yet, she mentioned I could talk to Jude if I wanted. She must have sensed I might need someone to confide in other than her.

“What has her lawyer said?”

“What I expected he would.” I steal a glance at Maggie as she climbs up the small rock wall, then lean closer to Jude, keeping my voice low. “If paternity is established — and Haley’s not contesting paternity — he has a legal right to custody. It’s just a question about what kind of arrangement they can come up with.” I swallow hard, feeling suffocated by the thought of Maggie having to spend any time with that prick.

“Mark Sellers is getting ready to prepare Haley’s response, and once the court receives that, a hearing date will be set. But that’s just a formality, since all the judge will do is refer the matter to mediation in the hopes that the two parties can come to an agreement without the court’s intervention.”

“And if that doesn’t work?”

“It’ll go before a judge to decide.”

“What are his chances of getting primary custody if that happens?” Jude crosses his arms in front of his black t-shirt bearing a vintage style of his brewery’s logo.

“It’s anyone’s guess. I just…” I squeeze my eyes shut. “It’s like that damn summer all over again.”

Jude straightens, his brows creased in confusion. “What makes you say that?”

“I let my anger get the better of me back then and it nearly cost Haley her life. I did it again, and now Haley could lose Maggie because of me.”

“She won’t lose Maggie,” Jude tries to assure me. “No judge would take her away from her mother. If that happens, I’ll officially lose all faith in the judicial system.”

“Join the club,” I mutter over the top of my coffee, my throat closing up the longer I think about it. “Maybe her father was right.”

“Her father? What do you mean?”

“That summer, he found out about us a week before it went to hell. Came to the vineyard during one of my shifts and pulled me aside. Told me to stay away from his daughter. Reminded me she was better off without me, that by continuing to see her, I’d ruin her life.” I laugh to myself. “Turns out he was right.”

“Beck, you need to stop blaming yourself for what happened. Need to let go of this insane amount of guilt you’ve been carrying for too long now. You served your sentence. It’s time to move on. Her father’s an asshole who saw his control over Haley slipping and was willing to do or say anything to get it back.”

“I thought so, too, but now…” I sigh, peering into the distance, a heaviness settling in my chest. “I thought maybe this time would be different. Instead, I’m just ruining her life all over again. And not just hers. Maggie’s, too.”

“How?” Jude shoots back.

I throw up my hands in frustration. “She’s about to be subject to a custody battle, all because I couldn’t control my fucking temper. Again.”

He rests his calf on his opposite thigh, tenting his fingers in front of him. “Let’s table the validity of that argument for the time being, because you know I think it’s bullshit.”

I open my mouth to argue, but Jude interrupts before I have a chance.

“Look at that little girl.” He nods toward where Maggie’s swinging, her tiny frame silhouetted against the bright blue sky. Her infectious laughter fills the air, bringing a smile to my face.

“Hiya, Beck! Look at me fly! Think I can reach the moon?”

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