Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 70607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 353(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
He nodded once.
“That’s why I left her,” he said. “Not because she slept with another man. Not because she got pregnant. Not because she did all this behind my back. Though, all of those are bad. But because of what she did to Paydon. She used him. She…Paydon is handsome. He’d been a heartbreaker when we were growing up. When we were sixteen, I used to get all his castoffs. He’s attractive, and I’m not going to lie, as long as Paydon doesn’t talk, he could be completely normal. But he’s not. And Tasia knew that. Took advantage of that. I know that Paydon isn’t a virgin. I know that it’s likely that he’s done that stuff since his accident. Twelve-year-olds are still capable enough to understand the feelings that they have. But…he doesn’t understand the consequences of his actions. And he really didn’t understand why I was so upset…which is why he left. Why he said he was never coming back.”
I groaned. “Have you gone up there to see him? To explain that you’re not mad at him?”
“His parents asked for time to explain,” he said softly. “He’s really upset. Still upset. It’s been a year and a half. Almost two years now. I’m giving him the summer. And if I’d had money to go up there and see him before now, I would’ve done it. But Tasia not only took the best thing I’ve ever had with Paydon—our friendship—but she also took me to the cleaners. She gets child support checks out of me and everything.”
I wanted to say so much more, to ask question upon question, but I somehow bottled them all up and closed the lid. Barely.
But he must’ve seen the struggle because he grinned and asked me a question of his own.
“You’re wondering why she’s getting child support checks, aren’t you?” he guessed.
I nodded once.
“It was more of a calculated move on my part,” he admitted. “She listed me as the father on the birth certificate. She also listed me as the father in every single piece of information she could get her hands on. She told anyone and everyone. The whole town thinks she’s mine.”
I blinked. “Why didn’t you set them straight? Why didn’t you tell everyone and anyone that would listen what she did?”
He scrubbed his hands down his face.
“Like I said, calculated move,” I admitted. “There’s no law against having sex with a man that can make his own decisions. Morally, yes, it’s wrong. But lawfully? She could do that. She did do that.” He leaned down to pet his dog that had somehow guessed that her owner was upset and leaned against his legs. “But there is a law about a man getting access to his child if you don’t have the cognizant ability to take care of said child.”
I saw where he was going with it now.
“Right now, there is no custody agreement because I’m sure she thinks that I’m just going to lay here and take it. That I’ll never pursue the kid since I was willing to divorce over it,” he said. “But, in actuality, I’m just biding my time until I can save up enough money to take her to court.”
“What then?” I asked.
“Then?” he shrugged. “Then I try to gain visitation with the kid. Allow Paydon to have visitation when he’s down. When he finally comes back, because eventually I’ll be able to head up there and make him see that I’m not mad.”
I blew my hair out of my face, then shook my head only to knock it all back in my face again.
“I…I don’t think I’ve ever hated someone I just met so much before in my life,” I admitted. “What in the absolute hell kind of person did you marry?”
He started to chuckle. “I wonder that about twenty times a day myself. I mean, I realize that she wanted kids. She wanted them badly. I thought that it was with me but…apparently any man would’ve done. I think Paydon was just convenient, close, attractive and there. Oh, and easy to manipulate.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, then turned my back on the man and walked into the kitchen.
“Do you want a beer?” I asked as I made my way to my fridge.
“No,” he paused, then said, “Yes.”
Grinning, I took two beers out of the refrigerator and placed them on the counter, then went back in for the lasagna and salad.
“Do you want avocado lime ranch dressing or regular ranch?” I asked as I poked my head over the fridge door.
“Ummm.” He thought about that for a long moment. “What’s the avocado lime ranch one taste like?”
I made a face that I hoped was close to orgasmic.
“It’s so good,” I admitted. “It has a little extra kick to it. I can’t really explain. Just try it on a little piece of lettuce.”