Second Chance - 01 - Never Again Good-Bye by Terri Blackstock

Author:Terri Blackstock [Blackstock, Terri]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-04-27T17:03:33+00:00

Chapter Nine

The next morning, Wes sat alone in the small building that had housed his business for the last several years. He couldn’t believe he was going to lose it. He glanced up at the plaque that he’d won three years ago, for “Builder of the Year.” His business had been booming then, and he’d developed a reputation for reliable, honest, high-quality work.

Who would have believed it would come to this?

He heard a car pulling up on the gravel parking lot and through the window saw his lawyer. More bad news, he thought, bracing himself. What more could they take away?

He met Bert at the door and reached out to shake his hand. “How are you doing, Wes?” the tired-looking attorney asked.

“I’m OK,” he said. “Still a little numb, but OK.”

Bert pulled up a chair and sat down to face him. “I just wanted to let you know that I tried for another extension. They wouldn’t give it.”

“Yeah, well, you didn’t think they would.”

Bert looked down at his feet. “Man, I wish I had the money to loan you myself.”

“It’s a lot of money,” Wes said.

Bert looked back up at him. “I feel like I’ve let you down a lot lately. First on the custody thing, and now this …”

Wes shook his head and got up. “It wasn’t your fault, Bert. We’re gonna be all right. I just haven’t been able to tell Amy yet that we’ve got to move out. I keep putting it off.”

“I don’t blame you. She’s been through enough lately.” Bert paused and adjusted his glasses. “By the way, I was thinking this morning, and it occurred to me that you might want to keep this foreclosure from Laney Fields. Is there any way you can hide it? Make it look like you just willfully decided to move?”

“No, it’s too late. She already knows.”

Bert groaned.

“Why?”

Bert got up and slid his hands under his coat and into his pants pockets. “Well, I was just afraid she might take advantage of it. Try to take you back to court for full custody.”

“Full custody?” The words knocked him back. “Why would she do that?”

“Well, she could say that you don’t have a job or a home and convince the judge that the child is better off with her right now. I was just thinking it was better if you could avoid it.”

Wes stood frozen for a moment, trying to think as Laney might think. Would Laney do that? No, he thought. She couldn’t. “I don’t think Laney would be that opportunistic,” he said. “She does seem to care about Amy. She knows it would only hurt Amy to take her completely away.”

“People can convince themselves of some crazy things, Wes. I’d look out, if I were you. Don’t give her too much ammunition. How did she react to the foreclosure?”

Wes almost laughed. “Well, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”

The amusement left his eyes and faded into weariness. “She asked me to marry her.”

“What?” The lawyer almost choked.

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