Page 11 of Finding Home

“We won’t.Iwon’t. That’s what I came to explain to you, Aubrey. I’m not going to let that motherfucker anywhere near my daughter, no matter what.”

I exhale in relief. The fact that he called Rainehisdaughtershould freak me out, by all rights. But in this one specific context, the word choice is more comforting than threatening to me. If C-Bomb thinks of Raine as his daughter, then hopefully that will make him feel that much more inspired to keep Ralph the fuck away from her.

I feel the nonsensical impulse to throw my arms around this mountain of a man and beg him to keep his promise to keep Ralph away from Raine, no matter what. But, instead, I get ahold of myself, cross my arms over my chest, and ask, “How’d Ralph’s lawyer find out you’re Raine’s father? Claudia told me your identity was a huge secret and I could never tell anyone.”

One side of C-Bomb’s mouth hitches up, his implication clear:And yet, Claudia told you.

I wave at the air. “Claudia told me everything and viceversa.” When Caleb smirks, I add, “She trusted me not to tell a single soul about you, not even my parents, and I never did.”

C-Bomb assesses me for a longish beat. “I don’t know how Beaumont figured me out. My lawyer thinks someone from the coroner’s office with access to the paternity test might have told Ralph or the detective in charge of Claudia’s case, who then told Ralph. Either that, or someone from the coroner’s office contacted Ralph for a payout, in exchange for the information. You’d be surprised how many people come out of the woodwork, looking for a payday, when they’ve got dirt on a celebrity with deep pockets.”

“Well, I’m not looking for a payday,” I snap. “The only thing I want is to raise Raine here, in Prairie Springs, with my family.” I look at him pleadingly, but it’s clear from his impassive glare the one thing I want is the one thing I’m not going to get. Not if C-Bomb—Caleb—gets his way.

My spirit sinks. Is Caleb intending to take Raine home with him to wherever he lives? If so, how can I possibly stop him, when there’s no doubt he’s Raine’s father and he’s got all the money in the world to hire the best lawyers? I’m unemployed with about sixteen dollars in my savings account at the moment.

Money has never been plentiful in my family. We do fine. We get by. But Mom only works part-time as a school counselor, and not for a whole lot. And even though dad’s construction company does pretty well for him at times, there’s always dry spells, due to weather and the smallness of our town. There’s only so much work to go around a place like Prairie Springs. Add Dad’s broken leg and medical bills to the mix, and I can’t fathom how we’d be able to hire a lawyer to try to beat Caleb and Ralph in a custody battle.

Caleb rubs the back of his neck before cutting the thick silence between us. “Listen, Aubrey. I’m filing a lawsuit against Ralph in LA.”

“Oh, thank God.”

“And also against you, technically. But only because?—”

“You’re suing me?” I scream.

“Would you let me explain? My lawyer says I have to name you as a party, along with Ralph, since you’ve currently got physical custody. But that doesn’t mean we’re enemies, okay? We both want what’s best for Raine.”

“I’mbest for Raine.”

“Would you listen? I want to join forces with you. We’ll both go against Ralph in the lawsuit, together, and tell the judge we’ve agreed to a custody arrangement.”

My heart is thrumming. “What kind of custody arrangement?”

“I’ll get legal custody, since I’m her father, and you’ll get unlimited visitation rights. Forever. My lawyer can explain everything to you in LA. I’m taking Raine back there tomorrow, and I really want you to come with?—”

“You’re taking Raine to LA?” I scream. “Tomorrow?”

“And I want you to come with us. I want to hire you to be Raine’s full-time nanny.”

My brain is melting. “Raine doesn’t even know you.”

“Which is why I want you to come with us and be my live-in nanny, at top dollar. Aubrey, I’ll pay you a hundred grand per year to do what you’re already doing for free.” When I stare at him, flabbergasted, he quickly amends, “Okay, fine, one-fifty. That’s way above market. A damned good deal, especially since I’m asking you to keep doing something you’d already be doing, anyway.”

“But not in LA!” My head is spinning. I need a lawyer. I need my parents. I feel sick. “I’m not Raine’snanny,” I spitout, like the word is a slur. “I’m her Auntie Aubbey. Herfamily. She loves and trusts me. My parents, too. She calls them Grammy and Pop-Pop.”

Caleb exhales. “Okay, so we’ll bring your parents to LA, too. I’ve got a huge house with plenty of room for everyone.”

I stare at him, slack-jawed. Is he insane or just stupid?

“My parents have a home here. A life.Jobs. They can’t just pick up and leave because Mr. Rockstar sauntered into town and dangled some cash in front of their noses.” I shake my head. “Raine’s having nightmares every night and her potty training has regressed. She’s traumatized. And now you want to drag her to a new placeagain,because you can’t be inconvenienced to get to know her for a little while on her home turf, first?”

He twists his mouth. “You want me to stay here in Prairie Springs?”

“Of course. Obviously. It’s the right thing to do.”

He shifts his position and scratches his tattooed arm. “For how long?”

I’m excited he’s asked the question. It gives me hope. “Three or four months, at least. While you’re here, you can visit her every day. Get to know her. Earn her trust. And if things are going well in a few months, if you still want full custody of her, then I’ll come to LA with you, as Raine’s nanny, and help her get settled with you there. But only if you swear on a stack of bibles that, no matter what, you’ll always give me unlimited access to her. Forever.”

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