Chapter 27 #2
Atlee’s father proved how smart he was by rolling his eyes and stepping in to save the women from looking like idiots. “This is his future we’re talking about, not a play or a game.”
That had the women coming back to life, but I ignored them. “No, this is your future we’re talking about. Atlee is doing very well for himself.”
My adorable oversharer had made sure I knew that before he’d talked about it with his new lawyer. In his head that seemed to be something he needed me to know before he talked to a stranger about it…especially since he was planning on taking me to every appointment with the lawyer.
We still weren’t sure what had gone wrong with the other one but the new guy had raised his eyebrows a few times before he’d politely explained she might’ve had a strategy he wasn’t aware of.
I liked him…and the way he hadn’t told Atlee to be nice to his ex and the way he hadn’t blinked an eye about me being there.
Unflappable people were fun sometimes but practical to have in our corner.
“Let’s try this again. What can I do for you since playing along with Valerie’s crazy isn’t going to happen? I have no idea what story she’s trying to make up this time because it doesn’t make any sense.” The women huffed but something had Atlee’s father blinking.
Interesting.
Was he ready for the insanity to be over?
Had he finally realized neither of them would look good to a jury?
Whose idea had this been?
I was leaning toward Atlee’s mother because she was a handful and Valerie seemed to like more subtle manipulation.
She wasn’t doing that well but it felt like more her style.
Atlee’s father on the other hand was a businessman who looked like he’d just come from a round of golf and there was no way he’d organize something this messy.
And this was based on emotions.
Emotions Atlee didn’t have for his ex.
“You need to stop encouraging Atlee to lie to his attorney.” His mother just couldn’t seem to help herself. “The baby can’t be born out of wedlock.”
Can’t?
Did the trust have specific wording on that?
Was it just a social issue?
We hadn’t actually spelled out that we knew about the trust because Atlee’s gruff new lawyer wanted to do more digging that was legal first. My guy hadn’t been able to get a copy of that yet, but he’d taken one of the paralegals at the firm who was in charge out to lunch and she’d been very chatty.
Some lawyers really needed to pay their staff more and be slightly more respectful.
“I can promise you that I haven’t encouraged any lying.” I’d encouraged shenanigans but not lies. “I can also promise you that he’s not staying married to her for that baby.”
How was that not obvious?
As my phone chimed, a sound I knew meant Atlee was texting, I focused on Valerie. “You lost. He’s mine. Try something else but this won’t work. The pizza guy. The affair. The lying. The anger. You played him wrong at every turn and you need to move on to something else.”
Whether it was a new path in life or just a new court tactic.
This one was getting old and there was nothing left in it.
She’d worn Atlee out a long time ago. The big question was if the women were smart enough to understand that.
Before all the crazy, I’d have said they were both smart women, but their one-track minds were keeping them from making good decisions.
Ugh.
I was going to come across as an asshole misogynist but I’d run out of time because Atlee was on his porch looking like a million bucks. So I did my best to look like a bored businessman and focused on his father. “They don’t have the skills to pull this off, especially in front of a jury.”
They wouldn’t be able to keep their stories straight either, but I didn’t think I needed to point that out to him.
“I haven’t lied about anything and I didn’t start seeing him socially until she’d already cheated and the divorce should’ve already been over.
” And half the street had time-stamped pictures of that, so it would definitely hold up in court.
“Time for a change of plans. You need to try to put together something that you would respond to.”
That seemed to hit him, so I paused for a second before giving them another good dig. “Stop letting these idiots call the shots because you’re not even buying this stupidity.”
Atlee must’ve taken after his grandfather or another distant relative because he was like neither of his parents, but I kept that thought off my face as I stayed focused.
“This would make you angry and you wouldn’t respond to it either.
Figure out what the hell you want and then try again with some logic thrown in just for fun. ”
As I wondered if they realized we knew about the trust, I waved my hands to shoo them off. “We have plans for the evening that don’t involve you three, so it’s time to go.”
Before I could tell them to go hop on their brooms, Atlee’s father nodded. “We’ll see you later.”
I hoped not but I smiled and gave them a tiny wave goodbye with the tips of my fingers. “I can’t wait.”
My sarcasm didn’t go over their heads and got me a variety of sound effects and eye rolls, but they marched over to their cars and ignored Atlee glaring at them.
He looked sexy like that…and making sure he knew that just shifted to the top of my to-do list.