CHAPTER 28 Penny Calloway
Shacking Up
My hands are shaking as I walk into the courthouse.
I’m the girl who never got detention, who never got yelled at, who followed all the rules to the letter.
This feels like getting called into the principal’s office when you didn’t do anything wrong but feel like you’re going to be accused of wrongdoing anyway, only times about a million.
I spot my lawyer, Kelly Pierce, talking to who I assume is Alexander Voss, a devilishly handsome man in a suit. Kelly looks like she’s both in awe of and wants to sleep with her co-counsel. I don’t blame her.
I get closer, and Kelly says something to Alexander. He steps forward.
“Ms. Wade, Alexander Voss.” He stretches out a hand, and I shake it.
“Nice to meet you,” I say.
“Let’s get this settled,” he says, and his take-charge attitude feels like something I sorely needed to beat my ex at his own game.
Brent shows up with his lawyer a few moments later, and someone finds us in the hallway and takes us back to the judge’s chambers.
“Good morning,” the judge says. He’s an older man with gray hair and glasses, and he sits behind his desk. He looks like a regular person back there in a suit rather than a judge in his robes. “Why isn’t this settled yet?” he begins.
Brent opens his mouth to speak, and his lawyer nudges him as Alexander jumps in first.
“Your Honor, my client just wants this to be over. We are prepared to settle the remaining issues today with the court’s guidance.”
The judge nods and glances over at Brent’s lawyer.
“The remaining issues aren’t as small as Mr. Voss is indicating,” he argues. “In fact, the issues of financial responsibility and custody aren’t yet settled, which I’m sure you will agree are rather large issues at stake.”
I glance at Alexander. When Liam and I were prepping yesterday, I told Alexander I’m considering moving out of Chicago, and he brings it up.
“My client has been offered a position in another state, and she’s prepared to work out a custody agreement with the court’s permission to relocate to California,” he says.
“Absolutely not,” Brent roars, and his lawyer gives him a look that very clearly says shut the fuck up.
“Mr. Calloway, I’ll thank you not to yell in my chambers,” the judge warns. He sighs. “I’m sure we’d all like to avoid trial. Counsel, aside from relocation and custody, what other financial issues do we need to address?”
Alexander looks at me, and I nod.
“My client is prepared to keep the current time structure and cover the travel costs for the children so their father can be with them every other weekend,” Alexander says. “She’s already given him the house and is seeking spousal and child support, which Mr. Calloway has vehemently denied.”
“If she’s shacking up with that NFL star, she doesn’t need the money,” Brent points out, and it’s the first clue that tells me he’s going to weaponize my relationship with Liam every chance he gets.
The judge sighs. “Mr. Calloway, you will have your chance to be heard, but it will be through your counsel. Is there any flexibility on either side so we can resolve this today?”
Brent purses his lips, and it’s really too perfect since he’s the one pissing off the judge. Good. Piss him off so he rules in my favor.
“My client feels the travel would wear on the children and does not agree to the relocation request,” Brent’s lawyer says.
He looks between us. “I’m not seeing movement on these matters.” He glances at his computer screen. “You’ll both have your chance to be heard at trial. Counsel, are you available July twelfth?”
All of the lawyers in the room nod, and that’s that.
“Continue to have productive conversations to move toward a resolution. If you are able to come to an agreement, notify the court, and we’ll change your trial to a prove-up.”
I guess we’re going to trial.
Once we’re dismissed and we’re out in the hallway and out of earshot of Brent, who gives me a glare on his way past me, I have to ask. “What’s a prove-up?”
“The final hearing where the divorce is finalized,” Alexander says. “If we can shift it to that, it would save us all a hell of a lot of time, but if not, then we go to trial and we win.”
“Did you see how angry the judge was at Brent’s outbursts?” I ask, and I can’t help a smile.
“That was excellent for your case. Have you been keeping records of his interactions with you and your children?”
I wrinkle my nose. “Probably not as much as I should have been.”
“Start now. I need everything. We should meet in my office to discuss our options regarding your children. We shouldn’t do it here.” He lowers his voice. “But I will need to know exactly how your children feel about their father and what your goals are in terms of parenting time.”
I nod. I figured we’d just keep our current agreement. I wish there was some way to write Brent out of the picture, but there isn’t. He’s their father.
I think about how the boys told me their father went out of town the last time they were there. I think about how he left them with some stranger I don’t even know.
He doesn’t deserve them, and I hate that I will worry about them every time they are over there.
When I get home, I’m crying, and Liam is waiting for me with open arms.
“How did it go?”
I sink into his arms. “Brent had two outbursts, so that seems good for me. It didn’t seem like the judge was impressed.”
“That seems good. Did you settle anything?”
I shake my head against his chest. “He set a trial date for July twelfth.”
“How long does a divorce case usually take?”
“Should be done before you leave for training camp,” I say. “A day or two, probably. Alexander said he needs everything I have against Brent. I guess I need to start keeping better records.”
“What were his outbursts about?” he asks as I pull out of his arms. He leads me to the kitchen, where a glass with amber liquid in it is waiting for me. He picks it up and hands it over. “Thought you might need this.”
I drink it down, and it burns my throat. “Fireball? You gave me a midday shot of Fireball?”
He laughs. “What did you think it was? I could smell the cinnamon across the house.”
I can’t help a giggle, and truthfully, it is sort of making my nerves feel less frazzled. I blow out a breath. “He said something about me shacking up with an NFL player,” I admit.
His face falls a little. “Oh, shit. Is that going to hurt you?”
“I think the judge was more annoyed by the outburst than what he said.”
He twists his lips and nods, but I can’t help noticing that he turns away from me.
And I can’t help but feel like maybe I should have kept the whole shacking up comment to myself.
He doesn’t bring it up again until the following Sunday evening when we pick up the kids from Brent’s place.
The kids are upstairs packing their stuff, and Liam is with me this time.
I think about trying to have a productive conversation with him so we can settle this before the trial, but I know better than to try to do that without Alexander present.
And so I keep my mouth shut about all of it and try to make small talk instead.
“How was the weekend?”
Brent shrugs. “Fine.”
“Did you do anything fun with the boys?”
“I had to work most of the weekend,” he says.
I sigh. “Do you think it’s a stable environment for our children to come to your place only to be stuck with a babysitter all weekend?”
“Do you think it’s a stable environment for our children to stay at home of the NFL star you’re shacking up with who also knocked up another woman?” he jabs back.
My brows dip. “How do you know about that?”
“I have eyes and ears all over this city, darlin’. I know everything.” His voice is a low hiss. “And everything you’re doing is convenient for my case, so thanks.”
God, I hate him.
And I’m more sure than ever that there’s no chance in hell that he’ll ever let me come out ahead—especially not if it means letting Liam and me find a way to be together.