Page 24 of She Belongs to Me (Cypress Cove)

“Come on, dear,” Jack said, his annoyance growing.

“No! I’m not leaving her,” Ashlie yelled, charging Adam.

Randy hustled Adam out of harm’s way just as she was going to pounce. Jack grabbed her arm.

“Control your client, Jack, or I’m calling the police.”

“You don’t need to do that.”

They quickly left the room, Randy closing the door behind them.

“Ashlie, I’ll drag you out of here if you don’t stop right now. You’re acting like a maniac and they have it all on tape now.”

“I want my baby,” she cried, stamping her foot.

“Yeah, well, it’s too late for that. You signed an agreement for visitation at Adam Spencer’s discretion.”

“I was coerced,” she cried.

“I wouldn’t doubt it, but you’re still married to the guy. That might not bode well with the judge.”

“You’re supposed to be Terry’s best friend,” she said, leering at him.

“Right now,you’remy client and I’m telling you that using the excuse that your husband, who you are still married to, coerced you, will not go over in a court of law. Think of another reason.”

She reached for a tissue from a box on the desk in the room and blew her nose. “Let’s go. I’m not even sure that baby is mine now.”

“Ashlie, that’s insane,” Jack said.

From the safety of Randy’s private office, Adam watched Ashlie and her attorney leave the building, Ashlie gesturing with her hands, her body language clearly angry, blaming Jack Armstrong for things out of his control.

“I don’t even know that Ashlie,” Adam said. A wave of sadness washed over him at the realization that he’d almost fallen in love with someone who had a cruel streak.

“You’re lucky,” Randy said. “I’ll walk you out just in case they’re lurking around a corner. I think you might even have grounds for a restraining order, Adam. If she attempts to see you without getting in touch first, let me know right away. I’ll keep that tape for the court hearing if she goes through with it. After this, she might give up.”

“I’ll have to allow her to see Adelaide. She’ll blame me for her not having a relationship with her mother.”

“Adam, she terminated her parental rights. You don’t get it. If you were to get married, your wife could adopt Adelaide without Ashlie’s approval.”

“Let’s go,” he said. “The walls are closing in on me. I’ve never had mental health issues that I can remember until Ashlie started this, and now I’ve got panic attacks and claustrophobia.”

They walked out to his car together, Adam pushing the stroller.

“How’s the single daddy thing working for you so far, before this rigmarole started?”

“It’s great because I’m home. When I have to go back to work, that will be the test. I figure women have been doing it for centuries.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure I could do it. I admire you, buddy.”

“When you have a kid someday, you’ll figure it out fast. It changes your DNA. At least it should. I guess there are selfish fathers. But I don’t see how they can do it.”

“I doubt if I’ll ever have a family. I don’t have the interest. Butch and Paulina raised you differently than I was,” Randy said. “My father acted like kids made him nervous.”

They laughed while Adam took the baby out of her stroller and buckled her in the infant car seat.

“You remember my old man, standing at the sink in an apron, don’t you? That was my role model,” Adam said.

“Butch is a real family man,” Randy replied.

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