Page 54 of Anything For This Love

“I loveyou. Only you. Deep down, you know it’s true. Just like you know I’d never cheat on you. I just got you back. I’m not going to do anything to fuck this up.”

She remains quiet on the other end of the line and I worry that she still doesn't believe me. Finally, she speaks.

“Why would they post something like that?”

I give a heavy sigh. “Because it sells. Dad’s in the spotlight so he’s a hot topic, but he’s also happily married and hasn’t done anything scandalous. Since I’m no stranger to the gossip rags, they chose me. Trust me, I don’t get it either.”

“I hate this!” she says miserably “It’s making me question everything. I don’t like doubting you. Now I feel like a jerk.”

“You’re not a jerk. The people who post this garbage are jerks. How did you see it, anyway?”

“Tiff sent it to me. Someone she works with is into celebrity gossip and apparently loves political scandal.” I wince, wondering why Tiff would share something hurtful like that with her friend. “In her defense though, she thought it was bullshit, but didn’t want me to stumble upon it on my own and get blindsided.”

Well, that makes more sense. My irritation with Tiff quickly evaporates.

“I’m really sorry this is happening. I can come in this weekend, if you want?” I offer. “I don’t want there to be any tension between us.”

“I have to work, so it would be a wasted trip,” she answers morosely.

“Are we good?” I need confirmation that she’s not going to stew on this and let doubt creep back in.

“Yeah, we’re good.”

We hang up soon after, both of us needing to get back to work, but I’m unsettled the rest of the day. The article made some pretty unflattering claims about me. The author claimed I was running around, acting like a rich playboy while my girlfriend was taking care of our child. It questioned my integrity and made me seem like a deadbeat dad, neither of which sits well with me. Since they posed much of what they said as questions, I don’t know if they can be slapped with a slander lawsuit, but I’m willing to consult my lawyer to find out. If this only affected me, I’d let it roll off my back, but it’s affecting the woman I love and potentially my daughter. This has to stop.

Chapter Twenty-One

Abby

Some guy has been harassingMom at work. Brooks saw him grab her arm.

The text comes from my brother at almost ten p.m.

Me: What?!?! Call me.

Brooks is my brother’s bandmate and one of his closest friends. He knows the whole story about our mother and although it’s no secret he doesn’t care for her, he always looks out for Ethan. He also doesn’t scare easily, so whatever he saw must’ve spooked him, and that worries me.

My phone rings a minute later and I answer quickly. “What happened?”

“Brooks was getting gas and went inside for a drink. He said no one was at the register so he poked his head in the back hallway and said it looked like Mom was arguing with some scruffy looking man. He grabbed her arm and Brooks yelled at him. The guy let go of her but said something Brooks couldn’t hear before taking off.”

“Is she alright?”

“Yeah. He brought me down there to talk to her, but she said he was just some loser who wouldn’t stop asking her out.”

“Do you believe her?”

“Not really. I’m guessing he was there to score drugs and got mad because she didn’t have any. Who knows with her?”

He has a point. With our mother, anything’s possible. She could be telling the truth. I just don’t know what to believe when it comes to her.

“Well, whoever he is, I hope he doesn’t come back.”

Ethan chuckles. “I told her to knee him in the balls if he touches her like that again. She didn’t seem to care much for my advice, though.”

“I bet she still carries a knife. Remember that guy at the lake who tried to grab her ass when Dad was tubing? She whipped that thing out so fast, I thought he’d piss himself.”

“What? No!” he replies, laughing. “I don’t remember that.”

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