Chapter Thirty-Two

Jake

Janice was crossing one too many lines. I didn’t know what the hell that woman’s obsession with me was, but I was tired of it. She thought I threw around my money and power. She had no idea what that looked like, but she was about to find out. I hated that Avery got caught in the crosshairs. Janice didn’t like me. Her beef was with me. She didn’t like me simply because I was wealthy. The woman had a chip the size of Texas on her shoulder.

I thumbed through my contact list and found the number I was looking for. I pushed the button, impatiently waiting for someone to answer.

“This is Jake Colter. I need to talk to George, please,” I added as an afterthought.

“Let me check and see if he’s available.”

“Make him available,” I growled.

I was put right through. That was what the money did. I felt a brief pang of guilt for using my name in that way, but I was desperate. Money talked. Right now, that was a very good thing.

“She just showed up at my wife’s job threatening to keep Iris from us. She keeps insisting the marriage is fake. Can she do that? Is that legal?” I blurted out, not bothering to explain who I was talking about. I had been talking to George every day this week about the woman. Her name wasn’t needed.

I heard him drag in a breath. “I don’t think it’s illegal. I can certainly file a report alleging bias. I don’t know if it will do much to help you gain custody, but we can at least get the woman investigated. She is using her position to get information on you that has no bearing on her investigation. That is something we can potentially pursue after the custody hearing is out of the way. We can’t rock the boat.”

“How can she be allowed to make recommendations when she formed an opinion before she even completed the investigation?” I asked. “She doesn’t like me. Can’t we ask to get a different caseworker?”

“Let’s see how the hearing goes. A judge may see through her own biased opinions. I think you’re getting upset over nothing. It hasn’t happened yet.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “She all but told me there was no way I would get Iris. She isn’t going to recommend we get custody. What if she decides to pursue this fake marriage crap? Could we be facing some legal charges because of what she thinks?” I asked, suddenly realizing I may have opened a can of worms I wasn’t prepared to deal with.

“She can’t prove that. Don’t let her ruffle your feathers.”

I guffawed. “They are ruffled.”

“We’ll file a motion should your petition be denied. But, I need you to understand, it isn’t easy to fight the family courts. They aren’t like a regular court. They stand behind their choices, claiming it is in the best interest of the child. That’s tough to argue,” he explained. “For the most part, I believe they are doing what they can to help kids. We don’t want to come out swinging if we don’t have to.”

“You’re damn straight we’re going to fight it if we’re denied. I’ll be swinging for the fences if that woman gets between my niece and me. How can they deny me? I’m the damn uncle!”

“I understand, Mr. Colter, and it would have to be something serious for them to reject your petition. You have a good chance of pleading your case to the judge. They don’t like to separate families if they don’t have to. You look good on paper. Your wife has a bond with the child. Don’t worry about anything yet. Let’s wait for the hearing notice. Janice is blowing smoke,” he said in a gruff voice.

“Fine, but can we get a restraining order or something to keep that woman from bothering either one of us again?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You don’t want to cause more problems if you don’t have to. I know it’s hard, but you need to sit back and let the system do its thing. Let’s see how it plays out. Then we’ll make a move.”

I groaned. I was not the sit and wait type. It didn’t sit right with me. I needed action. I needed to know I was doing something. It made me crazy to think my entire life was hanging on Janice’s opinion. It didn’t seem right. It was an injustice I wasn’t used to dealing with.

“I’ll wait,” I conceded. “But I swear, if this thing goes bad, I want that woman’s head on a spike.”

He laughed. “Be careful with the threats. Those government workers get pretty jumpy when you start tossing out threats. They circle the wagons and come out with guns blazing.”

I chuckled, feeling a little better about the situation. George was a good old boy. He was a wheeler and dealer and fond of backroom deals. It was that kind of shady dealing that got things done. I hadn’t met a successful lawyer who wasn’t a shark. George was a shark, which was why I didn’t mind paying his exorbitant fees.

“All right, George. I’m leaving it in your hands. Don’t let me down.”

“Good. In the meantime, you and your wife keep proving you are happily married and can provide the best home for the child. I’ll take care of things on my end. Don’t you worry.”

“We will,” I vowed. “We will. And don’t let me down, George.”

We ended the call. I felt marginally better. I knew what Janice was going to do. There was no doubt in my mind the woman was going to do everything in her power to keep Iris from us—permanently. If the judge agreed with her, we would have to go into another court battle. I dreaded the thought, knowing it was stealing away precious time from Iris and me. I would do it, though. I would spend every last dollar I had to make it happen. I wasn’t ready to give up, and I had confidence in my lawyer, but what if the worst happened? I couldn’t deal with that.

