For the Love of Summer

Chapter 12

Work had always been Erica’s happy place. Even when there were problems, she enjoyed every second of every day. Her salons were temples of joy and possibility. Yes, there were always crap things to be done, but they were a means to an end. She loved the high ceilings, the buzz of conversation, the scents in the spa area, the whir of the air purifier. She’d worked sick, pregnant and hungover. She’d worked while falling in love and while dealing with the fact that her husband didn’t want to be married anymore. She’d worked through disappointments and a false positive on a mammogram. Until today, until this very moment, she had always been able to work. But right now, she couldn’t.

Her mind was like a hamster on a wheel, circling around and around, not going anywhere, instead churning over the same thing.

I want Allison and Jackson to move in with us.

Summer’s words still haunted her. They’d kept her up most of the night and now they sat with her, repeating themselves over and over again.

Oh, there had been more. Her daughter had an entire plan to make an impossible request seem reasonable. She would give up her beautiful corner en suite with the giant walk-in closet for Allison and the baby, and move into a still very nice but smaller bedroom with a Jack and Jill bathroom shared with the room next door. That was for Jackson, when he was ready to be on his own. Summer had said for the first few weeks they should put his crib in with her so he wouldn’t get scared.

Living with them would mean Allison wouldn’t have to work, freeing her to care for her toddler and her newborn. When Peter was finally out of jail, they could go live together, happily ever after, as God intended. Or some such nonsense. Then life would return to normal.

It was, her daughter had informed her, the perfect plan. Except for, you know, the part about Erica’s ex-husband’s second wife and her child moving into her house and mooching off her for who knew how long. Sure, it was great. Erica couldn’t imagine being happier.

Her mother knocked on her half-open office door, then walked inside. Mara’s expression was sympathetic.

“You still look shell-shocked.”

“Good, because that’s how I feel.”

“Want to go get a drink?”

Erica glanced at the clock on her computer. “It’s quarter to ten in the morning.”

“Still, desperate times.”

“Thanks, Mom, but I don’t think day drinking is the best solution. Not that there is a problem. Allison isn’t moving in with us.”

Mara sat down and leaned toward her. “You’re going to tell Summer no? She’ll be heartbroken. The situation really is dire.”

“I know that and I’m not completely heartless. I’m going to rent her an apartment. She’ll pay me what she can and I’ll take care of the rest.”

“What about when she has the baby? Who’s going to take care of Jackson?”

“She has friends. Someone can step in.”

“How is she supposed to manage with a newborn and a toddler? What if there’s a problem with the birth or the baby? How does she deal with all that?”

“She’s not the only single woman on the planet having a baby.”

“But she’s the one Summer knows.”

Erica glared at her mother. “I thought you were here to help.”

“I am.” Mara’s tone gentled. “You’re ignoring the heart of the situation. I understand that you don’t like it and don’t want to deal with it, but as far as Summer is concerned, Allison and Jackson are her family.”

“So she tells me daily.” And every time was a little dagger to her heart.

“This isn’t an argument you’re going to win. Summer will wear you down.”

Erica didn’t want to address that. “She’s asking for the impossible. That woman isn’t moving into my house.”

“It solves a lot of problems.”

“Not for me.” She narrowed her gaze. “You want this. You think Allison should come live with us.”

“It’s not the worst idea in the world.”

“How can you even say that? I don’t know her. She’s Peter’s wife. The man left me. Explain to me why I should give a rat’s ass about my ex-husband’s wife and his child.”

“It’s the right thing to do and you’ve never been comfortable being a bitch.”

“I have employees who would disagree with you.”

“No, you don’t.” Her mother’s mouth flattened. “It’s a huge ask. Years from now Summer will be shocked that she insisted and even more surprised that you said yes. The woman has nowhere to go. She’s not your family, but she is important to your daughter. You have to be the bigger person and say yes.”

Erica turned away, hating that she’d been put in this position and resenting the possibility that her mother might be right.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” She needed time to think. She needed to figure out another option and she needed more information.

“I’m going to see Peter,” she said.

Her mother stared at her in surprise. “In jail?”

