Page 98 of Follow My Heart

I let out a breath. “What about tonight?”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do tonight. You have to drop her off with her mother.”

“Should I offer to move into the family home?”

“Is that what you want to do?”

“I’d be closer to Faith and petition the court for more time. Maybe even fifty-fifty.”

“What about your job? I thought you were working in Maryland.”

“I can talk to my boss. See if I can transfer back to Virginia.” I knew that was unlikely. “Worst case scenario, I can commute.”

Boone whistled. “That’s quite the commute.”

“I’ll do whatever I need to to make this easier on Faith.”

“I have to be honest. A judge won’t like what Stacy pulled this weekend, but you won’t be able to stop her from moving in with Phil. Unless he’s abusive?”

“Not that I’ve heard or seen. Faith wants to live with me, but I think that has more to do with gaining three new stepbrothers than anything else.”

“The plan is for you to drop off Faith as scheduled. I’ll file the motion tomorrow.”

“I’m not looking forward to telling Faith about tonight or dropping her off at a different home.”

“I can’t get this in front of a judge tonight. Not unless there’s a domestic violence issue.”

“There isn’t.”

“I’ll work on the motion. You stay calm. You do the hand-off, and don’t tell her what we’re doing.”

“I can do that.”

“Hang in there. Hopefully, this is Stacy throwing her weight around, and once she realizes you’re not a pushover, she might back off on some of these things. I’ve seen it before.”

Stacy was flexing her muscles, like she had through our marriage. And I’d always let her do whatever she wanted before. But things had to change.

CHAPTER 21

VIOLET

Iwas hoping to spend more time with Ryder this weekend, but I understood he needed some time alone with Faith.

He’d texted to say he was spending the day with his family, then taking Faith home. Maybe we could talk when he got back.

Faith was going through some changes with her mother wanting to move in with Phil. She was understandably upset and needed her father.

This was how it would be dating a single dad, and I understood that. I didn’t feel great about Stacy’s interference. I understood that their separation was fairly recent, but I didn’t like how Ryder allowed her to call and text whenever she wanted, interrupting his time with Faith.

Not only that, but the phone call had upset Ryder and soured the rest of the weekend for him and his daughter. I couldn’t understand why Ryder couldn’t see how manipulative she was being. But then again, maybe this was their dynamic. If he didn’t see it during the marriage, why would he see it now?

Why would I think he would be different? That he’d put his own well-being and his daughter’s over Stacy’s drama.

I worked at the store then puttered around my house, cleaning and doing laundry to pass the time until Ryder should have been home. When I couldn’t wait any longer, I texted to see if he was home yet.

When he didn’t answer, I assumed he was tired and had gone to bed early.

Curious about how he was at the Calloways today, I texted Daphne.

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