Page 67 of Reforming Hunt
“Not here, darling,” Vivian said. “Open it in the bedroom while your grandfather and I talk to your mother. Don’t forget to close the door.”
Shit.This didn’t sound good.
Abby nodded at her son, who’d looked up for approval. Noah ran off and slammed the door behind him. She’d have to remind him about closing doors quietly. Later.
She walked toward the couch and sat, gesturing for Noah’s grandparents to do the same. “Is everything okay?”
Vivian looked at her husband. “We heard about the accident at the resort where your husband works. Why didn’t you tell us?”
Abby swallowed. “The workers called for help immediately, and everything turned out fine.” Notfine. Abby would have nightmares of that afternoon for the rest of her life, but Noah was safe. That was all that mattered.
“We were told a worker in the children’s program had lost our grandchild. That Noah had snuck off and climbed onto a boat and drove out into the lake. He could have been killed. Supposedly, your husband carelessly skipped work that day and they were short-staffed.”
Abby couldn’t imagine Kaylee, or any of the other Club Kids workers, saying that about Hunt, but obviously Vivian had a purpose for this visit. “It was an accident. In fact, Hunt was the one to rescue Noah. Noah loves the club and the time he spends there. I’m sure they’ll put more policies in place so that it never happens again.”
“They lost my grandchild, Abby. Your son.”
Abby let out a breath. She knew Vivian would never give this one up. “No one is more aware of that than I am.”
Vivian glanced at her husband then back at Abby. “Darling, I know we’ve had our disagreements, but hear me out. We’d like to help you.”
Help her? They’d never offered to help. And the times she’d asked, they’d flaked and made things worse for Abby.
“We’d like to relieve you of the financial responsibilities you’ve faced since Trevor’s passing. It’s why you married that man, isn’t it?”
Abby didn’t answer. She was terrible at lying. Also, she wasn’t so certain anymore of the reasons she’d married Hunt. She worried it had been for more than security and protection for Noah. She’d liked Hunt and wanted him for herself.
“Don’t answer now,” Vivian said. “Just listen. We’d like to cover all of Noah’s expenses: private schools, clothing, food, his housing.”
“I don’t understand,” Abby said. “You’ve never offered to help before.”
Vivian pursed her mouth. “That was unkind of us. And once we heard our only grandchild could have seriously been harmed, we sat down and talked about how we could have prevented such a frightening situation. If Noah lived with us—”
“Lived with you?” Abby jumped up. “No.”
Vivian stood, but her expression was kind. “We don’t want to take Noah from you, Abby.”
Abby threw up her hands. “But you want him to live with you. How is that any different?”
“You could visit as often as you like and have shared legal custody. But he would be in our physical custody.”
Abby was about to object again, rudely, when Vivian put her hand on Abby’s forearm. It took everything she had not to pull away. “I promise I’m not trying to take Noah,” Vivian said. “I truly want to help. But it would be easier if he lived in our home. We have so much to offer him. The best education money can buy. Anything he needs.”
She meant financially. Trevor’s parents were loaded. They could give Noah a life Abby would never be able to provide. Not on her own. She’d always have to depend on someone else.
It had been a pipe dream to think she’d ever finish her degree and provide for her son. She’d always been in over her head.
God, was she seriously considering this?
When she thought about it, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was being selfish, holding on to Noah, when his grandparents could offer him so much more. If Vivian wasn’t lying, and Abby could visit Noah as often as she liked, this could be a way for Abby to make sure her son was well provided for and still be a part of his life. “I don’t know.”
Vivian smiled. “That’s all we wanted. For you to think about it. Take your time.” She walked toward the door, with her husband silent at her side.
Noah’s grandfather sent Abby a kind smile.
“We’ll be in touch,” Vivian said, and walked out, her husband behind her.
Abby sank back onto the couch. Most of Noah’s life, she’d felt like a failure of a mother. She should have pressured Trevor into putting together a will and trust so that Noah would be provided for. She should have insisted they marry. Anything would have been better than losing Trevor and risking her son’s security.
