Page 25 of Almost Paradise

“Two things. One, I’m not changing his name. He’s Carter Nathanial Nash. If you wanted him to have your name, maybe you shouldn’t have been a deadbeat. Two, get the hell out of my face and out of my house.”

I walk past him and go back inside. The living room is now a mess with opened packages and various toys strewn about. My mom and dad are putting together a small table. I return to the kitchen in search of a trash bag when Audrey walks in.

“It’s not a lawsuit,” she says, taking a big, relieved breath. “I was dying to tell him to take his list of pre-schools and shove it where the sun don’t shine, and to take his lawyer with him.”

If I say a word, I’m going to burst into tears, so I yank a trash bag out of the box and return to the living room to pick up after the boys.

Chapter 17

Drake

“What the hell were you thinking? If you had told me this was your plan, I would have told you to dial it back. You’re unbelievable, man.” Wyatt shakes his head at me in disbelief.

“Why does everything have to be a fight with her?” I run my hand through my hair. “She was never like that before.”

“You mean before when you were having wild sex without consequences? Well, no consequences for you. Look, you can’t just waltz in there all these years later and start calling the shots. She’s been doing it on her own for three years. This,” he says, holding up the torn paper, “is an insult. She’s doing the best she can with what she has. You can’t barge in and hand her a list of fifty-thousand-dollar schools. What world do you live in?”

“Well, I don’t expect her to pay for them. I will. These schools are better.”

“Drake, the kid is three. He colors outside the lines and takes a nap. These expensive ass schools aren’t doing anything all that different. Relax. You just got here.”

“What makes you such an expert? You don’t have any kids. You have no girlfriend. You don’t even have a goldfish.”

“I’m a kid of divorced parents, and my dad was an asshole. He was barely there. Hardly gave a shit but felt it was his right to tell the parent who was doing all the work how to do it.”

“I’m not an asshole,” I tell him. “And I don’t need you here.” He showed up at my house first thing this morning and insisted on coming with me. I tried to talk him out of it but couldn’t.

“You do, and I’m going to be your friend whether you want it or not. Forget this.” He waves the papers around. “They don’t matter. At least not yet. What matters now is that you bond with Carter.” He puts a hand on my shoulder. “Come on.”

I don’t move. I stand there, uncaring about the dropping temperature. “She doesn’t believe me. She thinks I blew her off and that I’m only back now because I feel guilty. That hurts.” I run my hands over my face. “How can she believe that after what we shared? It wasn’t just sex for me. It was more. It was everything.”

“Did you ever tell her that?” When I remain quiet, he asks, “Why not? Why didn’t you tell her? I see the way you look at her now, so I can’t even imagine what it was like when you were together.”

“No Paradise is ever to dip their pen in the company ink. That was Dad’s only rule.”

“Is that the only reason?”

“Yes! Don’t even bring up that my father was a racist. He wasn’t. Just look at his legacy. I refuse to believe he did what she’s accusing him of.” I shove at his chest, wishing he’d shove me back.

“You need to talk to Howard. Until you deal with that, it will always be in the way.” I open my mouth to tell him to go to hell, but he says, “I’ll help you.”

“I don’t need your—”

The loud tapping on the window prevents me from finishing my sentence. It’s Carter and Kyle. Carter is gesturing for me to come in, but Kyle is pointing at Wyatt. I go to my son.

“Uncle Wyatt, you want to play video games?” Kyle reaches for Wyatt’s hand. I hear a loud snort.

“He’s not your uncle,” Audrey mumbles. Kyle doesn’t care. He pulls Wyatt back to the living room.

“Daddy, you want to play with my Piderman?” He holds up the action figure, and my heart melts. He flicks his wrist and I pretend to be tied up in his imaginary spider web. He pulls me back to the living room.

Nia is running around on autopilot picking up after the mess the boys made. The hostility is still there from everyone except Wyatt and the kids, but I don’t care. I sit on the floor and play with my son.

Chapter 18

Drake

“Will you come take me to school tomowwo?” His mother goes stiff from across the room. “I want my friends to see my daddy.”

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