Page 35 of Cedarwood Manny

“See you.” He waited for her to climb behind the wheel of her car, then he settled on his driver’s seat. He closed the car door as she drove away. Once satisfied she was gone, he backed out of his parking spot, then left the property. His phone rang and he pressed the button on the console. “Hello?”

“Adrien.”

He fought the wave of nausea. “Gerry?”What in the hell does he want?

“How are you, babe?”

“Confused,” Adrien said. “Why are you calling me? You said you never wanted to speak to me.” He sped down the main drag of Cedarwood. “You hate my guts. What do you want to discuss?”

“Our son.”

“Huh.”Odd.Gerry had given up custody of Kyle. He’d requested his parental rights be severed and insisted on his name being removed from the birth certificate. Once he’d left court, Gerry hadn’t looked back. “What about him?”Does Gerry even remember Kyle’s name?

“You’ve got a manny.”

“So? I had a nanny, too.”

“He’s handsome and young.”

“Get to the point,” Adrien said.

“I don’t like the guy,” Gerry said. “I’m not sure he’s the right influence on our son. I’ve checked into him and he’s not good enough.”

“He was cleared by the state.” Adrien trusted the background check done by the state. “Next problem.”

“You’re angry.” Gerry clicked his tongue. “It’s not a good look for you.”

“How do you know what I look like?” He turned onto his street. “I’m on my way home and I’m not sure what you want.”

“You.”

“Liar.” He knew better. “Let me guess. You got a sniff of my new manny and want to see him in person? You want to see if, since he’s younger than we are, he might be interested in you? You might win him over and get back at me? Or am I missing the point?”

“You’re too angry,” Gerry said. “You’re reading too much into this. I want you. I still love you and wish we hadn’t divorced.”

“Right.” He pulled into his driveway. “Daniel or whoever you’re with right now wouldn’t marry you. You’re smarting because you’ve been turned down. Look, I’m home and I need to go inside. If there’s nothing else, I’ll let you go.”

“I want to see Kyle.”

“Gerry.” The man had no play, yet he still insisted on making demands.

“What? He’s my son, too.”

“You gave him up.” He turned the car off after he pulled into the garage.

“I’ve changed my mind.”

“You terminated your rights. Besides, it’s been two years since you’ve seen him.” He wasn’t in the mood to deal with his ex-husband.

“I’m not the same man. I want to see him—and you. Please?” Gerry asked.

He should say no. Kyle had few memories of Gerry and no connection with him. “Only in public and only if the manny is present…and only for an hour.”

“You’re full of rules.”

“Non-negotiable rules,” Adrien snapped. “Take it or leave it.”

“I’m not evil.”

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