A Baby Affair (Parent Portal 2)

Or anyone.

“Where is he now?”

“Living with a stepmother who doesn’t give a rat’s ass about him. Gavin’s father got married so that he could name her guardian of his son, and the woman plays along because she likes getting money from his trust fund for his care.”

“You’re kidding. I mean, I know you aren’t, but...what about the abuse? How does the father have custody?”

“He doesn’t. She does. They live separately. He has visitation rights. They’ve moved out of state and, last I heard, Gavin had done a stint in juvenile detention for putting a kid in his class in the hospital.” He burned, with physical acid in his gut, every time he thought about it.

Anger issues had been Gavin’s diagnosis, not that anyone was doing anything more than absolutely legally necessary to help him. They did what they had to so that they could keep their hands on his money. Craig was as certain as he could be without actual confirmation that Gavin knew that, too. He was a smart kid.

One with a great heart and a load of potential.

And who was likely headed for prison if someone didn’t intervene soon. Lord knew Craig had tried to visit with Gavin, to be there for him. So hard that The Jerk had finally taken out a restraining order against him, claiming that Craig was trying to interfere with his ability to parent his child.

He’d gone to court. Explained to the judge. And while the order had been denied, the judge had firmly suggested that Craig not try to contact Gavin again, explaining to Craig that it was to give the boy’s father a chance to form a relationship with him. It was state mandated. And though Craig had continued to appeal, to try, he’d been shot down by the state supreme court the month before.

He could tell the judge had been on his side. But the law had not been.

“Last you heard...so you still have some contact?”

“Only if he contacts me. And then I have to let his father know.”

“Has he contacted you?”

“No.”

“But you keep a watch over him.”

“I hired someone to keep track of him as much as is permitted. And if I ever find a legal way to help him, I will do so.”

“You said his mother died two years ago.”

“Yes.”

“Are you still living in the house you two shared?”

“Yes.”

“The house where Gavin lived?”

“Yes.” But if she thought he was living off of Tricia’s money, as well...

“I bought the house from her the first time I asked her to marry me and she declined. I agreed to stay with her on the condition that I owned the home.” He’d figured that way Gavin would always have his childhood home to come to, whether Craig and Tricia stayed together or not, and had told her so.

Tricia had cried at the thought of it. And had still charged him market value for the home. Which he’d willingly paid. He’d never cared about her money. He ca

red about her.

And Gavin.

About their family.

Talley looked over at him and for a second there Craig allowed himself to believe that the dog knew what he’d been thinking. And was thanking him for keeping what was left of that family—her and him—together.

“This is why you regret your choice to make it possible for your children to be in the world without you having any way to keep them safe.”

He wouldn’t have put it quite like that, but admitted, “Yes.”