Page 28 of The Bad Boy’s Homecoming (The Southern Hart Brothers #2)
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Levi
Million-Dollar Baby
L evi had to take a cold shower to try and wash away how frustrated he was—even though he knew there was no hope of him convincing Missy to give him a shot right now.
And he totally understood it was not an ideal time for them to start dating.
But for him, it didn’t matter that she was working for his family, they were living in the house he grew up in, he had no job, and might be a dad in six months.
Illogically he didn’t care. He wanted Missy.
Once he was cleaned up, he checked on Gran and then left to meet his new agent outside of Atlanta.
Hal wanted to talk about all the gossip and how they could manage the PR about the possible baby, and then he needed to go see Declan again.
He was putting off calling Sara until he spoke to his agent and his lawyer, in hopes he wouldn’t make the optics worse.
His phone had not stopped blowing up so he turned it off, but as he drove back to the city that had been his home the last nine years all he felt was dread and loathing.
There were so many reasons for him to not want to play for Atlanta, but if there was even a chance that Missy would date him then he needed to try to stay as close as possible.
“So now you’re saying you want to play for Atlanta, even though they’re very likely the ones behind these rumors?” Hal said as they settled into his small kitchen to chat.
But before Levi could respond, a young woman with two pigtails, wearing a baggy sweatsuit and furry slippers walked in. She was carrying a gold laptop, big headphones were wrapped around her neck, and her nails were painted wild colors with animal prints.
“Mr. Bad Boy Hart, you’re really living up to that namesake, but my brother told me you don’t want to use that to our advantage in these negotiations? So, we’re going to need to use something else to change the narrative.”
“Um hello, and you are?” Levi said.
The young woman didn’t look a day over fourteen.
“Gina Carpenter. You can call me G. I run point on PR for Carpe Diem enterprises. And you are going to be my greatest masterpiece.”
He couldn’t help but smile at the naive young lady, but when he looked at his new agent, he just looked stoned-faced and nodded.
“She’s like a PR savant; also these young kids just know how to communicate better than us,” Hal said.
“I know what you’re thinking: is she even old enough to understand how you got that nickname? I assure you, I am of legal age,” Gina said, then she looked him up and down.
“What Gina means to say is she graduated valedictorian, has an IQ of 140, and is obsessed with using psychology, trends, and people’s biases against them. Trust me, if anyone can repair or rewrite your image, it’s her.”
Gina just nodded. “But it will require some effort on your part. You can say you’re not a bad boy and then chalk up a few more baby mamas, but that dog won’t hunt long.
So you decide, Mr. Hart. Do you want me to create a new persona long enough for you to sign with a new team and then you can go back to your wild ways, or is this a complete rewrite? ”
“It was always all fake. I’ve never even cheated on someone, never been in a fistfight.”
“But is this baby yours? This current storyline will dominate the press and your reputation this entire season, unless you can prove it’s not true.”
“I don’t know.”
Gina sighed. “I was afraid of that. Okay so you slept with the woman. How many times? And we need the dates. Then you’ll get a family attorney and request a paternity test. There is a noninvasive test and your attorney can submit a court order.”
Levi sat listening to her and feeling more and more dread.
“This isn’t going to be a quick fix, is it? What if she comes out and says it’s not mine?”
“That is part of the problem. Miss Mama Sara has gone on record saying she’s not sure.” Gina flipped her laptop open and hit play with her spiky nail painted purple with cheetah print and a bumpy video of Sara played.
“This looks like someone she knew recorded her without Sara knowing, and then put it out on social media,” Levi said.
“Emm-hmm, and you can bet they got paid handsomely for this one. You are baseball’s biggest scandal right now. Top player won’t sign his contract because he hates his teammate, or wants more money, or wants the girl and more money.”
“None of that is true.”
“But you refuse to speak to any media so they can fill in all those blanks, make up any story.”
“You’re saying I have to do press?”
“Bingo. The press of our choosing.”
Levi sighed. “I’m betting everything on you two knowing what you’re talking about, and the fact that my brother’s best friend vouched for you.” He looked Hal in the eyes. “Please don’t screw me over.”
Hal lifted his sleeve to show Levi a tattoo.
Two arrows formed an X over a sword. “I met Declan in the army and he talked me into going to law school, said I had the gift of arguing people to death. He vouched for you, so don’t you screw me over.
This agent business is hard enough, and I refuse to represent dirtbags. ”
Levi held out his hand and Hal shook it, then he held it out to Gina. “Alright, tell me what I need to do to either clear my name or take responsibility for this baby. And find me a new team that won’t ask me to play any role other than an all-star baseball player.”
Gina grinned. “Like I said you’re going to be my masterpiece.”
All Levi could think about was Missy, and how she’d looked at him earlier after she found out about this latest drama in his life.
