The kid.
Notmy sonormy boy, but the kid. His true feelings are bound to come out. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.
“Besides, I’ve changed,” he continues. “I can help.”
That makes me want to laugh, even though I don’t.
“I’ll be better,” he continues. “For the ki—er, for Joey’s sake. Be present in his life. Buy him things. Make sure he has what he needs. And you too, to an extent. Even if we’re not together.”
I don’t believe him for a second, but I have to be patient and rational because I know how he is when he’s pissed. Nice Tony is much easier to deal with than pissed-off Tony.
“Look, I have things to do. Tell me what you want.”
“I’m only here today and tomorrow. Wednesday I’m on a plane to New York to meet up with the team. Can I please just spend a few hours with him? Please, Serena? This doesn’t have to be acrimonious. We can work something out between us. What if I transfer twenty-five grand into your bank account? Today. I can?—”
“Wait. Stop.” I hold up a hand, my head spinning at the offer of what could be a life-changing offer to me. “I don’t want money.” Yes, I do. So much. “If you want to see him, we have to make plans. He has school and I have work.” After I’ve had time to think. “If you want to plan another trip, we’ll figure it out but I can’t just leavemy job and pull him out of school because you suddenly want to play daddy.”
He looks like he wants to protest but nods. “Okay. Do you still have my number?”
No, I fucking blocked him almost four years ago.
I don’t say that out loud, though. I merely shake my head and pull out my phone. As I pull up adding a new contact feature, I type in “Sperm Donor” instead of his name. Which almost makes me smile. Then I put in his number and reluctantly give him mine.
This is going to be a disaster, but I don’t know what else to do.
If he doesn’t get his way, he turns into Pissed-Off Tony, and that version of him is threatening and unreasonable. At least this version is calm, and he’s listening. Short-term, this is the best I can hope for.
Long-term, I have to come up with a plan.
Chapter
Thirty-One
West
Serena came home later than I thought she would, and she’s been quiet since she walked in. Joey and Lindy immediately start to play, and all the guys are here, along with Jayne, so there’s a lot of chaos as we make dinner. We decided on baked ziti, salad, and my famous garlic knots with homemade garlic butter. It’s a favorite at the house and she seems excited about it too.
But I can tell her mind is a million miles away.
“Everything okay?” I ask her once the massive pan of ziti is in the oven.
She’s rinsing some bowls to put in the dishwasher as she says, “Tony showed up at my apartment today.”
I freeze. “What?”
“He wants to see Joey.”
“You’re not going to let him, are you?”
“If I don’t, he’ll just get a court order or hire a fancy lawyer or some other thing I can’t afford.”
“Let him! We can fight it! Don’t let him scare you. Not this time. I can call my own lawyer and he can recommend?—”
“West. Stop. Please.” She turns to me with a serious expression on her pretty face. “He’s Joey’s father. If he demands a paternity test, it will show that he has rights. I’d rather deal with him this wayfor now, maybe show him what a handful a toddler can be, and make him go away.”
“He’s not going to just go away!” I say in frustration. “If for no other reason than to piss me off.”
“Why would he do that?” she asks. “This is about Joey, not you or me.”