Page 74 of Sunshine

“Yes, Your Honor.”

Her eyes flick to my parents’ lawyer and narrow. “There’s a temporary hold on visitation for your clients.” She turns to Anna. “Where can we fit this into the schedule? I want it as soon as possible.”

“We have an opening in three weeks.”

The judge back at Greg. “You’ve got three weeks. I won’t let this drag on, so you better be ready. I’ll be making my decision by the end of that day. Dismissed.”

“Why are you so pissed?” David asks in a whisper as he packs up his files. “Everything went better than expected.”

“My parents are assholes,” I grind out, watching their lawyer fill his briefcase.

My jaw ticks. My parents are no longer just fucking with me now. They’re fucking with Tessa. She doesn’t deserve to be dragged into this. It’s why I didn’t want to tell her about Reece until our date…tonight.

Shit! My head falls and I glance at my watch. It’s five o’clock and I don’t have my phone or her number. I might’ve recalled it if I’d actually put it in my phone, but I only texted my number with her phone.

The image of Tessa all dressed and waiting for our date has my gut sinking. I didn’t want to be another man that disappointed her but without the ability to contact her, I’ll be just that. I’ll need to get another phone and pull my contacts from the cloud.

A sharp knock on the door has us all turning.

“Enter.”

“My apologies for disturbing you, Your Honor, but one of the child’s guardians, Lulah Grizell, is being rushed by ambulance to St. Joseph’s hospital.”

Jeff’s already to the door by the time the guard finishes speaking. Luckily David’s fast thinking has him holding me back before I can run after him.

“Your Honor, if by chance the child’s current guardians are unable to care for her during this emergency, I’d like to request Mr. Callen be awarded temporary custody.”

My parents’ lawyer pipes up, but Judge Hortense’s head whips around so fast I feel like I’ve got whiplash by proxy.

“Your clients haven’t shown up for this child. I’d be an idiot to grant them custody in this situation. And I am not an idiot.” She assesses me, her lips twisting. “Janet Eloise has given me a lot of feedback about your supervised visits with Reece. All positive. So, with my limited choices, I’m going to grant youtemporary custody until her current guardians are able, or a decision in this case has been made.” Her eyes narrow. “But I can revoke this judgement at any time Mr. Callen,” she warns. “Do not step out of line.”

“Thank you, Justice Hortense.”

Her eyes rise from her papers, just her eyes.

My parents’ lawyer starts to protest but the judge scowls at him. “Perhaps your clients haven’t realized children don’t always run on their guardians’ schedules. If they aren’t here for this emergency, then how will they be in the future when Reece needs them?”

“I can call them right now. They can be here in a few hours.”

The judge’s scowl deepens, and she removes her glasses, leaning back in her chair. “Is that so?”

I don’t hear the rest because I’m rushing to the car.

Chapter Twenty

Tess

I stare at the two lovely words on the bottom of the page of my Scrivener document.

The Endare the best words an author can type and normally I’d be ecstatic, but the only thing I feel is relief. So, as soon as I email the finished book to Paige, I lean back and look across the field at my neighbor’s nearly completed house. He’s been texting and calling from a new number.

Case:

It’s Case. Phone’s gone. This is my new number. Pick up.

Case:

I’m sorry I stood you up. I had an emergency back home. A double emergency. And one of them involves you. Call me back please.