Chapter 40
Chad Wilson. Today is the day I pay him a visit.
Kate sent me an address with all the details I’d need.
She told me he should be in his office today and made an appointment for me under the guise of a potential sales negotiation.
Austin thinks this is a terrible idea, but I disagree.
Jo said she wishes he’d disappear to close that chapter, and I’m here to make it happen.
In my head, I’ve worked through every possible scenario, and if all goes as planned today should go smoothly. I’m not walking in there to start a fight, but I need to look him in the eye and have an honest conversation.
If Jo lets me back in, I have real plans with her, and he’s standing in the way of one of them.
Jay. For a man who’d given up on having kids, I’ve definitely jumped in feet first. Don’t get me wrong, the idea of kids and a family always sat somewhere in the back of my mind, it just didn’t look like it would happen.
I love Abby and Jay, and they need to be free of this looming shadow.
The car GPS informs me I’ve arrived, and I parallel park right in front of a strip of businesses. Checking the information from Kate, I drop my phone into my center console and head to the office directly in front of me. Once inside, I let the receptionist know I have an appointment.
Only a minute or two pass before my name is called, informing me I can go on back.
With confident strides, I find his office quickly and knock twice. A gruff, “Come in,” sounds from beyond the door, and I enter.
Chad stands, extending a hand for me to shake, and I do.
Calm and polite. My eyes do a quick sweep of his office, to find it covered in family photos of him, a moderately attractive woman, and a smiling child.
Still shaking his hand, I grip harder. His brows furrow and when I see him wince, I release his hand satisfied.
Several inches taller than Chad, he has to look up when he greets me.
“You’re here to talk business?” Chad rounds his desk to take a seat back in his chair, motioning for me to do the same opposite him.
Once seated, I prop a foot on my knee and shake my head.
“Chad, I’ll get straight to the point. My name’s Tyler Kent. I’m not here for a sales negotiation.”
His eyes narrow to slits, but I go on. “I’m Abby’s father.”
A low chuckle hums and he shakes his head. “Of course you are. She looks like you. But what does this have to do with me? That family is in the past.”
Anger swells and my fingers grip the armrest so hard my knuckles turn white, but I keep my voice calm and even.
“That family,” I say, a low growl, “is in my present and future.” I take in a deep exhale to rein in my temper, I so rarely allow out of my control.
Chad lets out a low whistle and sits back in his chair. “All I can say is good luck. You’re signing up for nothing but a mess.”
My knee is bouncing so hard, trying to keep control of this situation. I have got to remain calm.
“Let me give you a little insight. Josie is a disaster. She’s impulsive, emotional, and hotheaded. Living with her will be like living with a walking tornado. She might be pretty, but she’ll exhaust you.”
Leaning forward to rest one elbow on my knee, I swipe a hand across my mouth. I take a breath and meet his pathetic stare. “What makes you think you know anything about me?” My voice has a slight edge to it, and his head tilts.
A humorless chuckle escapes him. Rather than acknowledging my question, he continues.
“Right after Jay was born, the woman was a basket case. Couldn’t make it through a day without crying or snapping.
Tried to blame it on postpartum depression.
” He makes air quotes around the last two words, rolling his eyes.
“But let’s be honest. She was unstable before.
If you ask me, the proverbial apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, what with her mom and all.
Think she went to therapy off and on. Clearly that didn’t work. ”
Then as if he’s remembered something his head cocks to the side.
“You know she wrote letters to you, right? Have you seen them yet?”
All I do is nod.
“Yeah, she was never really present in our marriage. She was pretty easy to walk away from.”
His words turn my vision scarlet, and I bite out, “You know, I’ve been around that family for just shy of two months.
All this time I’ve wondered what kind of man could walk away from a woman like Jo, and kids like Abby and Jay.
” My gaze flicks to the framed photo on his desk—a family of smiling faces and coordinated outfits—and then back to the man in front of me.
“But now I get it. You didn’t walk away because she was too much. You walked away because you weren’t enough to handle her.”
His jaw tightens, the smile wiped clean from his face.
From the inner pocket of my jacket, I pull out an envelope and slide it across the desk. “There’s something I need you to look over.”
He eyes it suspiciously but doesn’t touch it.
“What is it?”
“Open it. It’s about Jay.”
Chad flinches—barely, but I catch it.
“You’re not the one in the picture anymore, Chad.
You had your chance. In case you need me to spell it out for you, this states you’re relinquishing all parental rights to Jay.
You’ve been a piss poor father to him anyway.
It’s my time to make up for that. I have serious plans with Jo, Abby, and Jay. “
He doesn’t speak for several seconds. Doesn’t reach for the envelope. Then with slow movements, he opens the flap, slides out the paper, and scans it.
I do him a favor, and grab a pen from his desk, sliding it to him.
He only hesitates for a second before he’s signing on the line, folding it and handing it to me across the desk. Hardly a hesitation for one of the biggest decisions in most parents’ lives. I’m disgusted at the waste of space sitting across from me.
Tucking the paper back into my pocket, I stand. Chad leans back propping his hands behind his head like he just signed any other business deal. He doesn’t stand to shake, and I’m glad. There’s a very real possibility I’d break every bone in his hand.
I pause at the door and glance back at him.
“You know…most people would’ve fought me on this.”
I let my statement hang in the air, watching for a flicker of something. But his face remains impassive.
“But you didn’t. You walked away and gave it all up. And because of that, I get the chance to step up. To be what they need.” I grip the doorknob. “So whatever kind of man that makes you, let me be the first to say thank you. Because I plan to be the exact opposite.”
And then I walk out, not bothering to look back. This is the second successful Jo related business I’ve accomplished this week. Now to get to Jo’s for one more.