Page 126 of Single Mom's Guide to Love

“I mean…” I trail off for a second, because again, this sounds bananas. Or does it? I don’t have a second to ponder that because at that moment an email notification pings from my computer.

“Is it the footage?” Kat asks as I walk to go check it.

“What footage?” Maeve asks as she follows me.

I fill her in on the email we found with the pictures, and that a friend of mine was pulling security footage for me.

“I know that place,” Maeve says as we start to watch the tape. “It’s not far from Josh’s house. I used to go there occasionally if I was running early to pick up Jayce.”

The three of us are all on high alert as we watch the time lapsed footage. We know the email was sent around six o’clock, but since not all chairs are visible in the footage, we have to watch every second to see when customers come in.

“I think I’m going cross-eyed,” Kat says. “For the love of God, Vivian, just show your overfilled face so we can get on with this!”

As if she willed it into existence, in the next minute the three of us watch Vivian walk into the coffee shop, laptop bag in hand.

To her credit, she tried to disguise herself with a ball cap and oversized clothing. Too bad we were all on a mission to spot her.

“There! We got it!” Maeve announces. “Let’s go fucking get her.”

“Not yet,” I say, starting to bring up programs that will help me get into Vivian’s computer and email. “We need more.”

“More? We’ve proved she was there! She fucking sent the email!”

“He’s right,” Kat says, doing her best to calm Maeve down. “Right now we have a hunch and circumstance. What we need is evidence.”

I take Maeve’s hand in mine. “Let me find the proof. Because if I do, and it’s in fact her, this ends forever. Names cleared. Custody case dropped. It will all be behind us, and we’ll go back to the calm. It’s going to take a few days, but I promise, it’ll be worth it to put all of this behind us.”

Maeve nods, and when she closes her eyes, I think she might fall asleep standing up. “Please, Logan.”

“I got this,” I say, kissing her forehead. “I’m going to fix this for you. I promise.”

guide to love rule #117

Never sleep on the computer geeks. They have a specific set of skills that will at some point come in handy.

36

maeve

I’ve never felt moreout of control of my life than I have over the past five days. I felt like I was out of my body, and watching my life explode in front of me. All I could see was that with one set of leaked photos, and a dumb decision I made when I was twenty, I was going to lose my child, my business, and my husband.

I couldn’t see straight. Thank God I had Logan beside me, who even though I was bringing down his name with mine, didn’t seem to care. No, all he cared about was getting to the bottom of it and doing anything he could, or calling in any favor, to make that happen.

Which is how we’re standing here on my ex’s doorstep, ready to confront them with proof Logan assures me will end all of this.

And I mean, he has a point. When he showed me everything he found, it was like a treasure chest that kept on giving.

“You ready?” Logan asks, holding my hand as we step up to Josh’s front door.

“Yes. Let’s end this once and for all.”

I knock on the door, though Josh knows we’re coming. In just a few seconds, he’s opened the door, but no Vivian to be seen.

“Maeve. Logan. Come in.”

Neither Logan nor I respond verbally, just nodding our heads as we try and assess Josh’s demeanor. Logan thinks he’s also responsible, or at the minimum in the know, but I don’t think so. When I messaged him earlier asking to talk, his answers were normal. He didn’t freak out about me asking for Vivian to be there as well, nor did he make mention of the photos. My guess is that he’s living under a rock, doesn’t know my boobs are on display for the internet to see, or has no idea what we’re about to drop on him. Possibly all of the above.

“Thanks for seeing us on short notice,” I say, sitting on one of his couches, Logan sitting right next to me. I keep my purse tight to my body as it has the folder that contains all of our findings, which also makes me feel like I have a bomb on my lap.

---