Page 58 of Hello Billionaire

“And do what?” he asked. “Stay at a hotel? I can't afford them. Especially with the child support I'm sending your way.”

“We both know the child support is far less than the judge would have given,” I said. “It just barely covers groceries for them with the way Levi eats. Besides, you always told me that I spent too much money. I'm surprised you're not rolling in cash now that I'm not there.”

His jaw clenched, and he looked away from me. “You're the one who took my kids away.”

“You're the one who treated our family like it was nothing.”

“Not our family,” he said.Just you,he didn't have to say.

I could feel angry tears building, and I was about to snap back, but then I heard Levi say, “Dad, you came!”

He was still several feet away from us, not close enough to hear our conversation. I looked away, blinking quickly as he gave Caleb a hug.

“Great job, buddy,” Caleb said. “Could use a little work on your batting and grounders, but sounds like the Ropers will help you with that.”

Levi’s smile fell, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, they've been working with me a lot lately. Hope it pays off.”

“Well, I want you to tell me all about it,” Caleb said, reaching for Levi’s gym bag. “I'm gonna take you and your siblings out for something to eat and then we'll hang out at a park or catch a movie or something.”

Levi looked overjoyed and surprised at the same time. “Are you for real?”

Caleb glanced at his watch and cringed. “I mean, it will have to be a quick dinner so I’m not driving back too late. Half an hour should be long enough for dinner, right?”

Levi looked at me, frowning. “Can’t Dad stay with us?”

I winced at the thought. If I had any money left after renting the house, setting up utilities, and furnishing it, I’d pay for a hotel stay myself.

“Come on, Mom,” Levi said. “You and Dad lived together for fifteen years. You can’t manage one night?”

There it was. The mom guilt. I promised I’d never be that parent making my kids worry about me and their father being in the same room together. And that started now. “He can sleep on the couch,” I said, forcing a smile.

Levi said, “I can sleep on the couch; you can take my bed, Dad. It's really nice.” Levi hadn’t spoken this many words in the last month. And even though I hated to have Caleb stay in my home, it felt good to have my son back.

But Caleb raised his eyebrows, because he knew his child support wasn't enough to pay for a ‘really nice’ bed. He’d meant to starve me out. “Better than the one at home?” Caleb finally asked.

“This is home,” I said, then I called Andrew and Cora over because I really just couldn't handle this conversation anymore. Maybe it would be easier one day to be around Caleb and not be so frustrated all the time. But right now, I hated seeing the way he treated the kids like they were his last priority. It was like assaulting an open wound. And I didn't know if I just never realized how terribly he treated me or if it had gotten worse since the divorce or if I had put up with it for so long that it was normal. But right now, I was over his behavior.

Another ball game was starting up as the kids and my parents came over, and I moved Cora's car seat over to Caleb’s truck so that they could go out. I loaded them in and told them I loved them. And then I stood by my parents and watched them drive away, my heart aching because this man, who could barely manage to call much less show up in person the last several months, was taking the biggest parts of my heart with him.

Mom put her arm around me, rubbing my shoulder. “Do you want to come over and watch a movie or something? Could be good to take your mind off things.”

It was a tempting offer, but I shook my head. “No, I have to do some chores around the house, especially before Caleb shows up and starts judging me.”

Dad said, “You know, he could stay at our place if you don’t want to be around him. Hell, I’ll pay for a hotel myself.”

“You’ve done more than enough, Dad. And the kids would never forgive me,” I said. Especially not now that they knew he was staying over.

He nodded. “Call us if you need anything. Anytime.”

“I will. I love you, Dad.” I gave him and Mom a hug and waved goodbye before getting in my car.

I drove back to the house, and for the rest of the afternoon, I cleaned up all the messes that had piled up over the week. Now the only time laundry and dishes got done was late at night after I was already exhausted and finished helping the kids with their homework or spending time with them. I knew Andrew especially got really lonely at his new school. He had a harder time making friends than the other two.

I ran a few loads of laundry and did the dishes, wiped off the counters and swept the floors, even though I knew I shouldn't care what Caleb thought anymore. I wanted him to see what a good life I had made for myself and the kids without him. I wanted him to walk in this house and see all the nice things we had and know that he had absolutely no part in it.

I ate dinner by myself, and just as headlights appeared through my front window, my phone pinged with a text.

Gage: I saw Levi’s team won today. Tell him good game for me.

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