Page 65 of A Way Out
“Okay, I, uh—can you go over there and grab my phone for me, please? I’m going to use the bathroom, and then we’ll go downstairs and find something to eat.”
When her back was turned, he bounced out of bed and ran to the bathroom, closing the door smartly behind him. He didn’t have any clean clothes in here, but there was a robe hanging on the back of the door, so he wrapped it around his body and returned to the bedroom to pull a shirt and shorts out of his suitcase.
“One more minute,” he promised and then returned to the bathroom to get dressed.
When he was done, he took the phone she gave him, slipped it into his pocket, and, hands clasped, they headed down the stairs to the kitchen.
He was placing a plate of French toast in front of Riley when his phone vibrated. But the phone he tugged out of his pocket wasn’t his—it was Maria’s. And the name on the screen was “Tim.”
Who the hell was Tim?
Wait, he had no reason to be jealous. Maria wasn’t like that. Besides, knowing her, it was probably something to do with the band.
“I’ll be right back, Riley. This call is for your mom.”
He took the stairs two at a time, but the call had already gone to voice mail before he could get it to Maria.
She stepped out of the bathroom with her toothbrush in her mouth. She wore a silky, short robe, and he found himself unable to resist gliding over to her and wrapping his arms around her while he kissed her neck.
She laughed and pushed him away so she could rinse out her mouth and drop her toothbrush into the holder.
He gave her a scorching hot kiss the moment her lips were free.
“Wow. What was that for?” she asked.
“Because you’re amazing. And hot. Oh, and I’m guessing you’re probably making us even more money.” He offered up the phone. The voice mail banner flashed on the screen.
Maria frowned as she swiped the screen open and listened to the voice mail. Her frown intensified. He caught a man’s voice saying, “…really need to speak to you as soon as possible, Maria. Call me back the minute you get this.”
That didn’t sound like band-related business. There was an urgency to the guy’s voice that didn’t fit with the success they were currently seeing. Plus, Oz would know the name if he were tied so closely to the band that he needed to speak to Maria urgently.
“Who is it?” he asked.
She shook her head and pointed at the glass patio doors. “I’m going to take this outside. I’ll be down in a bit.” She walked away without a backward glance.
What the hell?
Her lawyer answered on the first ring. “Tim, hi, it’s Maria. You’re making calls awfully early on a Monday morning.”
“Unfortunately, this one couldn’t wait.”
“Oh. What’s wrong?”
She heard his deep inhale, and then he said, “I can’t be your lawyer anymore, Maria. It’s now become a conflict of interest.”
“A…what?” He couldn’t be her lawyer? Why not? Tim worked for the firm Maria’s father kept on retainer for his business. He was only a few years older than Maria. They’d known each other since they were children.
“There is no easy way to say this. Vic is suing for full custody, Maria. And he’s hired me as his lawyer.”
Vic is suing for full custody? “Is this because I forgot to call him back yesterday?”
It was extreme, but what else could it be? Vic barely spent any time with Riley. He hardly knew his own daughter. Raising their child was Maria’s responsibility, according to him. Now he wanted full custody?
“This doesn’t make sense,” she said. “Why?”
“I can’t talk to you about this, Maria. He’s already put me on retainer. I’m sorry.”
“But you’re my family’s lawyer…” And that was the kicker.
