“Oh, thank God,” I murmured, feeling the throbbing in my head start to lessen almost instantly.
I hadn’t been aware how bad it was starting to hurt due to the piercing screams until said screams stopped.
“We borrowed a car seat from the neighbor…and some diapers,” Reese said, eyeing the child. “We think they’ll work for now. Let’s go to the steak place and talk.”
I didn’t hesitate and neither did Katy.
We started toward Luke’s badass Suburban, the one that I’d always admired from afar seeing as I’d never be able to afford one, and got in.
Katy took the task of buckling Gibby in, and unfortunately, I learned that the piercing screams in an enclosed space were even worse than outside.
Luckily, the ride wasn’t that long, and Gibby once again stopped the moment she got into Luke’s arms.
“You have a way with kids,” I muttered as we walked to the front doors.
My hands were holding a diaper and wipes as well as a sippy cup that was now filled with the orange juice that Reese had gotten for Gibby from McDonald’s.
“Practice,” he muttered. “Raised Derek. He was an awful kid.”
Katy snickered.
I looked over at her to see her covering her face.
“What?” I asked.
“He really was. Derek was godawful. Rowen and I were like the perfect children, which I think gave Mom and Dad a sense of false hope that they could do this parenting thing together. Derek destroyed everything they thought they knew about being parents.”
I looked over at Gibby, then looked at Luke who was nodding softly.
“What did he do?” I asked.
“What didn’t he do?” Reese laughed. “We brought him home from the hospital, where he was the sweetest little baby on Earth, and he turned into the demon spawn from Hell. I’m fairly sure that if my parents and sister hadn’t come over to help, we would’ve given him up for adoption.”
Katy snorted. “He was sweet…just Chuckie sweet, you know? Like, he was good, and then he was just bad. I’m fairly sure he didn’t like Mom for the first six months of his life.”
“He really didn’t.” Reese nodded as she gestured for us to go inside. We did, and I continued to listen to her, holding the front door open for her to pass through. Once everyone was through, she continued. “Five, please,” she said to the server, then turned back to me. “If I even got near him except to feed him, he’d lose his shit.”
“You’re joking,” I said.
She shook her head.
“I had to get up with him at night,” Luke said. “Or Katy or Rowen. Once the breastfeeding thing was over with when he turned three months…”
“Ask why the breastfeeding thing was over with at three months,” Katy suggested.
I raised my brows at Reese, who sighed.
“He got a tooth,” she said. “And when he was done eating—it was always at the end—he’d bite the absolute shit out of me until he drew blood.”
My mouth dropped open. “Sounds like a serial killer in the making.”
“He didn’t really care for any of us, really,” Luke muttered. “It wasn’t until he turned ten that he really started liking Reese and me. Katy and Rowen he’d always liked. My parents. Reese’s parents. My sister, her husband. Fuck, he liked everyone but his actual parents until one day he just…clicked with us. It was the weirdest thing, really. We didn’t tuck him into bed. He’d give us hugs, but we could tell he didn’t actually want to. Then one day I was almost shot and killed during a SWAT raid.”
“I remember that,” I said. “Dad was all frazzled. Said you almost died three times.”
“I did,” he confirmed. “That was also the last day that I was the leader of the SWAT team. I became a periphery advisor after that because I couldn’t do it anymore. Plus, it was six months before I could walk without a limp, but at that point, I realized that I was done. I wasn’t a young man anymore.”
“And what, Derek just realized that you almost died, and then started liking you?” I asked as I gestured to the lady that we were ready.
She led us to the table as Katy started to explain.
“I think it was seeing how scared Rowen and I were that he kind of started to pay attention,” she said. “We went to the hospital to see Dad, and Derek watched us. It wasn’t until we got home that he kind of started freaking out. At that time, I was fifteen. Old enough to stay at home with Derek. We went home, and Rowen and I slept in the same room that night. We stayed up late talking, telling each other funny stories we remembered of Dad and Mom when we were younger. And we didn’t realize that Derek was there listening to every word. That next morning, we woke up to Derek actually asking to go see Dad. From that point forward…”
“He decided to join the family,” Luke said as he held his hand out for the diapers that Reese had. “Let me have that. I’ll go get this done.”
Luke disappeared moments later with my charge, and I watched them go until they disappeared around the corner.
When I could no longer see them, I turned back to see Reese and Katy staring at me.
“What?” I asked.
“You’ll make a good dad one day,” Reese said softly. “I can tell, despite her not liking you, you are still worried about her. And for you to even call at all to get help means that you’re invested in her life at least a little bit.”
I was at that.
“I don’t know what to do sometimes,” I admitted. “I’ve gone back and forth since she was born on what I should do. Did Katy give you the complete low down?”
Reese nodded. “You mean did she tell me that everyone thinks that you’re the baby’s father when you’re really not? That you’ve been paying child support for a child that’s not yours so you can keep your foot in the door when it comes to your best friend’s child? A best friend that slept with your wife?”
I let out a low laugh. “She really did tell you everything, didn’t she?”