“That’s where he is. I need more information and Peter is the only one who has it.”

“Can you do that? Just go see him?”

“No. There’s a whole process. I had to fill out an application and be approved. When I talked to Killion last night, he said he’d help. He knows someone who knows the warden, so I can go see Peter this afternoon.”

“It’s good to have powerful friends,” her mother said with a smile. “Or sleep with a powerful man.”

Erica tried not to grimace. “I don’t like using him this way, but I didn’t know who else to turn to.”

“You’re not using him. You’re asking for help. Trust me. The man is thrilled he can do something for you.”

“Killion isn’t like that.”

“All men are like that. You’re successful and self-sufficient. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but when a man loves a woman, he wants to take care of her. You don’t make that easy.”

Erica dismissed her words with a flick of her wrist. “Killion doesn’t love me any more than I love him. We’re friends who have a convenient sexual relationship, nothing more.”

Her mother ignored her. “My point is, he’s not thinking you’re taking advantage of him.”

He had been gracious when she’d called. He’d listened while she’d ranted and had been the one to suggest she go see Peter to find out what was going on, then had offered to smooth the way.

“Do you want me to come with you?” her mother asked. “I’d probably have to wait in the car, but I’d be there for moral support.”

“You’re sweet but no. I’m just visiting Peter. It’s not a big deal.”

“Have you been to a federal detention facility before?”

“No. Have you?”

“I haven’t and that’s how I know it’s a big deal.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“And I’ll be around if you want to talk.”

Erica found herself regretting her dismissal of her mother’s offer as she waited while a male guard went through her purse.

“It’s not a visiting day,” he grumbled, opening a lipstick and staring at the color. “And you’re not a lawyer.”

She had no idea what to say to that, so kept her mouth shut and hoped this would be over soon.

The drive hadn’t been too bad. She’d been told to park in the closest visitor lot, so had been able to walk right up to the entrance. But the gray multistory building had looked plenty intimidating, as had the signs posted on the tall fencing.

The guard put everything back in her bag and returned it to her, then motioned for her to proceed. She’d already gone through a metal detector and been sniffed over by a large German shepherd.

She followed the guard through several doors, each with a big lock, into an open area she would guess was the general visiting area. There were plastic chairs and low tables. Vending machines sat against one wall. The guard pointed to a chair.

“Wait there.”

“Thank you.”

She took a seat, grateful she’d worn pants instead of a skirt. She hadn’t thought of what to wear while visiting her ex in prison, but Summer had a game that afternoon, so pants had made the most sense.

As she waited, she wondered if Peter would refuse to see her. She hadn’t been in touch with him and had no idea what he was thinking or going through. All she knew was her name had been added to his visitor list, but given the special treatment she’d already received, she wasn’t sure that meant he’d approved it.

Despite the fact that she was the only person in the large room, the space was anything but quiet. She could hear shouts and loud conversations. Metal doors clanged, guards issued orders. She had a sense of being watched and it made her uneasy, even though when she glanced around, she didn’t see anyone.

After what felt like an hour but was probably ten minutes, a different guard appeared with Peter. Erica rose, mostly out of shock as her ex-husband shuffled toward her, leg irons around his ankles, hands cuffed.

He looked thin and tired. The lines around his brown eyes had deepened since she’d last seen him and his skin had a pallor that said he hadn’t seen sunlight in days.

“We’re not prepared for visitors,” the guard said, his tone accusing. “And you’re not an officer of the court.”

“A what?”

“A lawyer,” Peter said, avoiding her gaze. “You’re not a lawyer.”

“I can’t stick around to make sure you don’t get into trouble,” the guard continues. “He stays in restraints.”

“It’s fine,” Peter said, kicking a chair out from the table so he could sit down.

Erica started to help, but he shook his head. “Stay back. It’s better that way.” His gaze finally met hers. “They’ll be watching remotely. We don’t want them thinking you’re passing me drugs.”

She wasn’t sure if he was trying to be funny or telling the truth. Regardless, she settled back in her seat.

