She laid her hands on the desk and leaned closer. “How would I know how much you yell at him when I’m not here? That’s an illogical question.”
“About as illogical as me trying to make this family work. So I’m going to transfer a million dollars into your account right now.” He tapped some keys and then turned the screen so she could see. “It’s all there. And you’re free to do whatever you want to do.”
Annie blinked at him as she processed that. “Why?”
“Because I’m tired of trying to make it look like you care for Asher. I’m enough for him because I love him. I’m not so sure you do.”
Annie leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms too. “I love my son, Deek. You’re the one who wants to make me into some vision of the perfect mother. Asher knows I am what I am.”
“Okay. Fine. You can visit anytime you’d like. I’d just appreciate you letting me know in advance. And I’ll have the lawyer draw up papers to make it all official that I have sole custody.”
“So you don’t want to get married?”
Not even a blink of an eye about giving up custody of her son?
“Nope. You only agreed to marriage to get your dig money. So now you have it. You can go back to Peru to whoever that man is you sleep with and have a nice life. That’s pretty much what you’d planned to do anyway, right?”
Annie’s gaze turned cold. “You hacked my phone?”
So he’d guessed correctly. “No. I didn’t. I’m just a trusting idiot who falls prey to people, remember? Horrible people like Lori, who once warned me that I shouldn’t let anyone use me for my money. Even if she is Asher’s mother.”
Annie slowly rose from the chair. “So that’s it? We’re over? And all I get is a million bucks out of the hundreds of millions you have and a wave goodbye?”
“What? I’m saving you the embarrassment of flaunting all my money in your poor scientist friends’ faces.”
“More sarcasm. Lori really played a number on you, Deek.”
No, Lori showed him what it was like to be with someone who has a heart.
She headed for the door. “We had a common law marriage. You’ll hear from my lawyers.”
Common law marriage? Probably not when she hadn’t lived in the same house as him for years.
He called out to her back, “Or, we could part as friends for Asher’s sake. I’ll always respect that you’re his mother, and that includes helping you with your digs from time to time if we can keep things civil. Please think about that, Annie.”
“We’ll see.” She stopped when she got to the doorway. “I hope you enjoy breaking your son’s heart when you explain why I had to leave before his birthday.”
Guilt wasn’t going to work on him anymore. “I didn’t ask you to leave. You’re always welcome to stay in a guest room when you visit.”
“I’ll tell Asher myself, then,” Annie said in her typical, emotionless even tone. “Go to hell, Deek.”
He’d already been living in it. Nothing new.
He didn’t know for sure if Lori cared for him as much as he did for her, but he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life wondering if they could’ve made it work. He just hoped Lori could forgive him for being so damn clueless.
And that he wouldn’t be too late.
16
GRAND GESTURES OF LOVE ONLY HAPPENED IN THE MOVIES, RIGHT?
Deek knocked on Lori’s front door and reminded himself to breathe. It was Saturday evening. She might have gone to the movies or something so he should’ve called first. But he didn’t want to say all the things he wanted to say on the phone. Plus, he couldn’t wait to see her. He’d missed the hell out of her in the one day that had passed.
When the door swung open, and Lori appeared, he nearly sighed in relief. Thank goodness she was home. But a closer look revealed it wasn’t Lori. “Hi, Rachel. Is Lori here?”
“No.” Rachel crossed her arms. “She’s on a date. What do you want?”
Another guy? So soon? “I wanted to apologize to her.”
“Too little, too late, Deek.” Rachel started to close the door.
“Wait.” He stuck his foot in the way. “I broke things off with Annie tonight. For good. She’s on a plane back to Peru tomorrow morning.”
The door opened wider, and Rachel’s hand fisted in his shirt, tugging him inside. “You get three minutes to convince me you’re really over Annie.” She slapped the door closed behind them and pointed to the couch.
He moved the drop cloth aside and sat. She stood with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. “Clock’s ticking, Deek. What happened to the idea that Asher needs his mother?”