“Actually,” Katy winced. “I told my dad. I was mad and I had a little time before you woke up this morning to do nothing but brood. So, I texted back and forth with my father today.”
“Hmmm,” I said, not sure whether I was offended that she’d given my entire life story to her father, who also happened to be my boss, or not.
“I guess then, yes,” I said, returning my gaze back to Reese. “I’m invested, I think, because I want Paydon to really see what he made. I want him to have a life with this child. And I think, once he comes around, and stops blaming himself when Tasia was to be blamed in all of it, that he’ll really enjoy having this kid in his life.”
“Paydon can take care of the child?” Reese asked bluntly.
I thought about that question for a second.
In fact, it wasn’t until the waitress left after setting down bread and waters, and taking our drink orders, that I answered her.
“I think, with the help of his parents, that he can do a bang-up job at being a dad. Mentally, he’s a twelve-year-old. A really high-functioning twelve-year-old. He can drive. He handles his own bank account. He works with his father in his oil business. He just…doesn’t make the best of choices. Has poor impulse control. Like if he were to go buy a car, he would be talked into getting something he doesn’t actually need, because he doesn’t know better…do you know what I mean?”
Reese nodded.
“Kind of like when we see a cop and walk up behind him. We see his gun, and every last one of us thinks, ‘I wonder what he would do if I touched his gun.’ Yet, we don’t actually touch it. People with poor impulse control would actually touch it,” Katy offered.
“Katy!” Reese said. “You don’t actually think that, do you?”
Katy shrugged. “I don’t touch it!”
“We’d probably throw you down on the ground,” I told her. “Just sayin’.”
She snickered. “I realize that, which is why I never actually touch the
gun.” She paused. “But I might touch yours…just sayin’.”
I would’ve said something more to that comment, but her mother let out an expletive.
“Jesus,” she said. “Sometimes I don’t know what’s gotten into my children.”
“You know you love us, Mom.” Katy batted her eyelashes.
“I do.” She paused. “But like I said, I don’t know why sometimes.”
“Because she’s so much like me,” Luke said as he arrived with a freshly diapered, and even smiling, Gibby.
“Is Gibby her real name?” Reese asked, changing the subject.
“Actually, it’s Logan,” I said, rolling my eyes. “But since it’s weird to be calling a kid that’s supposed to be mine by my name, we started calling her Gibby. Which I’ve heard Tasia refer to her as.”
“Gibby is okay,” Reese said. “Did you say that the Maxwells are on their way down here?”
I nodded. “They left Alaska on their private jet about half an hour ago. It takes about six and a half to get down here, so I assume they’ll be on our doorstep around seven this evening, give or take an hour or so.”
“Luke, give her the food so she can eat.” Reese pushed the Happy Meal our way.
Luke opened the box and handed it over to the girl, who started eating the fries as she watched the rest of us warily.
“How old is she?” Reese suddenly asked.
“Um,” I hesitated, thinking back. “We divorced when she was newly born. And we’ve been divorced for an entire year now. So, a year, give or take a few months. Why?”
“Just wondering,” she said. “You’ve not had a very good life, have you, Logan?”
I blinked, startled.
“Um, what?”
“Your dad died. Your wife slept with your best friend. You have a kid that everyone thinks is yours but isn’t. You’re paying child support on said kid. Luke’s secretary hates you.” She started ticking off the items.
My lips thinned.
“That’s not even the half of it,” Katy said. “What about the fact that both Logan and I were questioned about the murder of Jakobe, and Tasia being beaten to hell and back?”
A voice cleared beside us, and I looked to see a tanned man with a goatee and dark, slicked-back hair staring at Katy.
Not in an admiring way, but in a ‘good to see you’ way.
“Katy,” the man said. “Do you remember me?”
She blinked, then smiled huge.
“Bruno!” she clapped. “It’s nice to see you!”
Bruno, the UPS man, grinned down at her, showing off a row of perfectly white teeth.
“That’s me,” he said. “I just wanted to come say hi before I took my seat. You haven’t changed a single bit since high school.”
Katy scoffed. “I’ve grown up some.”
Bruno grinned, then turned to not Luke or Reese, but me.
“You’re her man?” he asked.
Before I could say a thing, Katy laughed. “Yes, he’s my man.”
I wasn’t too sure what that shot of euphoria was that surged through my veins at hearing Katy say in front of not only Bruno, but her parents, that I was her man, but I fuckin’ loved it.
I loved it even more that there were no comments from her parents.
At least not until Bruno said goodbye.
When he finally went to his seat, Luke looked first at me, and then at Katy.
“So, this is a solid thing now?” he asked. “You and him?”
Katy didn’t miss a beat.
“Yeah,” she said. “We’re a solid thing.”
I swallowed past a lump in my throat and would’ve said more, but Luke changed the subject.
“You’re sleepwalking still?” he asked.
Katy frowned. “I didn’t last night.”
No, she hadn’t.
Last night, despite being exactly where I wanted to be, I’d slept like shit. I’d only had about three hours of sleep on my end until the wee hours of the morning.
“I was going to suggest you coming to stay with me, but I think what you’re doing is working.” He paused. “I don’t want you to be alone…not at night, and not even during the day.”
