Page 100 of The Moment You Know

She sat there, a little stunned at his fury. And even though she didn’t like Ashley, she still felt a tad worried for the woman, because it was obvious that something wicked was coming her way.

Paige really wished she could be there to see it.

Chapter 38

Before David even got to the parking lot, he was calling Valerie.

“Hey, Mom,” he said, surprised when his voice sounded almost normal because he felt like the Hulk right before he lost his shit. “Listen, I know I was going to pick up Jacob after my meeting with Paige, but there’s been a change of plans—”

“Are you kidding?” Her voice was incredibly loud in his ear. “Don’t tell me you weren’t able to talk to her again, because I swear to God—”

“No.” Her freaking out actually calmed him down a little, giving him something other than his own freak-out to focus on. “I talked to her. Not about her book, but … we ended up talking about something else, and I’ll tell you all about it later,” he promised. “Anyway, I was hoping you could do me a favor and keep Jacob until Sunday.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“I have some shit to take care of and I don’t want him around for it, in case it gets ugly.”

“Shit between you and Ashley?”

His mom swearing almost made him smile; it always sounded so awkward when she did it. “Yes.”

There was a long pause on her end of the phone, in which he could practically hear the questions running through her mind, before she said, “I can keep him for as long as you need.”

Chapter 39

Since Valerie had a decent arsenal of toys and clothes for Jacob at her house, it simplified things for David. So, rather than having to pack a bag and take it to his mom’s house, he was able to stop by the studio, instead, and take care of a little business.

The building was dark and empty as he let himself in, and after logging onto the main computer at Ashley’s desk, he searched through the trash folder first, figuring that’s where the emails from Paige would likely be. When he didn’t find them there, he clicked on the garbage can icon at the bottom of the screen and opened it, finding that it hadn’t been emptied in forever.

The emails were there. After printing hard copies of them, he texted Evan.

DAVID: Are you busy tomorrow?

DICK: I work at two.

DAVID: Can you switch with Evelyn or Everett?

DICK: Why?

DAVID: I need your help. It’s really important.

DICK: Evelyn will tell me to piss off. Let me check with Everett and then I’ll get back to you.

DAVID: Thanks.

DICK: Don’t thank me yet. Everett might tell me to piss off, too.

After locking up the studio again, David drove home and had just poured himself a glass of bourbon when Ashley came into the kitchen. She’d changed from her work clothes into yoga pants and his vintage Led Zeppelin T-shirt, making him frown. He wasn’t a fan of her wearing his shirts—they were his goddamn shirts, after all. He didn’t go around wearing hers, did he?

Without a word, he took his drink and sat down at the table, laying the printed emails face down in front of him. Her expression wary, she watched him for a few moments before taking the chair across from him.

“I ordered a pizza for dinner,” she told him. “It should be here soon.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Not even if I got sausage and pepperoni on it?”

That made him frown, not because the thought of pizza with meat didn’t appeal to him, but rather because the inclusion of meat screamed pandering.

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