Page 92 of Call it Fate

“What I think is you took advantage of a scared, pregnant young woman. And you didn’t give a shit about her or her child, who also happens to bemychild. How could you possibly think I wouldn’t care about that?”

“And what would you do, Zachary? Give up your studies and coach his T-ball team and go to juvenile concerts?” He sneered. “Please. Your place was here, not some little Podunk town with a clingy wife and snotty kid. You need to settle down with a woman who comes from and understands our world, not someone who cooks and cleans sheets for a living.”

I hung up. What the fuck did he know about what I needed? He never had before. This only made it more obvious.

I felt like I was in Hell. Part of me couldn’t blame Emalee for taking the money. God knows she would have needed it to raise our son. But where did the money go? She didn’t drive a fancy car or wear nice clothes. And while Iain seemed perfectly content and happy, she was raising him in a tiny home. And that kind of money invested right should have given her enough cushion to provide our son a more comfortable life. Hell, even uninvested, she should be doing better.

Then again, the bed-and-breakfast looked like it had been designed professionally. Could she have invested in the inn instead of giving my son a better life? Not that he seemed distressed, but wouldn’t having a home with a yard he could run around in have been better for him?

And none of that mattered compared to the hole in my heart caused by the knowledge she took the money knowing the conditions. I wasn’t sure I could forgive her for that. It was just another lie of omission.

I grabbed my phone.

“Zach! I was getting worried about you.”

She looked sweet and fresh as she curled up on her couch. Through the camera, I saw she was wearing one of my sweatshirts for NC State. I wasn’t sure if that made me feel better or worse.

“Iain’s already gone to bed. I’m sorry. He stayed up as late as he could, but he wore himself out earlier playing with Milo at the park.” Her face moved closer to the screen. “You look tired, too. Are you okay?”

“I went to see my father today.”

Even through the screen, I could see her blanch. “Oh, god. What happened? Please tell me he isn’t still a threat.”

“Oh, he had plenty to say.” I held the folder up to the screen. “And to show me.”

“What is it?”

“He’s kept tabs on you. It’s a file of information about you and The Dogtrot.”

Her hand slapped across her mouth as her face paled. “He did what?” she whispered.

“Don’t worry. I threatened him if he came near you or Iain.”

“Oh, my god, Zach. I don’t know what to say.”

“You could start by explaining this.” I held the check up to the camera.

She gasped. “Where did you get that?” she whispered hoarsely.

“It was all right here in the folder. You know, I get that you would have needed money.” She was shaking her head, but I kept on going. “I know you were scared, and my father was an asshole to you. But to take it under the conditions you did? That makes you as bad as my father. Maybe even worse, since he only offered the money. You actually accepted it.”

“No,” she repeated, her voice more frantic. “I never took the money.”

“Em.” I sighed, weary of unraveling all the lies that had made up my life. “Your signature is on the back. I even found the deposit made to The Dogtrot’s bank account.”

“It can’t be. I have the check right here. I never cashed it. I would have never accepted a deal like that. You have to believe me.”

“I believe you were scared and didn’t know what else to do. But you kept my son from me deliberately. And then you lied about it.”

“No!” She sobbed. “This is your father playing his tricks again. I still have the original check here. Wait. I’ll prove it.”

She scrambled off the couch, and I heard drawers opening and slamming shut. “Shit,” I heard her whisper repeatedly. “Shit, shit, shit.”

I might have laughed at her uncharacteristic swearing if it wasn’t such an obvious act. She grabbed her phone. “It’s here. I swear it is. I’ll find it and show you when you come here in a couple of weeks.”

I ran a hand across my face. “About that. I think it would be best if you just dropped Iain off at the rental until we can work something else out.” I’d almost given up my lease on the rental, but since it still had two more months to go, I decided to keep it so we’d have someplace more private than The Dogtrot to spend time together. It had been a fortuitous decision.

“Zach, no…”

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