Honor rested her forehead against the kitchen cabinet. “I’m sorry, Mr. Klein, she’s sort of tied up with something at the moment. Can I take a message for her? This is her daughter, Honor.”
“Honor?” He chuckled. “You’re the reason I’m calling. I’m your father’s lawyer—I’m sure your mother has mentioned me.” He paused. “Even though your mother has agreed to adopt Jack, we need to get your signature on two papers transferring your guardianship to her—since you’re eighteen and a legal adult. I should have caught that when she was here. It won’t take long at all…” He kept talking.
But she didn’t hear anything else he said.
Or understand a word he was saying.
“Transferring guardianship” seemed to repeat and grow. Over and over. Louder and louder. Transferring guardianship? She was transferring guardianship of Jack? To her mother?
“Excuse me, Mr. Klein, can I just clarify something?” she asked, surprised by the calm in her voice.
“Yes, of course.”
“What happens if I don’t sign them?” she asked softly, dreading the answer.
There was a long pause. “Well, your father and Amber designated you as Jack’s guardian—since you are his next of kin—in the event that your mother was unable or unwilling to adopt Jack. But, as you know, your parents agreed the night of the accident that she’d take Jack. In the hospital.” He cleared his throat. “She was quite adamant about it when we met to go over the details of the will.”
The night of the accident. The night of the accident? She remembered every single detail, from her father’s shattered face to the resignation in his eyes. She remembered his sweet words—and his request for a moment alone with their mother. In some delusional place in her mind, she’d thought he was apologizing to her for all the horrible things he’d done to them.
But he hadn’t.
No.
Instead he’d asked her mother to take Jack. He’d asked, knowing she’d never, ever say no. Honor slumped against the counter, torn between defeat and rage. “I see,” she murmured.
“Honor.” He cleared his throat again. “You were aware of this, right?” An awkward chuckle. “Otherwise, I’ll feel terrible—”
She interrupted. “Of course I was. We don’t keep secrets.”
“No. I didn’t think so.” Another awkward chuckle. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Honor wrote down the time and place and hung up. She didn’t know what to do. What to think. What to feel. But the shouting on the other side of the door made up her mind for her.
Her fingers were shaking as she texted, Can you meet me? and hit send.
Owen’s response was immediate. Where?
You tell me. Leaving now. She hit send, took the keys to Amber’s shiny convertible—parked and covered in the garage—and left.
Chapter Fifteen
Felicity almost dropped the glass of water she was carrying when she walked through the kitchen door. Nick was standing, swaying, inches from Graham, the threat in her son’s posture making her stomach flip.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m pretty sure I know what’s been going on.” Nick glared at her, shaking his head.
She waited, the charged atmosphere going thick.
“You missed a button,” Nick ground out.
Graham’s buttons. Once they’d started dancing, fixing his shirt was forgotten. But now, with Nick glaring at the both of them, looking pointedly at Graham’s misbuttoned shirt, she realized the conclusion her son was making. He was shaking with rage.
“You said you were just friends.” Nick sounded hollow. “You said you weren’t ready to date. Sleeping with someone isn’t dating?”
It was like a slap to the face.
“Nick—” Graham’s voice was razor-sharp.