“You’re a surprise,” he said. “I was told you would be visiting and that I would be fine with it.”

“I can leave if you’re not.”

“No, it’s okay. Visitors break up the routine. Plus Allison can’t get here as often as I’d like.”

At the mention of his wife’s name, he seemed to shrink a little, his face crumbling. “This is so hard for her and it’s all my fault. God, I’ve hurt her. I’ve put her through so much and I only wanted things to be good for her, you know. Better than what we had. I would lie awake at night in that shit rental and think about the house you and I had. I wanted something like that for her. Beautiful things, never worrying about money.”

He turned away. “She looks for coupons online. Did you know that? My wife has to clip coupons.”

The conversation had taken an unexpected turn and Erica didn’t know how to respond. She understood that Peter wanted the best for his current wife, but the way he was talking about the house confused her. It had never been theirs. She’d been the one to buy it and she’d been the one to arrange for it to be taken care of. Peter had shown no interest in repairs or maintenance. He’d come and gone with the ease of a man living in a hotel.

“Peter, what happened? Why are you here?”

He tensed at the question, looking around, as if expecting to see someone nearby, listening. “I’m not going to talk about that. They’re probably recording this conversation.”

Could they do that? Was it legal? She had no idea and that wasn’t the point. “The charges against you are serious. Allison isn’t sure you even have a lawyer yet. You need a lawyer.”

“I have the newly minted court-appointed lawyer for now, but I’m working on getting someone decent. Once I figure out who, everything will change.”

She had her doubts. “You threatened police with a gun. I didn’t know you owned a gun.”

“Just for work stuff.”

“You’re an accountant! Why would you need a gun?”

He looked at her. “Please lower your voice.”

There was something in his tone. More than a request—almost a demand. But Peter never demanded anything. He went along to get along. He never got that involved. His easygoing nature had been such a contrast to her drive and she’d liked that. She’d thought he would help her get more balance in her life and she thought she would... Well, looking back she wasn’t sure what she thought she brought to the table.

Her determination? Her success? With a little perspective, she saw that he’d admired both of those until he hadn’t. That the very thing that had drawn him to her had ended up pushing him away. Or maybe she was fooling herself. Maybe she’d fallen for a charming, slightly awkward but sweet facade. Maybe it had all been an act, a way to access a very nice life.

Yes, they’d been divorced for over four years now, but she had a feeling the reason she didn’t know him now was because she never had.

“Have they set bail?”

His gaze slid to the floor. “It’s a million dollars.”

“What?” Her voice was a shriek. “That’s insane. So you need to come up with what? Ten percent, so a hundred thousand. Why is it so high?”

“They want to make sure I cooperate. I’d need a guarantor. For the million. So ten percent in cash or property and a guarantor.”

The hundred thousand was bad enough but finding someone to guarantee the million dollars? “I don’t know how that’s going to happen. Your business is basically shut down. Once the police trashed it, everyone quit but Hillary.”

He frowned. “Gail quit?”

“Gail’s the one who turned you in.”

In other circumstances, his shock would have almost been comical. He stared at her wide-eyed, his mouth working without him making a sound.

“Gail?” he asked finally. “It was Gail?”

“She figured out you’d crossed a line and she wasn’t happy.”

“But we’d worked together over a decade.”

“Probably why she was so shocked to find out about the illegal behavior.” Erica realized too late she probably shouldn’t have mentioned Gail. “You’re not going to hurt her, are you? You’re the bad guy here, not her.”

He stared at her. “Hurt her? I’m in jail. What can I do to anyone?”

“You could have an associate kill her.”

He swore and looked away, then back at her. “Is that what you think of me?”

“I don’t know what to think, Peter. The last time you and I had a conversation this long, you were explaining how much you didn’t want to be married to me and how horrible I was.” She forced herself to hold his gaze when she really wanted to turn away and find a corner to hide in.

She squared her shoulders. “When we were married, you had your flaws, but not money laundering and wire fraud. At least not that I know of. You’re different, so maybe I get to be worried about telling you Gail turned you in.”

