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“Okay, well then, if you’re not going to take this seriously, let your career go up in smoke like the rest of you.”
I leer at her, lifting my shades. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“You’ve lost your drive and we all know it. Yeah, you put on a show, but what happened to the Wild Cat I first saw perform in Seattle? There’s not a shred of him left in you.”
There’s truth to that, isn’t there? I’m not even sure what to make of it.
Scarlet grabs her phone. “Are you going to show up at Party in Pasadena? It’s next weekend, and you’re on the list of attendees.”
Right. Forgot about that one. “Yeah, I’ll make that. Shoulder might not be ready, but I’ll make an appearance.”
“Fine.” She stands, strutting away like I’ve pissed her off. She’s fine. We do this all the time.
Just when I think I might get some quiet time, I hear heels clicking against the stone. I don’t need to look to know it’s Willa. She smells like baby puke and Cheerios. Setting Berlin down near the table, she throws an envelope on the table and rips the cigarette from my mouth.
Tossing it on the ground, she steps on it. “Open that.”
“Nice to see you too, Willz.” I always call Willa by her nickname I gave her. Lifting my shades, I stare at the white envelope. “What’s that?”
“It’s a court order for DNA testing to establish parent percentage of River James Taylor.”
Fuck. Damn.
“Doug and Regina ordered it this morning,” Willa adds, keeping one eye on Berlin near the pool, and me. “They petitioned parental custody of her against Amberly too.”
Goddamn them. If anyone deserves River, it’s Amberly. I can’t think of a better person for her to be with since she can’t have Ava. Flipping through the documents, it says I have to get the test done within the week.
Picking up my cell phone, I see a message from Amberly asking me to call her. And just about the time I’m going to pick my phone up, I see River run toward me. “Tiller!”
Too late. She’s here. I dropped them off at Amberly’s apartment yesterday morning and hadn’t anticipated seeing her again so soon, but the sudden smile and jolt of nerves through my body tells me I’m not disappointed they’re here.
I’m fucked. So fucking fucked. So yeah. . . fuck me.
Lifting River on my lap, she hugs me, resting her head on my chest. “I miss you.”
“You just saw me yesterday.” I chuckle, brushing her hair from her face. At least she doesn’t smell like vomit anymore. The thought of my truck still smelling like that sends a rush of anxiety through me. I might have to buy a new truck if that smell doesn’t come out, but more importantly, it reminds me of how fuckin’ reckless I had been with them in the truck. It was a complete douche move on my part.
Amberly approaches, her purple hair is everywhere, and it makes me want to fist my hands in it and draw her mouth to mine.
I make River sit in her own chair. For obvious reasons. Fuck. My cock twitches at the sight of Amberly in a hot pink and lime green halter dress with heels. How can you not want to fuck this girl? Of course I’m hard. She looks like a lollipop I want in my mouth and riding my cock.
Damn it. I shift and lean forward. There are children present. And something a little more serious to be thinking about.
My blood boils at the thought of anyone trying to take River from Amberly.
She sits next to me. She looks miserable. Sweating with the heat, helpless to the ways of her parents, and confused at what to do next. “The house sold,” she whispers.
Leaning forward, I hold up the paperwork. “I have to take a paternity test.”
Amberly nods, looking at Willa, then me. “I heard. I was served this morning. They want to do an inspection of where River’s living and my apartment isn’t going to work. It’s a studio in a crap neighborhood.”
I’ve hated where Amberly lives for years. It’s a crime-filled area of downtown Santa Monica and extremely expensive. “What about the place you’re living at, Willz?”
“Andalucia?”
“Yeah. Those are nice, right?”
She nods. “Yeah, they’re a great place to live.”