Page 13 of Beachside Kisses With My Best Friend

“It’s true.” Reaching into the back pocket of my jeans, I pull out the letter and hand it to her. She sets the pastry bags on the worn but sturdy wooden planks under our feet. Her fingertips skim mine as she reaches for the letter. Opening it, she reads. Huffs indignantly. Her mouth falls open, and her glasses scoot to the tip of her nose.

Finally, she looks back up at me. “I can’t… What…?” The hand holding the paper flies to her hip, effectively crumpling the page in her fist. “Just who do they think they are? They must be crazy.”

Marilee never speaks out against anyone, so under normal circumstances, I’d find her indignation cute.

But these are not normal circumstances.

I stuff my hands into my pockets. “I dunno. Maybe they’re right. I’ve worked a lot lately?—”

“Because you own a business. Would they rather you be a bum? I mean, you’re setting a great example for Ryder, showing him that hard work pays off.”

“Yeah, but is it too much? Am I gone too often? I’ve had to rely on the Comers, and on you, so much.”

“You know I don’t mind.”

“I know, but you’ve got your own life.”

“Jay, look at me.”

I do. Marilee is usually soft spoken, but right now, her voice is firm. Reaching out, she touches my arm. “When I help with Ryder, I’m right where I want to be. I love you guys, okay? I don’t mind helping you out one bit. Goodness knows you’ve helped me.”

I’m guessing she means after Donny left—since then, we’ve grown even closer. There were days I literally (and lovingly) dragged her out of bed. Between me and Lucy, we kept her going. Kept her drinking water and eating, until she had shaken off the mantle of despair that creep left on her shoulders.

But that’s just what best friends do.

I only wish when she said shelovedus that she meant…

No. That’s not what this is about. I shake my head. “I don’t even know a lawyer, Lee. How am I going to fight this, however ridiculous it is?”

“Don’t worry. I know someone.”

“You do?” Surely she wouldn’t recommend that terrible attorney who represented her during her divorce proceedings. The guy met with her a grand total of one time, charged a ton, and didn’t even get Marilee retribution for what Donny stole from her. Meanwhile, Donny had a great attorney—one he was clearly sleeping with, if the way they couldn’t keep their hands off each other outside of the mediation proceedings were any indication.

“Yep. One of my dad’s college roommates works in San Luis Obispo.” Marilee grins, and it’s like all the clouds in the sky suddenly run scared and poof—disappear. That’s what her smile does to me, to my world. “I’ll call him up and see if he can meet with us tomorrow.”

“Withus? Lee, you don’t have to?—”

“Stop it right now. If it involves helping you, I’m there.” For a moment, she frowns. “Unless you don’t need me there. Which is totally fine, but I just want to support you however I can.”

Her hand starts to drop, and I catch it before she can pull away completely.

“Honestly, I couldn’t do it without you, Lee.”

“Good. Because I won’t let you.” Without a moment’s hesitation, she steps forward, arms outstretched, and I wrap mine around her. Tilting her head, she looks up at me. “We’re gonna figure this out, Jay. I promise. I won’t let anyone take Ryder from you. We’ll do whatever we have to, okay?”

Words burn in my throat, so I just nod. She burrows into me, pulling me tight, and I place my chin on the top of her head, taking the first deep breath since I read the court’s summons.

“It’s gonna be all right,” she says.

And somehow, I kind of, almost, believe her.

* * *

“Daddy, do you think if I eat too many carrots, my face will turn orange?”

I blink away the thoughts that have been looping in my brain since receiving the court summons just over forty-eight hours ago and glance down at Ryder. His little hand is tucked in mine, and he’s wearing his favorite green dinosaur backpack since I just picked him up from preschool. “What’s that, bud?”

“Carrots. Miss Angie says that we should eat a lot of ’em because they’re crunchy and delicious. But Evan told me that if you eat too many, you’ll turn orange.” Ryder scrunches his freckled nose up at me. “And I think that would be really cool, because my hair is already kinda orange.”

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