Page 5 of Tortured Tones

Damn. This was hard on everyone. Not the reunion anyone could’ve anticipated.

Paul patted his hand. Water welled in his eyes. “It’s been a rough couple weeks.”

“Shall we get this meeting under way?” Patrick waved toward the table.

My stomach knotted and swayed. My blood pressure spiked. But I let out a jagged breath and nodded. “Sure.”

We settled around the eight-seat table and Usher opened his leather portfolio of notes and documents. “We’re here to discuss the final will and testament of Miss Shelby Lane, and the custody of her daughter, Miss Charlotte Anne Lane, born on September sixteenth. The will left by the deceased indicated that Cole Tanner is the biological father of the child. Recent paternity results confirm this fact. It was Miss Lane’s wish, in the event of her death, or the incapacity of herself and her partner, Mr. Keith Walker, that Mr. Tanner be notified and given legal custody to raise the child.”

“Cole.” A lone tear slid down Hannah’s cheek. She splayed her shaky hands across her chest. “We never knew you were Charlotte’s father. I’m so sorry. If we’d known, we would’ve insisted she tell you. You should’ve known you had a child. We assumed it was Keith’s baby.”

Keith had gone to the same local high school as Flint and Shelby while I’d gone to a private one. I didn’t really know much about Keith other than he was Shelby’s friend and had gone to law school with her in San Francisco. He’d been killed in the helicopter crash too. Fuck. Hannah and Paul had lost Shelby’s mom, Shelby, and Keith, and had found out that I’d fathered their great-grandchild. There were too many devastating blows.

I’d had more than enough myself.

Hannah grabbed a tissue from her purse and dabbed her wet lashes. “Shelby and Keith were so happy. They’d gone away for the weekend to celebrate Keith’s birthday. We were minding Charlotte for them. But they never came home.” Hannah fidgeted with her tissue as more tears welled in her eyes. “Keith was a good man. He loved Shelby and Charlotte so much. But it breaks my heart they kept her from you.”

I lowered my chin, fighting back the sting in my eyes. It still hadn’t sunk in I had a kid. I didn’t want it to. “It certainly has come as a shock, Mrs. Lane.”

Once Shelby broke up with Flint, a year after high school finished, we’d rarely seen her. She’d come home to catch up with family and friends and to attend random parties during vacation. But after my night with her, and our phone call, I hadn’t seen or heard from her since.

“Please, call me Hannah.” Hannah’s chin trembled. A nervous curiosity softened her tone. “It’s none of my business, but can you tell me how this came about? Shelby never mentioned you’d been together.”

My chest constricted as I stared at a scratch on the table. With a snag in my voice, I relayed to Hannah and Paul what I’d told Flint, leaving out the details about how messed up on drugs we’d been. I didn’t want to tarnish their memories of Shelby in any way.

“She loved catching up with you guys. I always wondered why she’d stopped.” Hannah sniffled and placed her quivering hands on her lap. “Cole, now I know you’re the father, I see it so clearly. Charlotte looks just like you. Losing her will break my heart.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “She misses her mom and dad so much. We’re all she knows.”

My heart lurched. I didn’t want to break that bond. Not ever. I wasn’t an asshole. “I don’t want to take her away from you.”

“That is correct.” Patrick straightened. “My client is here to discuss an agreeable arrangement regarding custody of the child that will be accepted by the court.”

Usher’s expression remained neutral. Linking his fingers, he rested his hands on the table. “We appreciate that. Charlotte’s welfare is everyone’s priority. But Mr. and Mrs. Lane don’t want to contest Shelby’s wishes. While they are the only close living relatives the child knows, they have concerns about their failing health.”

“Health?” Patrick glanced up from his files. “Is there something notable other than your MS, Mr. Lane?”

“Yes.” Paul clutched Hannah’s hand. “Han has Parkinson’s.” Shit! I’d thought her shakes were just nerves. “It’s getting more noticeable and harder to manage.”

I slumped back in my chair. They were the nicest people struck with horrid illnesses. But as I closed my eyes, the pounding in my head grew louder and louder. My leg jiggled faster and faster. Where did that leave me? With Charlotte? Fuck.

“Cole.” Patrick leaned toward me and whispered in my ear, “High care and degenerative medical conditions will be taken into account during the assessment of your case. Their health is not in your favor.”

He wasn’t telling me anything I hadn’t already worked out. There had to be some other solution.

Usher’s poker-perfect gaze drilled into me. “The Lanes want to honor Shelby’s wishes and support you taking custody of Charlotte. Their age, health, and financial strain are considerable hurdles. They will only pursue legal guardianship if you’re unfit to meet your parental obligations.”

I placed my elbows on the table, dropped my head into my hands, and clutched my short hair. My breath ripped through my lungs. This was not going to plan. I wanted them to look after the kid. Not me.

Calm authority slid through Patrick’s tone. “My client has concerns about taking the child into his care. His music career, constant travel, and lifestyle may not be deemed a suitable environment for the child.”

“The Lanes think otherwise. There is no such thing as a normal family these days.” A thin smile slid across Usher’s lips. “We’d like to come up with a solution that suits all parties concerned and won’t be rejected by the court.”

“Cole, we love Charlotte with all our heart.” Paul’s eyes grew glassy. “But Hannah looks after me full time. If you honestly want nothing to do with your daughter, of course we’ll take care of her. But we want you to have the chance to be her father. You were always a good kid. Yes, this will be a huge change, and it won’t be easy. We know you have the financial means and capacity to give her an amazing life. You’re her best option.”

My heart stalled. No, I wasn’t. I didn’t want to use my music as an excuse, but I wanted what was best for the kid too. “Can’t I just pay for support? Hire help?”

“Yes, you could do that.” The disappointment in Hannah’s tone punched me low and hard, right in the center of my balls. “But don’t you want to respect Shelby’s wishes? Charlotte is your daughter. You have a chance to be part of her life, see that she grows into a beautiful woman, and give her everything she needs.”

I shook my head and puffed air through my nose. “I’m the kind of guy parents want to keep their daughters away from.”

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