Everything is a mess. It’s the only word we’ve used to describe this situation so far. Messy. And it truly is.
And why the hell does my chest hurt so much? This shouldn’t hurt so much. Yes, I care about Harmon, yes, I love the way I feel when I’m with him, but it’s been only a few months. And most of those months were just work.
Right?
Yes. Definitely. It was work.
I pull into a plaza and park toward the back, where no one will pass by me. Nothing is open yet, so hopefully the cops won't bother me.
I need a minute. Just a damn minute.
I leave the car running, the radio on low, the same station it was on when I got in. Classic rock. Another surprise. I’d think he’d listen to classical stuff without lyrics.
Am I being judgy? I totally think I am. I’m judging him by the way he looks and his standing in society. The fact he’s a billionaire. That’s not cool. It’s really not, and I should stopdoing it. I’ve done it to him from the day I met him, and he’s always brushed it off.
The phone rings, pulling me from my thoughts. I recognize the number but can’t place it.
“Hello?”
“Good morning, is this Mr. Carr?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“It’s John Kohler.” The lawyer! “I was calling to let you know that we were able to get everything handled without a court date. All I need you to do is come to my office and sign the papers.”
Go to his office and sign papers?
“Papers for what?”
“The custody agreement.”
“Custody agreement?”
He’s quiet for a moment. “Of your sister. Did I get you at a bad time?”
“I’m sorry, no. I… how did you handle this out of court? I thought I would have to go, and like… talk to the judge or something?”
“I handled it all. I gave my case, and he agreed it would be for the best. Especially since your sister has been doing so much better since being with you.”
“She has?”
“We spoke with the school. You signed for us to get information from them, and they gave it to us. Her grades have gone up. Not much, as they were already good to begin with, but theyhave, and so we used that. Plus, her mood has been better. She’s even talking to a counselor about joining after school clubs.”
“She is?” I breathe out. “I mean, yeah. She is. She’s been doing great. This is… awesome.”
Why didn’t Chrissy tell me she was joining an after school club? Did Cammy know?
“It’s great news. When can you come to the office? Any time is fine. I will leave the papers with Wendy—”
Oh…Wendy.
“I can be there in an hour,” I say.
“Perfect. I’ll let her know. Have a great day, Mr. Carr.”
“You too.”
I end the call, dropping the phone into my lap and staring out the windshield.