Amelia almost yelled out in joy but was glad she put a handle on it. It was just lunch with a friend but more time spent with him meant getting to know him better. Right now he was a mystery, revealing small tidbits here and there.
“I’d love to.”
“Hop in. I’ll give you a ride down there.” His smile was contagious and Amelia climbed into the large pickup, remembering the ride she took a few weeks ago after the bar. The engine was loud and rumbled but there was something about a man who drove a truck. Or maybe it was just the thought of Rodney driving it. The man could read the phone book and she’d be enamored by it.
He held the door open for her when they went inside and every head turned to see who it was. Amelia could hear the rumor mill now - Rodney barely finalizing his divorce and now with another woman. People always assumed the worst but she tried to push the worry aside. It was none of their business. Why was there so much stigma on men and women just being friends?
She felt his hand on the small of her back, guiding her through the tables to a booth in a far corner. The waitress gave them both a glass of ice water and despite her prompt service, she acted like she’d rather be anywhere else. Poising her pen in her fingers, she didn’t look up from her notepad.
“What would y’all like to drink?”
“This water is fine,” Rodney replied. Amelia nodded in agreement.
“I’ll be back in a minute to take your order.”
Rodney glanced over the menu and Amelia found herself watching him instead of looking over the options. She was hungry but her stomach was in knots - she really liked him and would try her hardest not to do something stupid and scare him off. The timing was the issue - dating someone was probably the last thing on his mind after everything he had recently gone through.
“What do you recommend?”
“Their cheeseburgers are great. So are their club sandwiches. But I think I’m gonna try something new today. The Reuben sandwich looks really good.” He pointed to it and slid the menu her direction.
The waitress returned and Rodney ordered the sandwich he had mentioned. Amelia went with his recommendation and got a club sandwich. The less messy, the better. She’d save the greasy cheeseburger for another time. There was a comfortable quiet between them and Amelia chewed on her straw, taking short sips of water. The crowd was starting to thin down and the music was low on the overhead speakers.
“I was at the police department today following up on a restraining order I had to get on my ex.” She broke the silence, hoping it was appropriate to talk about. Maybe it’d be a distraction for Rodney’s personal drama. Maybe he didn’t want to hear about other people’s issues.
Rodney arched his eyebrow and chewed on a piece of ice. “Oh? I’m sorry you’re having to go through something like that.”
Amelia waved here hand in front of her face, attempting to play it off as not a big deal. “It’s getting better,” she fibbed, remembering how she didn’t want to seem like she had a ton of baggage to deal with. “Just a guy who can’t let things go.”
Rodney reached across the table and patted her hand, the look of concern on his face genuine. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything but at the same time, she could tell he truly cared. It had been a long time since someone had looked at her that way.
“Any man who would treat a woman like you that way…”
He trailed off when the waitress brought their food. Amelia was ready to eat but the interruption left her wondering how Rodney was going to end the sentence. She couldn’t ask him to continue - it’d look needy and neurotic. Her stomach growled at the sight of the burger and crispy fries and she dipped a few in some ketchup, savoring the salty flavor.
“He’s left you alone since, right?” Rodney picked at his sandwich, keeping his eyes on her.
“Sort of. Stopped by the house a few nights back, which is why I had to follow up at the police station. But it’s good. I didn’t tell you that to make you worry. Lord knows you have enough going on in your life.”
“I’ll survive. We’re just about finished with all of the fine print. It really sucks when a relationship ends but when it’s over, it’s over. I guess I don’t need to tell you that, considering your situation with the ex.”
Amelia nodded. “We both sound like a damn country song.”
The comment made Rodney laugh and he patted her hand again. “I’ve got the pickup truck to go right along with it. Now I just need a dog.”
“That’s right! A video playing out before our very eyes.”
