Page 87 of Playing the Game
“For?”
“For its safety. For it to have a parent who isn’t a golddigger.” I run my hand through my hair and scoot against the other side of the sofa.
“Those are valid concerns.”
“Maybe if I can show Dorothy I can be a good father and get her job reinstated, I’ll have a chance to win her back.”
Jonah reaches for his drink. “Don’t get involved with this baby if you’re using it as a way to win Dori’s love. It’s not fair to the kid.”
Is that what I would be doing?
The answer is a big fat yes.
I sigh. “You’re right. Besides, how can I love something I never wanted?”
Jonah analyzes me for a moment before taking a sip of his scotch. “Let me give you something to chew on before you decide.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Our mother left us, and we both know how shitty that feels. Our dad raised us and has stood by us throughout our lives. Decide who you want to be like for your kid and go from there.”
In a second, I know my choice. “Fuck, if you didn’t just hit me in the face with a two-by-four.”
“Be a good man, Hunter, and do the right thing by your child. Otherwise, you’re no better than the woman who birthed us.”
I look Jonah square in the eyes. “Do you think I’m a bad person for giving up my first kid?”
“No. You were twenty years old and having an affair with an older married woman. What you did then was the most responsible choice you could’ve made, but this time is different.”
“Other than the mother being married, how is it different?”
“You’re dealing with a woman you know nothing about.Don’t play games with your child’s life and hope for the best. Give this baby a fighting chance.”
I get up to retrieve my scotch. “What if being involved with me is the worst thing for this kid?”
“Hunter, give yourself some credit. You’re going to be a good father. You just need to get used to the idea.” Jonah follows me to the bar area. “Have you thought about what you’re going to tell Dori?”
“No. If I tell her, there’s no way she’ll come back to me.”
“The only way you get her back is if she’s working at Efron Worldwide.” He stands on the other side of the bar. “With Jamison living in Miami and Dori thinking about moving with him, it’s your only hope.”
“I know. It’s all a mess. Even if she comes back to work for us, she doesn’t want to be a part of Isabella’s life. And I can’t blame her.”
Jonah scratches the back of his head. “Take one thing at a time.”
“I’m trying, but I need your advice on something else.” I top off our drinks. “Ava told me something about her agreement with our mother.”
“You mean there’s more?”
“A lot more. I went to confront her about the betting chip to see if I could figure out if Jamison was the target of our mother’s wrath or if it was Dorothy.”
“And?”
“She told me that the baby portion of their agreement included a payment to Ava in exchange for her handing the baby over to our mother.”
“How much?”
“One hundred million.”
