Page 50 of Play Book

“This isn’t going to work if you’re angry all the time,” I say.

“Then I guess it’s not going to work. Because Mom told me what you did to my dad. So don’t try to pretend you’re some good guy.”

I open my mouth but close it again.

I can’t tell her I lost my mind when I walked in and caught that sonofabitch touching her inappropriately. She was two, and he’d had his fingers—I shudder, wiping away the thought, and slowly meet her gaze.

“Sometimes, adults make decisions that are difficult but important,” I say in a steely voice. “You were a baby, and your mother wasn’t mature enough to see how badly your father treated her.” And you.

“You’re a liar, and I’m not going with you.” Ally turns on her heel and storms out of the small office where we’ve been meeting.

I sink into a chair and look at Megan. “Now what?”

“She’s eleven. She has no choice but to go with you. The question is whether or not you still want her.”

“I don’t want her getting beat up every day,” I say. “But the reality of what happened when she was a baby isn’t the kind of story I can tell her. It’s ugly.”

She grimaces. “I can only imagine.”

“I need to find a nanny, a therapist, a house… I’m overwhelmed.”

She nods with understanding. “You’ll have a case worker in L.A. to help you navigate things.”

I have a feeling I’m going to need more than a case worker.

FIFTEEN

Saylor

I’m disappointed when I see a text from Canyon canceling our date for tonight.

I can’t imagine what kind of family emergency has come up, but he didn’t hesitate to step in when my life blew up, so I can’t be too grumpy about it.

I text Harper to tell her I won’t be at the event after all, but she invites me to go with her and Gabe. It’s for charity, after all, so there’s no reason we can’t go together.

They pick me up, and it’s nice to get out for the evening, especially since most of my girlfriends are here too.

“You’re dateless?” Chey asks, cocking her head. “What happened to Canyon?”

“Family emergency,” I say. “At least, that’s what he said. I didn’t get any details.”

“Well, you didn’t hear it from me,” Autumn says quietly, “but the team got a call from CPS in Illinois. Apparently, there’s a child whose mother died or something, but I was running out the door so I didn’t get the whole story from Henrik.”

We all stop and stare.

Harper frowns. “I hadn’t heard about this.”

“You have a lot on your plate,” Autumn says gently.

“The Barrowman boys filed another case against me,” she says, referring to her late husband’s two adult sons. They’d been fighting her on ownership of the Phantoms ever since the court had ruled in her favor. Her lawyer told her the will was ironclad, but every subsequent suit cost her time, money, and frustration.

“That sucks,” I say, shaking my head.

“I don’t want to talk about that tonight.” She looks at Autumn. “How are wedding plans coming?”

Autumn and Henrik are getting married at the end of June.

“Good. I have a dress finally. Now I just have to not get pregnant between now and then so I can fit into it.”

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