Page 15 of A New Chapter
Apparently, she decided she didn’t want to push him. She stepped inside and Colton heard her calling for his father.
Colton blew out a shaky breath as an adrenaline spike hit his system.
When she returned, his father was behind her, and Colton nearly laughed out loud.
I was afraid ofhim?
David Oakes could barely walk, and looked like he’d gained at least a hundred pounds since Colton had last seen him. And he had a good three inches in height on the man, at least.
He scowled at Colton for a moment before glaring at Ross. “What’s going on?”
Ross offered a devilish smile. “I’m about to save you and your charming wife tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, bail money, and embarrassment with your church, Mr. Oakes. You’re going to sign over custody of Clayton, right now. Then youwillgive me any and all personal paperwork you have for Clayton—birth certificate, Social Security number, medical records, school records, baby pictures—allof it. Then we’re going to get in our car, drive away, and you’llneverhave to be inconvenienced by me again.”
The attorney’s smile widened. “Or, you can piss me off, which your wife pretty much has already done, and I’ll have you thrown in jail. Your call.”
The man lumbered his way down the rickety metal stairs that looked like they could barely hold him. “Where do I sign?”
Ross’ smile changed, now friendly and warm. “Iknewyou were a smart and reasonable gentleman. Right this way…”
Five minutes later, Colton’s mother and father had signed Clayton away, much as Colton remembered them doing for him twenty years ago. Loren witnessed everything, and they gave his parents copies of the papers.
“And now, paperwork for Clayton?” Ross asked.
Colton’s mom went inside and returned a moment later with a grubby old banker’s box that looked like his father had sat on it at some point. She plopped it down on the hood of Rom’s car. “There.”
Rom stepped back from it and Colton bit his tongue to stay quiet as Ross opened the box and rifled through it, removing a Social Security card, which he handed to Colton, along with Clayton’s birth certificate. It was less than a third full, and Colton spotted some pictures in there, too. He hoped there were baby pictures.
If not, it’d be a shame, but they’d start making new memories with Clayton.
“Does he have any other personal belongings? Ross asked. “We’ll take them, too.”
“No,” she said. “We took everything to the church thrift shop yesterday. Wasn’t much.” She finally looked at Colton, an evil glare in her eyes that would have chilled him years ago.
Today, it only made him sad.
And angry.
Ross looked at Colton and tipped his head, his meaning clear.
Colton stared at them. “You know, I’m supposed to be on my honeymoon this week. But now I have to try to put my little brother’s life back together, because you evil people can’t seem to understand there’s nothing wrong with me, or with him.”
Both their jaws gaped.
“You…you got married?” she asked.
Oooh, it was evil, but he knew right where her mind went, and he decided to play it for maximum impact. “Yep. Had a huge wedding on Saturday, all our friends and family. Loren married us. Everyone said it was beautiful. And you two missed it.”
“Well…who is she? Why didn’t you tell us you turned straight again?”
Rom snorted, but stayed quiet, apparently enjoying this as much as Colton now was.
“No, no no no. You don’t get to be part of our lives now, Mom. You’re as dead to me as I was to you.”
“But if you could turn straight, then maybe he could, too!”
Loren snickered.
“Well, how about I reenact our first kiss for you, then?” He pulled Rom in for a long, deep kiss that was definitely a lot more X-rated than the one they had Saturday.