“Nothing’s happening to Gail. She’s the least of it. Allison is the only one I care about.” He leaned toward her. “Have you seen her?”

Erica hesitated. “Briefly. We talked about the business and I said I would handle things. I found Hillary workspace in one of my salons and I’m paying her salary. She’ll keep things limping along for as long as possible.”

After that, Erica would write Hillary a glowing recommendation, give her a generous severance and ask her current accounting firm if they had any openings.

“How did she look? How is she doing?” His shoulders sagged. “Did you see Jackson?”

Erica assumed the “she” in question was his wife, not his accountant.

“She’s struggling,” she said bluntly. “You might have had some grandiose plan but it’s all gone to hell.” She leaned toward him. “What the fuck were you thinking, screwing with her life like that? You claim to love her and this is how you treat her? You abandon her to what? Live in her car?”

She thought Peter might blow up at her. He didn’t get angry often, but when he did, it was a serious event. But instead of pushing back, he crumbled, sagging in his chair, his head down, his shackled hands covering his face.

“You’re right,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I did that to her. God, I’ve ruined her and it’s all my fault.”

He looked at Erica. Tears filled his eyes. “She’s everything to me. My world, and look at what she’s going through. I never wanted that. I wanted her to live like a princess. She’s my princess.”

His eyes squeezed shut. “And now she hates me.”

The intensity of his emotion made Erica squirm. She wasn’t used to Peter sharing so much, or feeling so deeply. Oh, sure, when they’d been married, he’d told her he loved her, but the words had always seemed casual. She knew for a fact she’d never been his “princess.” He used to joke that she didn’t need him for anything.

“Crying doesn’t help,” she snapped. “It makes you weak and then one of the other inmates is going to make you his bitch. Do you really want that?”

He sucked in a breath. “That’s the Erica I know. Always able to get to the heart of the problem.”

“You being someone’s bitch isn’t a problem that concerns me right now. In addition to your princess wife, you also have a sixteen-year-old daughter who’s pretty frantic with worry. It would be nice if you asked about her.”

He wiped his eyes. “How is Summer?”

“How do you think? Her father’s in jail, her stepmother and half brother are about to be homeless. She’s not planning a long weekend at a theme park.”

She stood and circled the chair, then faced him. “I can’t believe you did this. I can’t believe you were so stupid, not only that you got into something illegal, but then you got caught. I hope it’s worth it.”

He stared at her. “Tell me you’ll help Allison.”

“What?”

Her outrage was more pretense than real, but she went with it.

“You came to see me for a reason.”

“I wanted to know what was going on.”

He waved his hands. “Now you know. This is where I am and this is where I’ll be staying until I can make bail. Finding the right lawyer takes time.” His mouth flattened. “It’s not like I have a home office and can make calls whenever I want.”

He leaned toward her. “You’ve talked to Allison. You know what she’s up against. She’s pregnant, Erica. She’s alone with Jackson and she’s scared. She doesn’t have a lot of friends. It was always the two of us. I didn’t give her enough. You have no idea how sorry I am about that. I wanted to give her the world.”

“Right now all she needs is an apartment, but I guess that was too much to ask.”

He ignored the slam. “Please. Help them.”

“They’re not my problem.”

He slid off the chair, his knees hitting the floor. His dark eyes met hers. She read regret, determination and a couple dozen other emotions she couldn’t name—probably because she was in shock from seeing her ex-husband supplicating himself to her.

“I’m begging you,” he said quietly. “Erica, I’m begging you. If you ever loved me, help Allison. Do it for Summer, do it because it’s the right thing to do. You’re the only one who can save her.”

She stood there, unable to move, unable to speak. Everything about the moment was surreal. A voice in her head whispered that at no point in their marriage would he have begged for her. With the realization came a stab of pain, but she ignored it.

“Us,” she said quietly. “Did it begin falling apart because I pushed you to start your own business or was it before that?”

“The business thing didn’t help, but it was before that.”

Another blade carved through her heart. That long ago? She’d had no idea, no hint they were anything but happy.

“Will you help her?”

She picked up her bag. “I don’t know. But if I do, it won’t be because of you.”