They laughed for a good thirty seconds and it felt good. It wasn’t forced, they were able to joke about it, and Amelia felt comfortable bringing up whatever came to mind to talk about. Rodney mentioned Justin and she noticed the light in his expression at the mention of the boy. There was true love there and he cared for him. It was another reason she found herself admiring the man who randomly came into her life one day. She never would’ve imagined a friendship blossoming from a simple gesture at the bar.
After finishing their meal, Rodney insisted on paying for hers as well. He drove her back to her car and got out, pulling her in for another tight hug that took her breath away. His manly scent was comforting and she savored the moment she knew would have to end.
“Thanks for taking me to lunch. It was really good!”
“Good conversation, good food - we’ll have to do it again.”
Amelia felt the butterflies in her stomach. They seemed to be coming around a lot more lately. “Sounds good to me!”
“Have a good evening, Amelia. I gotta head to the school and pick up Justin. If I don’t hurry over there, his mother will beat me to the punch and I don’t want that happening. I’ll text you later tonight.”
Amelia waved and dug her keys out of her purse. “Tell Justin hi for me. Talk to you later.”
He backed out into the street and Amelia watched him until she couldn’t see his truck anymore. Her pulse raced and she took a deep breath to calm down. Their friendship had progressed to a new level. He was more than just an acquaintance now. He was a friend she could talk about anything with. Being able to joke around and laugh was important to her, and Rodney was something special she was glad she had in her life, even if it didn’t go any farther than what had just happened between them.
Chapter Fourteen
“Susan has agreed to sit down in my office so you two can talk through the custody battle with Justin.”
“It’s been about two weeks since I first went to your office, Jim. What has been the holdup?” Rodney paced in his living room, keeping his voice low. Justin was asleep in the other room, immediately crashing after getting home from school. Rodney had to assume he was emotionally tired from the constant fighting he and Susan had been going through, and guilt coursed through him. “This divorce needs to be finalized soon. I don’t think Justin or me can take much more. Besides, I can’t afford you much longer.”
“I feel like this sit-down meeting will be beneficial. It’s on neutral ground.”
“There shouldn’t even be a question of custody, Jim. Susan is a drug addict! She’s not fit to keep Justin.” Rodney scrubbed his palm down the side of his face and took a deep breath, attempting to calm his nerves. “How much would this little sit down meeting cost?”
“We won’t discuss the costs right now. What is important is getting you two to agree on this. Everything else has been finalized. She didn’t want anything from you.”
“Won’t discuss costs? You know what that translates to in my head, Jim?” Rodney pulled the phone away from his face and bit his bottom lip. “It translates to an amount that’ll make my heart stop. And you know damn well Susan won’t foot half the bill.”
“No. I won’t charge you. That’s how important I think this will be.”
Rodney shook his head and sat on the arm of the couch. So much for being quiet. Justin was in the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of milk, his hair disheveled from his nap. “When do you want this to tak
e place?”
“This afternoon.”
“Wow, that soon?”
“Can you do it? I think she’s ready to finalize as much as you are.”
“Yeah. Give me thirty minutes. I need to make sure my mom can watch Justin.”
Rodney hung up the phone and tossed it on the couch, forcing a smile as he approached Justin. Pulling a package of cookies from the pantry, he offered the boy two of them. With no objection, he dunked one in his milk and slurped at the crumbs on his fingers.
“Hey, you wanna go have supper with grandma tonight?”
Justin’s eyes lit up and he bounced in his chair. “Yeah! Are you coming to?”
“No, buddy, I gotta go take care of a few things.”
“Things with mommy?”
The kid was more in tune with everything then Rodney could ever imagine. “Yeah. We’re almost finished with everything. Hopefully, after today, we won’t have to deal with it anymore.”
“When can I see mommy again?”
Rodney reached out and ruffled his hair, feeling the lump settle in the pit of his stomach. Justin missed his mother. For a split second, he hesitated about wanting full custody but after all of the hell Susan had put both of them through, there was no turning back. In the long run, this was better for Justin. He didn’t need to be exposed to it ever again.
