Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 53238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 266(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 266(@200wpm)___ 213(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
I shift, tensing as I pace across the room. “He hasn’t tried to see them in five years, though. And Rachel made me their guardian.”
“He’s their biological parent, though.”
“Technically, but he’s a piss-poor excuse for a father. Excuse my language.”
“Don’t worry about it. He’s a deadbeat, to put it mildly. I reached out to his attorney--”
“So the guy who can’t afford child support can afford an attorney?” I shake my head and look at the ceiling. “I paid you twenty grand. Is that what he’s paying?”
“I don’t know, but...I get it. And you won’t be surprised that his attorney inquired about whether Rachel had life insurance.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I roar, not caring who can hear me. “He wants to make money when my sister’s cold in the ground?”
“The attorney said he wants to know if there would be life insurance to provide for the children.”
I’m so pissed I think my head might actually blow off my shoulders. “Yeah, like hell it would go to the girls. I’m not letting him take them to Alaska. They don’t even know him. Rachel didn’t want this.”
She clears her throat. “I understand your frustration. Nothing has been decided yet. But here’s my advice.” I close my eyes and take a deep breath, forcing myself to dial it back and listen. “We need to establish that your home is the most stable place for the children. You said you had an aunt who helped you with the children after your sister passed away--have her come for a visit for a few days. If you have a girlfriend you’re considering proposing to at some point, move that up.”
I balk at that. “A wife? What, like I can’t do this alone because I’m a man?”
This throat clearing feels more assertive. “Mr. Stanton, who’s caring for the children right now?”
“A nanny.”
“When you’re on the road, traveling overnight and on weekends, who’s caring for the children?”
I see where she’s going with this, and my aggravation flares. “Nannies. You want me to quit hockey? Is that what I’ll have to do?”
“No. But we need to show that you have family helping, not paid nannies.”
“My aunt Rosie is the only family I have left.”
“Then get her there for a visit. And I also need to know, did your sister have life insurance to provide for the children?”
I sigh and run a hand through my hair. “Yeah, it was like two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I was planning to divide it into three trusts for the girls.”
The couple seconds of silence on the other end of the line tell me something I don’t want to hear.
“Okay.” I nod and take another deep breath. “I’ll get Aunt Rosie to come for a visit and I’ll...work on the other thing.”
“I can hold off on filing a response for a couple weeks. I know it’s not ideal since your career is so demanding, but--”
“No, it’s--I’ve got it. This is the most important thing. I’ll get it done.”
“If it’s not the right time to get married, I’m not saying it’s a deal-breaker. But leaving the children with family when you have to travel for work as much as you do is always preferred by the court.”
“I understand.”
“Okay, keep in touch and we’ll talk before I send a response.”
I sit down on the training table. “Listen, if it comes down to me quitting hockey or losing the girls, I’ll quit.”
I didn’t realize how strongly I felt about it until now when I found out I could lose the girls to Chad. I may not be a natural nurturer, but they’ll always have a safe place with me, and I’ll do anything it takes to protect them. Even if it’s their own father I have to protect them from.
“We’re going to do everything we can to avoid that,” Michelle says.
“Okay.”
“Let’s do our best to show the court you have a stable home with help from other family. I win a lot more cases than I lose, so don’t panic, okay?”
“Yeah. Okay.”
We end our call and I stand up, reeling from the news about Chad being engaged and living in fucking Alaska. No wonder Rachel’s private eyes couldn’t find him to drag child support out of him.
I hardly have any family left, and I’ll fight like hell with anyone who messes with what I do have.
There are only two things I want to do right now: punch Chad until he has no teeth left and talk to my sister.
Unfortunately, neither one is an option.
CHAPTER FIVE
Suki
“What’s that glow under your covers?”
I know exactly what it is. Charlotte is supposed to be off her phone and in bed by nine thirty, but it’s not the first time I’ve caught her on it when I snuck up to her door to check in on her around 10:00 p.m.
The glow quickly disappears. “It’s nothing.”