Once again, I found myself climbing the walls. I had to get a treadmill in the place. I didn’t really like running outside. It was hot. I much preferred the air-conditioned gym or office I was used to. Arizona was hot, like really hot. I headed upstairs to change and got ready to pound the pavement.

As I ran, I thought about the state of my personal life. It was a mess. What I had thought would be an easy mission was proving far more challenging. I knew it was the right thing to do. It was hard, and it was certainly bringing far more stress than I needed, but I had to do it. Life wasn’t supposed to be easy. I had been taking the easy way for too long. It was time I stepped up and did right by my family.

My parents were probably up there in heaven getting a good laugh. Tracy too. I hoped I was making them proud or at least showing them I wasn’t all bad. I had been skating through life the past few years, no cares and no strings. I didn’t get into relationships because they got messy. I didn’t like messy. I didn’t like being held in check by a woman who thought I should call her at a certain time or act a certain way. I was a shitty boyfriend. I knew it, and before all this happened, I didn’t care.

It had been a fairly easy existence, but it had all been shallow, like I was skating along the surface of life and not getting too involved. My mother had warned me my uncaring attitude was no way to live. I had laughed and argued it was the right way for me.

Now look at me. I was supposed to be this badass business guy who took no prisoners in my business dealings, and here I was over a barrel because of one tiny baby.

That wasn’t true. It wasn’t only Iris that had me all twisted inside. Avery was in my head and my heart. I had no idea how to navigate a relationship. I didn’t do relationships. What if it was love? I had no idea what love felt like, but I had a feeling I was in it. I had fallen in love with my fake wife. How ironic was that? The woman had enchanted me from the very beginning. It wasn’t until I let my guard down that I saw how amazing she was. When I let myself do the home and hearth thing, I realized it wasn’t a life sentence of boredom. It could be exciting and fulfilling. It was what I wanted.

“You’re a fool, Jake Colter,” I said, laughing as I ran through the small park at the bottom of the hill.

I was sure people probably thought I was crazy. I didn’t care. I kind of felt like I was. It was the women in my life. I blamed them, Janice included. That woman was a different kind of problem. I couldn’t wait to get her out of my life for good. I was going to laugh in her face when I got custody of Iris.

It was after five by the time I made my way up the hill. Avery’s car was in the driveway, sending a shiver of excitement through my body. I was hoping she wasn’t still mad. I was prepared to grovel if need be. I should have told her about Janice.

I walked inside and found her in the kitchen. I tried to gauge her mood and could see it was a mixture of stress and anger.

“Hey,” I said, finding her sitting at the bar in the kitchen, drinking a glass of wine.

“Hi,” she mumbled. “Running?” she asked dryly.

“Yes. I needed to blow off some steam.”

“I wonder why,” she said sarcastically before taking a long drink from the wine glass.

“Rough day?” I asked, only half joking.

She put down the glass and looked at me. “Gee, you think?”

I pulled off my sweaty T-shirt and used it to wipe the back of my neck before tossing it on the back of a stool. I needed water. Wine was not an option for my dried-out body. It had been way too hot to be running. I headed to the fridge to get a bottle of water. I was gulping it down when I saw her looking at me. I knew that look. I took a few more swallows before putting the water down.

“Hungry?” I asked in a sultry voice.

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

I sauntered toward her. Her mouth parted and her tongue darted out, licking her lower lip. Her gaze was roving over my sweaty chest and arms.

I smiled. She wanted me. That was a good thing. In the chaos that was my life, it was a relief to know she still wanted me. I could deal with some hot sex after a stressful day. I assumed she could too.

“Hungry for what?” I asked, standing close to her.

She looked at my chest before tilting her head back to look up at me. She didn’t answer. Instead, she ignored me and went back to her glass of wine.

“Wine,” she said, taking another drink.

I smirked. “I’m hungry too. I’m going to shower and then maybe we can satisfy that hunger together.”

She looked at me, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. “Maybe.”

I smiled and walked out of the kitchen, walking slowly toward the stairs, waiting to see if she would follow. I stripped out of my shorts in the room and headed for the shower. I cranked up the hot water and stepped inside, letting the heat wash over me. I closed my eyes, leaned my head back, and let the water run over me, washing away the sweat and stress. I heard the shower door open and smiled.

“I guess you are hungry,” I said, turning to face her.

She giggled. “Just a little something to hold me over.”

I smiled. “I’ll take care of you.”

I wrapped my arms around her naked body and pulled her in close. I was going to take care of her and myself. It was about the only thing that was right in my world.