Page 103 of Make It Without You

Angie chews on her bottom lip and her hesitance is warranted. “I may ask you to be a buffer if I do meet up with her.”

“I won’t blame you if you do.”

Brandon and Adam walk over to where we’re standing. He slings his arm over her shoulder, anchoring her to him.

“Let me know if you two want any company while you’re in town. I’m on summer break and have nothing but time.”

I’ll text you, Brandon mouths to me. “Will do,” he says and leans over to hug me.

I turn and hug Angie then open the door. When they’re down the stairs and out of sight I turn to Adam. “So, what did you think?”

He holds his hands out to me and walks backward. “I’ve liked all of the people in your life. Although I am amazed how you’ve managed to stay in Brandon’s life after James.”

“I almost didn’t,” I confess when we sit on the couch. Adam doesn’t like that I’m not close enough to him, so he manhandles me to straddle his lap.

“It was too hard,” he concludes.

“Yeah,” I say and fiddle with the buttons on his plaid shirt. “It was too hard.”

For a long while I felt I lost not only James but his entire family. We made great strides during Thanksgiving and I call his Mom monthly.

Adam rubs his hands up my thighs, bringing my attention to him. “I heard from my lawyer.”

“You did? What’s the next step?”

“Thankfully, Chelsea hasn’t made any more moves. But we’re looking to file a protective order. So fingers crossed that halts her steps.”

“Do you think that’ll stop her from trying to win you back?” I hate the insecurity that drips into my question. I may have grown up shy, but never insecure.

Adam twirls my hair around his finger and I watch as thoughts swirl through his mind. “I don’t want to say no. Chelsea is more determined than anyone. But you have nothing to worry about.”

“Okay,” I tell him, even though deep down Dylan needs his Mom and Dad. “In other news, I figured out your birthday present.”

“Please tell me it’s us holed up in your apartment all day. Preferably naked,” Adam’s eyes grow wide and I’m almost tempted to make that a date.

“No. But remind me to make that a date of ours. How do you feel about you, me, and Dylan at a baseball game?”

“I say, I love you and I’m so lucky that you’re mine,” he says before pulling me forward and kissing me until I’m panting.

Little did I know that the moment where we spent wrapped up in each other would come with conditions. Conditions I was not ready to bend on. How hard can you love someone until you realize it hurts you more than it heals you?

Adam

“What do you mean she’s filed to have her rights reinstated? She hasn’t been around in six years.” I shove my hands in my hair and tug. This is not the news I wanted after an incredible birthday week.

“She’s making it out so she has a solid case. Adam, can you remember any time when she reached out to be a part of Dylan’s life?”

I shake my head. “Never. She specifically said that being a Mom in a small city wasn’t the life for her. And that being married to me wasn’t for her either.”

Hearing that your wife was unsatisfied in a marriage where all I did was dote on her, stung. I loved Chelsea as best as I could. I provided for her as best as I could. But in the end, this life was not the life that she wanted. So she took the first out.

“Adam, if this goes to court, I need you to be prepared for this to get dirty. Judges usually side with the mother. But in cases like this, since you’ve been his primary caregiver for the last six years, that’s also in your favor.”

I drop down in the chair in front of his desk. “If this goes to court, how long are we looking at?”

Max shuffles through his papers. “Between three months and two years.”

“Two years? Max, she’s already been out of our lives for six years.”

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