Page 49 of Can't Get Over You
“Give us the backstory.” Wyatt sat on the ottoman. “Marco died a year ago. Where’s the boy been living since then?”
“South Dakota,” Jude said. “With his grandfather. But Carlo was already dealing with hip issues, so he couldn’t handle raising the boy on his own. That’s why he moved into the club.”
“He’s eighty-six, though, right?” Boone asked. “What happens after he comes back?”
Leave it to his family to get right to the point. “First of all, a judge has to grant me temporary guardianship, and who knows if that’ll happen. But even if it does, it only lasts ninety days. I have no idea what happens after that.”
An image struck of Cody gazing up at him, eyes glazed with tears. Lost. Scared. Confused.
“Unless you start the process, he’ll either go into the system or back to the club, right?” Boone asked.
“Process?” But even as he said it, he knew exactly what his brother meant. Adoption.
He’d never seen himself as dad material.He wasn’t the type to put down roots. Buy a minivan. Get a real job. The idea of making sure the kid had three meals a day and washed behind his ears seemed foreign to him.
Yet… It was a very real possibility. “We’ll have to see what Carlo wants.”
“And if he does?” his dad asked.
“I don’t think I could say no. Which is wild because two days ago…” He didn’t bother finishing the sentence. It didn’t matter who he was two days ago. That life was over. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and stared into his steaming mug of coffee.
“What’re you thinking?” Wyatt asked.
When he looked up, he found all three of them watching him, as if his emotions were playing across a big screen. “Even if I’m open to it, there’s not a chance in hell a Calamity judge is going to let me adopt a kid. I think we all know I’m the worst guy in the world to do that.”
“Not really,” Wyatt said. “A serial killer would be worse.”
“No, a cult leader,” Boone said. “For sure.”
“You got me there.” Wyatt nodded.
“Would you shut up?” Jude couldn’t believe they’d fuck around at a time like this.
For about three seconds, they both looked contrite. Until Wyatt snapped his fingers and said, “Pennywise. You know that crazy-ass clown from the Stephen King movie? Now, that dude would hands-down be the worst.”
“Oh fuck, man.” Boone shuddered. “That’s probably my only memory of the club. Waking up one night to find a bunch of guys watching it. I about pissed my pants.” He shot a look at both brothers. “I didn’t, so don’t start with me. I did not piss my pants.”
“You know who’d really be the worst, though?” Wyatt asked. “Farrah fromTeen Mom.”
“Teen what?” Boone asked.
“It’s a reality TV show about pregnant teens,” Wyatt said.
“Since when do you watch shit like that?” his dad asked.
“Not me.” Wyatt held up both hands. “It’s what they’ve got playing in the break room at the clinic.”
“If you dumbasses are done, do you think we could get back to my situation?” Jude asked. “Or do you want to compare your favorite hair products first?”
“Actually, I used someone else’s shampoo at the station last week,” Boone said. “It smelled like fruit salad. Made my hair nice and soft.” He flicked Jude’s hair. “You should try it, Straw man.”
“I don’t have—” Jude began.
“Boys,” his dad snapped before turning his attention to Jude. “Let’s be clear on something. You don’thaveto do anything. You can go back to Florida and get on with your life. It’s been twelve years since you were friends with Marco, so nothing says you have to raise his kid.”
“I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t.” Jude paced across the spacious room, which had six Murphy beds hidden in the walls, closets stacked with enough food to keep them fed for ten years, and shelves filled with books, satellite equipment, board games, flashlights, and lanterns. “I owe it to him.”
“Did you know Marco nearly got arrested for stealing motorcycles?” Boone asked. “Griffin James was hauling a bunch of custom bikes to a show, and he and his guys went inside the shop to grab the last one. When they came back out, they found him and his friends trying to pull one off the truck.”
