CHAPTER 17 #2
He shook his head, his eyes serious. “Vince is important, but I can’t let him be first all the time.
I slipped into an old habit, and I shouldn’t have let you leave without me.
” His voice took on a more distant quality.
“I thought I had to put Vince first. It turns out, I was wrong. Sometimes I should come first. I’ve done it for so long, I expected it was my burden. ”
“What made you come to your senses?” Her heart fluttered at the way Isaac trusted her with his secrets and his fears. If only she could explain everything on her mind. She shoved the stray thought away—she’d tell him later. She didn’t want anything negative to ruin their holiday.
“Mom set me straight. She reminded me how much I’ve given up for Vince already.
I couldn’t risk losing us because I was busy trying to look out for him.
He’s a grown-ass adult and doesn’t need me like that.
It won’t happen again.” He smiled and pounced on her, pinning her to the bed.
“Unlike other things that are going to happen a lot this week.” His kiss knocked everything else from her head.
The rest of their holiday in Portugal flew by in a whirlwind of activity and happiness.
They visited Faro, Lagos, and a bird sanctuary.
They rented kayaks and paddled them through caverns along the shoreline among the stone outcroppings that littered the turquoise ocean.
In the afternoons, they swam, laughed, and sought shade.
Isaac cooked delicious food, and they ate out for a few nights, enjoying the atmosphere in the local restaurants.
A few times, Isaac signed autographs for children when he was recognized, but they spent most of their time alone. One night, they made love twice on the patio with the stars above in the inky sky. Anna had never felt closer to anyone than she was to Isaac and couldn’t remember a better vacation.
The second to last night, Isaac offered to fly to Texas with her as support.
“I’d rather that Adam not meet you. But I’d love for you to be there.” She dreaded seeing Adam because it would remind her of the years she’d lost.
“I promise to stay out of the way. This is your battle, and I’m confident you can deal with him.” He bought another plane ticket while upgrading hers at the same time.
“I can fly economy,” she said with a shrug.
“I can’t,” he said with a smile. “We’re flying business class.”
. . .
Anna and Isaac left the beach house on the morning of July 25th and drove up the rocky coastline to Lisbon, where they caught a flight to Texas. She felt like a world traveler these days, back and forth across the ocean. Not long ago, that would have been unthinkable.
The day after their arrival, they planned to meet with her lawyer, and then the following day, fly to Helsinki to meet the team for the race at the KymiRing.
To Anna’s surprise, when she and Isaac arrived at the airport in Austin, a camera crew waited at Arrivals.
They followed her and Isaac while they collected their bags and their rental car—hovering in the background.
It seemed strange to receive that much attention.
Who had tipped the media off where they would be?
Maybe they’d been seen leaving the airport in Lisbon.
The film crew’s presence was intrusive and put her on edge.
After the break and time away, she’d forgotten what it was like, always having paparazzi following.
The last time they’d been in America, it had also been extreme.
Being here was something that had nothing to do with MotoGP, racing, or even Isaac.
This was her private business. What could the media possibly hope to see?
She did her best to ignore them, but the feeling of being watched persisted.
The TV crew may have hoped for a better story than driving straight to a downtown hotel for the night, but that’s all they got.
The next morning, Anna and Isaac arrived at the lawyer’s office on the eighteenth floor an hour before Adam was due.
He hadn’t agreed to meet with the lawyer present, but Anna wasn’t willing to meet with him alone.
Her lawyer had booked a conference room for the meeting.
Anna took a breath. She wouldn’t be on her own facing Adam. She’d be with Janice.
“Isaac, this is Janice Mulberry. Janice, this is my boyfriend, Isaac.” Anna made the introductions.
“You’re the motorcycle racer who has won Anna’s heart,” said Janice as she shook his hand.
“She’s the reason I’m having my best season ever,” he said with an amiable smile. “My crew chief always reminds me that a happy racer is a fast racer.”
Warmth filled Anna. He hadn’t told her he attributed some of his success to her.
The two of them talked while Anna blocked out their words, trying to prepare for dealing with Adam, practicing conversations in her head.
As the time for the meeting neared, Janice’s assistant brought her a folder with the necessary paperwork.
Everything looked to be ready, and Janice reiterated that according to Washington state law, Adam shouldn’t be able to claim any part of the townhouse.
Isaac squeezed Anna’s hand and excused himself for a walk, leaving fifteen minutes before the scheduled meeting with Adam.
After Isaac departed, Anna spun her ring, twirling it around and around, reminding herself to breathe, and gave herself an internal pep talk.
She could do this even if it would be difficult.
Even with support, she didn’t want to see Adam but was doing this to get the money sooner. And, more importantly, for closure.
She filled her water glass while she waited. The room felt too warm.
An angry male voice at reception was the first sign of Adam’s arrival. Maybe coming here had been a mistake.
“What the fuck, Anna?” he said, storming into the room. “Lawyers?”
Janice’s assistant, Marjorie, hovered in the background. She mouthed the word, “Security?” to her boss, who gave a slight shake of her head. Her lawyer’s confidence bolstered Anna’s spirits. She took a few extra seconds to regain her composure after Adam’s entrance.
