Page 15 of The Reality of Us
“And I’m not suggesting you should. Just explaining that it would have an impact on any child support. Possibly that’s a motivator for Rob?”
Owen pulled the document up on his laptop as Jessica paced around the room. “Apparently, he’s been trying to get money to you ever since he started working. They’ve attached phone receipts from when he called and sent messages. There’s also a record of the bank account he’s opened for Sam.”
“I never got those messages. I had to sell everything to clear Rob’s gambling debts, and then I ended up changing numbers to stop the loan sharks from harassing me.”
Right. Owen could do this. Help Jessica get the best outcome for Sam and herself. “Is there anything else I should know about Rob? Now that we know he wants to fight for custody?”
“I guess there is something he might bring up …”
Call him a cynic, but there was almost always something. Owen waited.
“I’ve got a criminal record.”
He swallowed a sigh. Why hadn’t she ever mentioned this before? And why hadn’t he checked like he usually would? “What for?”
“I got done for public intoxication during O’Week at uni. Only once and it was years ago, but a conviction was recorded because there were so many of us and we got a bit gobby with the cops. I’m not proud of it.”
“Okay.” Owen made a few notes. This complicated things, but it wasn’t the end of the world. They could still secure the outcome Jessica wanted.
“Does this change anything? For you, I mean. Do you not want to help anymore? Especially now this is going to drag on?” Jessica whispered and dabbed her red nose.
Owen was going to lose more billable hours than he’d expected, but his determination to see it through to the end didn’t waver. “I’m still happy to help.”
Jessica slumped down in her chair. “How will I ever repay you?”
Owen shook his head. Chalking up another win for the good guys would help balance out the times he hadn’t listened to his conscience at his old job.
“Oh my God!” Frankie’s gasp echoed down the hallway, and Owen hurried out of his office. He would’ve waited in the reception area, but his secretary had been batting her eyelashes so dramatically at him he’d almost googled if it was possible to strain your eyelids.
Alice was frozen in the doorway, her delicate features arranged into a look of mild horror. Outside, cameras clicked, and people jostled to get a better shot of her. Her hair was different today, falling in loose curls that skimmed the top of her breasts. Owen told himself that he didn’t know why he’d noticed that. He cleared his throat, his breath catching when her blue eyes locked on to his. She’d done something different with her make-up today too. Her lips were a soft pink.
Frankie jumped to her feet. “I’m so excited you’re here. I can show you around town if you’d like. Or maybe you need a friend to talk to? With everything going on in your life now? Oh my God, did you see Phoenix’s live serenade the other night? It was so sweet.” She was looking at Alice the way a child looks at a new puppy.
“Frankie.” Owen’s voice was low, heavy with warning. She either didn’t hear or chose to ignore him, rounding the counter so quickly Alice visibly recoiled, her back flush against the plate glass door.
“I loved Take a Chance on Love!” Frankie’s wide grin reminded him of those arcade clowns you throw balls at. “I’ve watched your season so many times. It’s the best one. When Phoenix proposed, it was so dreamy.”
“Frankie!” Owen sidestepped his secretary. “Alice, come through.” Her gaze snapped back to his face, her eyes widening for a second before returning to normal.
“Why’d you change your hair?” Frankie asked Alice. She pushed her frizzy brown hair behind her ears. “I’ve watched your crown braid YouTube tutorial a million times, but the twist is like … my hair goes the wrong way or something? Maybe you could …”
“Don’t you have something to do?” Owen looked pointedly at Frankie’s desk which was covered in scraps of paper and the rubbish from her lunchtime burrito. She’d offered to get him one when she’d ducked out for hers, but he’d declined.
“Could I just get a quick selfie …” Frankie trailed off when Owen glared at her.
He reached towards Alice, who was pressed up against the door so tightly she should really buy it dinner. He hesitated, remembering how she’d flinched when he touched her earlier, and stuffed his hand in his pocket. “I’ll meet you in my office,” he said, nodding towards the hallway when she looked at him blankly.
Dazed, she swallowed before squaring her shoulders and walking quickly to his office.
He waited until Alice had disappeared, turning to face Frankie. “Remember the NDA you signed? Not one word, please. If they come inside, come get me.”
Frankie nodded vigorously. “I was only trying to be friendly …”
“I’m sorry about that.” Owen closed the door and unbuttoned his jacket.
“It’s always nice to meet a fan.” Alice grimaced, rolling her head from one side to the other. “That’s a lie. It’s still weird to me that people know who I am. And most people forget there’s nothing real about social media and reality TV. She’s probably texting everyone about what a cow I am.”
When Alice looked back at him, her eyes were shiny. They were also extra blue today, like the deep water of the ocean. His gut told him the real Alice was nothing like who everyone thought she was. Owen straightened the papers he’d prepped on his desk and croaked out, “She won’t.”