“I’m not sure, Justin. Go pack a bag to take to grandma’s. I’m not sure if you’ll be staying the night over there or not.” Rodney wouldn’t be at the lawyer’s office all night but depending on how it all went, both he and Justin might be better off apart if things didn’t go as planned. Rodney wasn’t the best company at the moment and just like with Susan’s antics, he didn’t want to expose his kids to his anger if he didn’t get his way.
After dropping him off he arrived at the lawyer’s office almost thirty minutes on the dot. The sign read ‘James Naughton, attorney at law.’ He glanced at the parking spot where he had run into Amelia - it was hard to believe that was almost two weeks ago. He felt bad that he hadn’t been that great at keeping in touch with her. A hello text message, a simple how are you, but past that, he hadn’t even seen her in person. He didn’t even have time to stop by the hardware store for supplies. He would do that soon. He needed to see her infectious smile and hear her laugh.
Going inside, he took his sunglasses off, adjusted his shirt, and the receptionist led him to Jim’s office. To his surprise, Susan was already there. She was dressed decently but her eyes were sunken in, her hair was in a messy bun, and her bloodshot eyes focused right on him. Rodney wished he could see her arms but she was wearing a long sleeved shirt. He would bet his next paycheck that there were track marks up and down.
“Rodney.” There was no question in her voice, just an acknowledgment.
“Susan.”
“Now that we’re both here, let’s get started,” Jim said, moving things forward. “We’re here to talk custody. Everything else has been settled and agreed on between both of you.”
Rodney sat forward in his chair, his hands gripping the armrests tightly. No one had said a word and he could feel the tension between them. The room fell silent, no one willing to talk first. Rodney glanced at Susan and she couldn’t even make eye contact with him.
“Fine, I’ll start,” Rodney said, scoffing. Turning to face her, he began. “What was it you told me when we found out you were pregnant with Justin? Do you recall?”
She shook her head yes and looked at the floor. “I do.”
“And? How about you repeat it for Jim.”
“I didn’t want to be a mother.”
Rodney laughed but cut himself off. “And what did you say just the other day? Right after your last stint in the hospital after popping all of those pills?”
Susan continued to stare at the floor and one tear fell down the bridge of her nose. “Rodney, why are you bringing this up?”
He shrugged and looked at Jim and back to Susan. “You’re the one who wanted me to come here today. You wanted to talk it out. What was it that you said the other day, Susan? Enlighten both of us!”
“I said that I never was cut out to be a mother. I’ve never felt a connection with Justin.”
“So tell me why you want custody?”
“Because I…” she didn’t finish her sentence, finally making eye contact with Rodney.
“Because you wanted to get back at me. You wanted to make my life hell. Justin is a human being. You’d want to ruin his life just to get back at me? Do it some other way, Susan. Don’t involve Justin. He’s innocent in all of this.”
“I tried to get clean.”
“But you didn’t,” Rodney said, keeping his voice low. “You didn’t, Susan. Let me have custody of Justin. If there’s one way you want to help, let me have custody. I’m not going to make it where you’ll never see him. I promise you that.” Rodney felt the warmth gather in the corners of his eyes and he quickly wiped them away. “Please, Susan. If there’s one thing you wanna do for Justin…”
No one said a word for what felt like an eternity. The second hand on the clock ticked loudly and Rodney waited patiently. He hoped he made a breakthrough with her. It was hard to tell - it felt like the woman didn’t know how to feel guilty about anything, always playing the victim card.
“Fine, Rodney. I’ll sign off on you getting custody. But this isn’t over.”
He was about to ask what she meant by that but the euphoria of her agreeing to give him custody overshadowed any other worry. Things would be over. The document only needed one more signature, to confirm that Rodney would be the sole guardian of Justin. Jim slid the papers to Susan first and she hesitated. It took her a second and Rodney worried that was another way for her to get back at him - get his hopes up and make them come crashing down again. Finally, she signed it and shoved the pen in his hand where he wasted no time in putting the final touches on the divorce.