When Anna didn’t answer, Adam continued. “When you sent me the address, I thought you had given me the address of your apartment. You misled me. This isn’t where you live. I thought I was clear the last time we spoke. No lawyers.” He stood over her, waiting for her to apologize.
She took a deep breath. She wouldn’t.
Janice took over. “Mr. Chaddley, please sit down. She indicated a seat at the table across from herself and Anna.
Adam scowled when he didn’t get an answer to his remarks and stalked across the room like a petulant teen. He yanked his chair away from the table, slammed it down, and sat. He leaned back with his arms crossed over his chest. Anna was familiar with his pose of disapproval.
Anna’s chest felt squeezed, and it became difficult to breathe. She concentrated on each inhale and exhale, twisting her ring under the table. She had to keep from having a meltdown. This was too important. He couldn’t hurt her, and this could be their last confrontation.
“The least you can do is acknowledge me. You’re being inconsiderate. I flew all this way to see you. Look at me.” Adam leaned across the table, snapping his fingers near her face.
Anger gave her strength. How had she put up with his behavior for so long? She looked in his direction but didn’t meet his gaze.
“Mr. Chaddley, please address your remarks to me. I’m Janice Mulberry, Anna’s lawyer. You’ve received several letters from me regarding Anna’s property in which you reside.”
“You mean our property.” He banged the surface of the table, creating a loud slapping sound.
Adam was probably trying to set off a meltdown.
He was well aware that anger and confrontation were triggers and that she was sensitive to noise.
Anna wouldn’t give him the satisfaction, the colossal jerk.
Who acted this way? No one mature or loving.
She was better off without him, which he confirmed more every minute.
Anna closed her eyes and counted in her head to five. Then, looking up, she directed her gaze at Adam and looked him in the eye. Maybe this was why she’d needed to come.
“I don’t appreciate your tone. You’re being a bully, and I’m tired of this behavior.
We were together for four years. Not once did we discuss marriage, and we broke up because I caught you cheating.
If it hadn’t been then, it would have been soon because I was tired of being taken for granted.
Your case is a lost cause, and you know it, or you wouldn’t have come all the way to Texas.
Sign the damn papers so we can be done with it.
Relinquish your false claims on my property and agree to move out so the sale can proceed.
We’re over.” She kept her face expressionless and her voice calm, though sweat seeped from every pore.
He would respond better to logic than emotion.
He blanched at her blunt words and uncrossed his arms, shifting in his seat. She’d cut him off mid-bluster, and it appeared he was unsure what to say next. He cracked his knuckles loudly, the sound echoing in the room.
“When do I need to be out?” Adam shifted once more.
Her lawyer answered. “You have ninety days from today. Anna has been kind in allowing you to live on her property rent-free these last months and won’t insist on rent for the final three months, provided you sign the papers today.
She’s very generous in allowing you to stay while you make arrangements to live somewhere else,” said Janice.
“If you have not vacated the premises by October 25th, court bailiffs will remove you and your possessions.”
“I’ll be out.” Adam scribbled his name and the date on the legal documents, writing so hard he almost ripped the paper.
Janice slid a second page in front of him. “Your copy too.”
He signed in an angry scrawl, finishing with a flourish, and shoved himself back from the table. He dropped the pen. “What I don’t understand is why Texas? What brought you here?”
Anna’s heart thumped hard in her chest. Let him think she lived here. She didn’t take her eyes from Adam’s. “You’ll never know because it’s none of your business.”
With a clenched jaw and a sharp nod, he spun on his heel and left.
Janice lifted the receiver of an office landline phone at the back of the room.
“Marjorie, please ensure Mr. Chaddley leaves our offices and alert building security that his business with us is concluded.” She turned to Anna with a nod.
“Well done. We got what we needed. Do you think he’ll be out before the date required? ”
“I think so. It seems like he believes for the first time that we’re not getting back together.”
“It impressed me how well you spoke up for yourself,” said her lawyer. “I almost felt like I wasn’t necessary. You’re better off without someone like him.”
When Anna was sure that Adam had gone, a few tears of relief escaped.
She’d held onto them long enough to take care of this chapter of her life.
With the paperwork in place, she just needed to sign the papers Janice had drawn up, authorizing her firm to act on Anna’s behalf in the townhouse’s sale in Seattle.
They wouldn’t list the place until it was empty, but she’d sleep better knowing that it was arranged.
She’d love to list it sooner, but she couldn’t count on Adam not to sabotage their efforts. It was best to wait until he was out.
Once and for all, she was free.
She texted Isaac. “It’s done. Come pick me up, please.”
His reply came through right away. “You okay?”
“Strangely, yes. I’ll tell you about it in person.”
He arrived minutes later, having not gone far. They thanked Janice and headed outside to walk back to the hotel.
“So,” said Isaac. “What happened?”
“He got angry, and I dealt with him, anyway. A personal victory.” She breathed a sigh of relief. That would be the last of Adam. As her grandmother would have said, ‘Good riddance to bad rubbish.’
She related the rest of the details to Isaac.
“It must feel good to be done with him. He’s an idiot to have treated you the way he did, but I win because I get you.” Isaac smiled and took her hand as they walked back to the hotel.