Sara had brought him nothing but trouble and it could now cost him the first woman he’d ever wanted to have something serious with.
He was going to have to talk to her but first he wanted to speak to his attorney.
He just hoped Declan would agree to represent him.
*
Back in Sandy Point he didn’t expect Declan to roll out the red carpet, but he also wasn’t prepared for his annoyance when Levi stood in his home office lobby.
“Levi, I’m not sure I’m comfortable representing you in this case. You should find some high-end sports attorney.”
“Wesley said you’re the best, and if I pick some random high-end attorney, I run the risk of them using my situation to advance themselves.”
Declan sighed but crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m going to be 100 percent honest with you.
If I represent you in this case, and that is a big if , I will not help you deny your paternity, I will not draw up any legal documents to cut this child out of your life or inheritance.
In fact, I can guarantee I will make sure the child gets exactly the percentage of your income recommended by the state. ”
Levi nodded. “Good. Look I know this sounds bad, but if this child is mine, I plan to play a role in its life. In fact, I’ll need you to help make sure I get at least 50 percent custody.”
“And how will that work during baseball season?” Declan challenged.
“How does every other working parent make it work?”
Declan laughed. “By grit and pure will to take care of your child because they’re the most important thing in your life now.”
Declan moved through a doorway into what looked like the actual office portion of his first floor. There was a big desk, bookshelves, his diplomas, several pictures of his boys, and two chairs facing the desk.
“Have a seat,” Declan said, sitting in his big leather chair. “I guess you could hire a nanny to travel with you and the baby won’t need proper school for another five years. So you’ll have time to figure out how to make that work with a baseball schedule.”
Levi just stood in the doorway, feeling overwhelmed with the idea of becoming a dad.
“How did you know what to do?” Levi said.
Declan was typing on his laptop but looked up. “Oh you can read a dozen books, and you’ll get loads of unsolicited advice, but none of that will really make sense until you’re holding your child. You get them home and realize you are not at all qualified.”
“And you did that times two, and alone.”
Declan’s jaw tightened. “It was the toughest year of my life.”
“I bet.”
“But first things first, before you go naming Levi junior, let’s make sure the baby is yours. I’m going to file a request with the court to order a noninvasive paternity test. If the mother agrees, you can pay to have it expedited and get the results in about a week. But it will cost you.”
“I’ll pay. I need to know.”
“Once we have the results, we can make plans for requesting your name on the birth certificate and custody.”
“What if she won’t do the test?”
“Do you have any reason to believe the baby isn’t yours? Or suspect she’s lying?”
Levi filled Declan in on his history with Sara and the one time he’d slept with her, giving him only the barest facts.
“So the baby could be yours, but is very likely Maddox Rio’s child, and she’s using this spectacle to…what?”
“I’m not sure she’s the one behind this drama. The video I saw looked like Sara didn’t know she was being recorded. Maybe someone else is setting her up to seem like the bad guy.”
“I guess we’ll see how she reacts when she’s served with the request for the test.”
“Can I just ask her to do the test?”
Declan stopped typing away. “Yes, but when the test is conducted via the court order the results are handled in a more secure way, to ensure you know for sure no one could tamper with it.”
“Like someone would forge a result to make sure the person they wanted to be the father was named?” Levi asked.
“Yes, and when the father may be worth as much as you are, with another ten years of earning potential, I’d recommend you use the court to handle the test.”
Levi sighed.
“You said yourself she used you once. Her track record isn’t great.”
“Alright, let’s do the court order. Is there any reason I shouldn’t reach out to her and speak to her about the process?”
“You’d be tipping your hand that you have a lawyer, but she’s going to find out in a day or so anyway.
It might make things go more smoothly if you are on good terms with her.
Because if she has a lawyer and wants to refuse the test, it could delay things for months.
And you won’t know if the baby is yours or not until she takes the test or the baby is born. ”
“This is insane.” Levi sat forward, running his hands through his hair. “And the worst part is for a split second when I heard, I almost wanted the baby to be mine.”
“Do you love her? The mother?” Declan asked.
Levi looked up. “No, but I would love my child, and I guess her by default if she is going to be the mother.”
“No one would argue with that logic. I’ll get this court order filed today and get her served by the end of the week. Then we’ll see how she responds.”
“Thank you,” Levi said.
“I just have one request if you’re going to be my client.”
Levi knew what was coming.
“Leave my cousin alone, at least until you get your life in order.”
“I don’t think that’s really up to me, but I hear you.”
“Alright, then the worst part is the waiting.”
Levi left feeling even more restless than he’d started the day. His new agent, PR team, and lawyer were doing everything they could to solve two of his problems. But nothing would get him closer to the one person he wanted.