It didn’t feel real and something felt off. They were officially divorced but Rodney knew Susan for a long time - she was up to something. Rather than harp on it for too long, Rodney was the first to leave the office and get back out to his truck. Despite the problems Susan had put him through, it was still the end of a marriage. He had once loved her. She was the mother of his child. And it was all over. The document inside Jim Naughton’s office confirmed it. All of those years, tears, love, hope, and sorrow were a closing chapter. He couldn’t let go of what she had said - this isn’t over. Let her try something. Rodney would be ready for anything.
***
Amelia glanced at the clock. She was halfway through her shift at the bar, thankful that they weren’t going to have her stay until closing. The crowd was thin for a Friday night and the tips weren’t that great. The usual customers were there and most of them weren’t great about tips so she found herself not trying her hardest. She also felt like she kept seeing Phillip in the crowd. She chalked it up to her imagination though it wasn’t far-fetched that he’d be bold enough to show his face. He got away with it once. That was enough for him to try again.
Wiping down the bar, she topped off someone’s whiskey, feeling like she was on autopilot. If she could just get through the next couple of hours she’d bury herself in here blankets and sleep for most of the next day.
“Hey. Can I get a whiskey?”
The voice was familiar but there were plenty of regulars that he probably ordered a whiskey every night. Grabbing the bottle, she scooted a glass on the wood surface and poured about three fingers worth before looking up, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Rodney right across from her, his green eyes focused right on her.
“Rodney? Hey!” Her voice squeaked from excitement and she felt her cheeks warm up.
“I was wondering when you’d see me. I’ve been sitting right here for the past five minutes.”
“No, you haven’t!”
He bobbed his head and arched his thick eyebrow as he took a sip of the whiskey. “I have. You’ve been in your own little world. T
he place isn’t even that busy.”
“Where you been stranger? What brings you by?”
“Yeah, it’s been a few days. I’m sorry. I’d hand you excuses but you deserve better.” He took another sip and traced the rim with his finger. “So, my divorce is final.”
“Yeah?” Amelia wasn’t sure what kind of reaction she should have. She was excited that he was no longer taken but it wasn’t an easy thing for him to go through. He had loved Susan enough to marry her. And now they were divorced.
“Yeah. Which is why I’d like a refill of that whiskey.” He poured the bottle and scooted the glass toward her. “I’d like to buy you a shot as well.”
“Celebrating or commiserating?” Amelia asked, pouring them both a glass.
“A little of both, I guess. How about you? What’s been going on with you?”
Amelia glanced around the room, making sure everyone was satisfied for the moment. The music on the jukebox was loud but she could still hear him over the bass pumping through the speakers. “Same old, same old. Working. Going home.”
“And your ex? All of that get handled the last time I saw you?” His brow creased and he finished his second glass fast. She had never seen him drink so quickly and almost denied him when he tapped the rim for another refill.
“Yeah. All is well. You sure you want more? Where is Justin tonight?”
“At my mom’s. I didn’t figure I’d be good company tonight. And please, another refill. It’s starting to go down smooth.”
She went ahead and poured him another one. She wasn’t his girlfriend or mother - she just made a mental note to keep an eye on him. Patting his hand, she smiled and said, “I need to go take care of that group on the other end of the bar. I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere, Rodney. I want to talk more about all of this.”
Amelia glanced at her watch. Since the crowd wasn’t as big as expected, she wondered if Dave would be okay with her leaving a little early. Maybe getting Rodney away from the bar would get the temptation to drink out of his mind. She couldn’t blame him for wanting to drink - a breakup was hard enough. A divorce was probably twenty times more painful, along with all of the legalities he faced. There was so much more involved and who was she to judge him if he wanted to go on a bender?
Never Let You Go: Save Me Series Book 2 Page 10
