Page 106 of Wed to You-
Mitch took his time walking over to the car. He looked in thebackside window, where Kaden sat.
“I’ve gotta go, Mitch.”
“You know I can’t let you do that. While I will arrest you, I’d much rather follow you back home to your loving wife and stuffy servants.”
Jagger scoffed. There was nothing loving about Chelsea’s actions. “You can’t arrest me. I’m not actually doing anything illegal.”
“We both know that technically that’s not true.” Mitch’s features softened. “Jagger, man. This will only end badly. You’ll lose him for good.”
“Jagger. Are you gonna let me out?” Kaden knocked on the window, unable to exit the car because of childproof locks.
“Give me a minute, buddy.” Jagger turned back to Mitch. “You don’t understand.”
“I don’t understand losing a child, no. But from where I stand, he’s not lost. Chels says you have joint custody. That’s good.”
“It’s not good.”
“If his mother messes up, you’ll be there. You’ll probably be able to get full custody if that happens. If she doesn’t mess up, then he gets a loving mother and a father figure. What kid doesn’t deserve that?”
There was a part of Jagger that could see Mitch’s point. The part of him that had worked so hard to give Kaden what he’d never had, who felt betrayed by the system and his wife, couldn’t quite let go.
“There is a third option here.”
“Which is?”
“You let me take Kaden home and you can run off to wherever you plan to go. Although, in that scenario, Kaden loses you. He’ll lose you if you run, too. You’ll be found and put in jail. All rights, even these part-time ones, will be terminated. Plus you run the risk of Kaden someday resenting you for trying to keep him from his mother.”
Jagger sagged against the car as all the fight evaporated from him.
Mitch put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re a great dad, Jagger.Kaden needs you in his life. Don’t let him down.”
Jagger knew there was no way Mitch was going to let him go. The last thing he wanted was for Kaden to watch Mitch arrest him. He nodded and got back in the car.
“Change of plans, buddy. We’re going home.”
“No adventure?” Kaden’s voice sounded disappointed.
“Not today.” Jagger waited until Mitch moved his vehicle, then he pulled out. As he took the road leaving the small county airport, he realized he needed to tell Kaden about the new custody arrangement. “How about ice cream?”
“Can I get dipped?”
Jagger’s voice caught. “Yeah, buddy, you can.”
He pulled into the ice cream shop, with Mitch right behind him. He let Kaden out of the car. When Mitch rolled down his window, he told him, “I need to tell him what’s going on.”
Mitch nodded and killed the engine then exited his vehicle. “I’ll get one too and wait here.”
Jagger ordered two swirled, dipped cones and led Kaden to one of the outside tables. “I need to talk to you about something.”
“Okay.” Kaden climbed into the seat then took his cone from Jagger.
Jagger sat across from him and wondered how the hell he was going to explain the situation to Kaden. Worse, how would Kaden take it? “You know how you’ve been visiting your mom?”
“Yep.” Kaden took a bite of the ice cream, breaking off a big chunk of chocolate.
Jagger reached over, taking the big hunk hanging out of Kaden’s mouth with a napkin.
“Yum.”