“I’m not,” Katy promised. “Logan already informed me that I should have a person with me. Just in case.”
Luke shot his eyes to me.
“I agree with him.” He paused. “But the same obviously goes for you now. I’m not one to believe in coincidences. These things keep happening to y’all for a reason. Her yesterday, you today. Someone’s getting rid of y’all’s enemies, and we need to figure out who.”
My sentiments exactly.
“Well, what exactly am I supposed to do about that?” she asked. “The only people that know anything at all about our problems are you, Dad, his ex-wife, that little girl you’re holding and Bruno over there.”
I blinked as did Luke.
“Bruno?” Luke asked.
“Yeah, Bruno.” Katy nodded, gesturing at the man that’d come to introduce himself earlier. “I graduated with him. I just recently reconnected again with him when I called the UPS store to bitch about my package not getting picked up.”
“And he knows about your woes?” Luke drawled.
Katy grinned. “I think, unfortunately for him, that he was on the receiving end of me bitching. Twice. The first time it was because he asked if everything was okay when I called him. I apparently sounded out of it. The second time he called while I was in the interrogation room. I’d explained to him about Tasia and everything that she’d done lately to piss me off. The third time I think he was just checking on me to make sure that I wasn’t incarcerated and to inform me that my UPS driver would be new and the old one was let go.”
Luke shook his head.
“So, you gave him your entire life story?” Luke asked.
“Bruno and I used to know each other when we were in high school. He was weird and different like me. We bonded.” Katy shrugged. “But in case you’re wondering, he doesn’t have the guts to kill anyone, or beat anyone up.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “How about you let me look into that.”
She shrugged. “I can…”
A commotion at the door had us all turning in that direction.
That was when we saw Tasia’s father, and the little girl’s grandfather, come barreling in the door looking like he was pissed as hell and willing to let everyone in his path know about it.
“Logan!” Warren Hill, Tasia’s father, growled as he spotted me in the restaurant.
I quickly stood up and walked toward him, hoping to keep this in the foyer, or hopefully the parking lot, and not the dining area.
I managed to stop him in the mouth of the dining room and pushed him backward, keeping him from hopefully interrupting everyone’s meal.
“Warren,” I said. “Tasia okay?”
Warren’s eyes narrowed. “You did this to her!”
I blinked and frowned. “I most certainly did not.”
“Yes, you did. Who else would have reason to beat the absolute shit out of my daughter?” he asked.
So, I did have a reason? That was interesting. Before, when I was explaining why I was leaving his daughter, he’d told me that my reason for leaving her was petty.
Petty.
Her sleeping with my best friend, my mentally challenged best friend, was petty.
Right.
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t hurt your daughter,” I said. “I haven’t seen her since she left the trail where I was walking the dog.”
“The dog that you refused to give her, so she got upset and started talking about involving the lawyer. Which you got pissed about and then kicked her ass,” he growled.
I narrowed my eyes at him and backed him up even farther, this time to the doorway that led to outside.
“I most certainly did not hurt your daughter,” I countered. “I have proof. I was with someone the e
ntire night.”
He laughed. “A woman that you’re fucking. Of course, she would lie for you.”
“I disagree,” came Luke’s smooth reply from behind me. “My daughter wouldn’t lie for anybody, not even for me.”
I knew that to be true, too.
Katy was honest to a fault.
She told it like it was, as I’d learned from the detective who’d questioned her.
I’d watched the interrogation tapes on break later that day, and she’d straight up told the man everything that I’d done to her the night before, not sparing a single sordid detail.
So no, I don’t think she’d lie for me or for her father.
“You would say that. This is benefitting you.” He waved his hand in the air. “It doesn’t matter. I’m here for Gibby.”
“You mean Logan?” Luke said smoothly.
“Gibby,” Warren corrected. “We both know that child isn’t his, so I refuse to call her his name.”
My mouth twitched at his refusal to call her Logan, and at the mention that he knew that the child wasn’t mine.
Jesus Christ, he only told the truth when it suited him.
Like when we were in court and he was telling the judge that ‘as the child’s father’ I should have to pay for the child support.
God, how I hated them.
“You’re not getting Gibby,” I said.
Warren’s eyes lit with fire.
“I’m getting her,” he said. “You’ve never spent a single night with this child in her entire life. Nor do you want to. We all know that this is just a game to you.”
“Not a game,” I disagreed. “And Gibby’s father is on the way down as we speak. He will be taking possession of Gibby, and taking care of her, until such time that either Tasia gets out of the hospital, or he receives full custody of her—which, I assume, is going to happen. They’re going to file for full custody.”
Warren laughed in my face. “Then he’ll have a fight on his hands.”
I imagined they would.
But I was done with that part. Once I handed Gibby over to the Maxwells today, I would no longer be involved in the rest of it. May the best man win and all that jazz.
Though, I had a ninety-nine percent certainty that Paydon would win. One, they had money to fight Warren and Tasia’s corruptness. Two, Paydon had been wronged.
Hide Your Crazy Page 16
