Dare to Hold (Dare to Love 4)

“But he kept finding unwitting people to see the best in him and take him in,” Walter said, speaking up for the first time.

“Like me.” Meg shook her head.

“Don’t be hard on yourself. We know how charming he can be.”

Meg swallowed hard. “Well, I’m sorry you drove over here for nothing. Mike knows what I want from him, and this is between him and my lawyer.”

Lydia reached out a hand to touch Meg’s shoulder, then reconsidered. “You do realize we’re going to be this child’s family.”

“Not if your son signs those papers.” Meg hung on to the slim hope that her ex would act on common sense. He didn’t want anything to do with her or the baby.

“We don’t want to lose access,” Lydia warned her. “Family is very important to us.”

And look what a wonderful job they’d done with their own son, Meg thought bitterly, but she wasn’t cruel enough to say so.

Lydia shook her perfectly coiffed head. “We just want you to agree to let us see the baby, our grandchild. If you do, perhaps we can persuade Mike to do as you asked and sign away his rights … not ours.”

Meg narrowed her gaze. Would they really help her cut their son out? Or was this a game of some sort?

On the one hand, she understood where these people were coming from. She didn’t have much in the way of family, and if her baby could have good, decent people in her life besides Meg… But that was the issue, wasn’t it? She didn’t know the Ashtons at all. Except for what Mike had told her about them being too controlling. And Mike’s word wasn’t to be trusted.

“We just want to be close to the baby. My hope is that you and I can work something out,” Lydia said softly, her tone pleading. She reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper with a phone number on it. “Here. Please think about it.”

Meg accepted the paper, knowing she’d do nothing but think.

Lydia studied her for a long moment, then inclined her head. “Thank you for seeing us.”

If she’d had a choice, she wouldn’t have, Meg thought. But then this woman had known the element of surprise would work in her favor.

Meg waited until she’d returned to her classroom to let her emotions free. Her shoulders dropped, and she fell into her chair, shaking. Although the Ashtons hadn’t threatened her, they’d made it clear they wanted access to her baby. She covered her stomach protectively, wondering how she could gauge the truth about them.

Maybe Tyler’s man would uncover information that would help her decide. Her own knowledge was limited. From her early days with Mike, she knew that controlling him via the purse strings was his parents’ favorite sport. Although Meg had come to learn

Mike did nothing to support himself financially, and so he relied on his parents, making himself subject to their whims. It was a messy family dynamic. Meg didn’t want to be a pawn in their schemes. If there was a scheme. Maybe they were being honest.

Her head began to pound. She just didn’t want her child to be drawn into an abusive or unstable environment. Meg had had enough of that herself, growing up.

Of course, after the Ashtons’ visit, the rest of the day dragged on. Meg was preoccupied, so the whining and complaints of the children seemed exacerbated and more annoying. She kept a smile on her face and focused on the kids and her work, finally making it through to the release bell.

She always waited until her young children’s parents came to get them. Today, two were late. She didn’t want the kids to be scared or feel lost or unwanted. By the time Meg walked out of the building, most teachers had left for the day.

She exited and caught sight of Rick sitting in his car, watching. Just the sight of him made her feel safer.

She blew out a breath and was about to head for her own car when her cell rang. Hoping it was Scott, she answered without looking at the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“You stupid bitch! What are you doing talking to my parents?” Mike’s scratchy yell caught her off guard.

At the sound of his voice, she dropped her bag. How did he know she’d seen his parents?

Oh God. He’d obviously been watching her somehow, and she swung around, searching for any sign of him in the few vehicles remaining in the parking lot, without luck.

She refocused on the call. “Mike! Just sign the papers, and I’ll be out of your life!”

“I can’t. If I do, my parents will cut me off for good.”

Meg closed her eyes and groaned, things becoming clearer. This was about money. Wasn’t everything in Mike’s life? Hadn’t he moved in with her when his parents had cut him off the last time?