Five First Dates (Sassy in the City 2)

“On the reality show?” he asked, clearly surprised. “Talked about the plan how?”

“Like setups for romantic moments.”

For a second Mike just stared at me. Then he said, “Well, that was just stupid. Why would you talk about Savannah on a damn TV show?”

“They wanted me to be more interesting.”

“More dumb.”

That made me feel like a total ass. “Maybe.”

“All I can say is better come clean sooner than later because the longer it goes on, the less likely she is to forgive you.”

“I will.” I pictured Savannah the night before, tears in her eyes, saying she loved me.

I’d taken them as happy tears, but suddenly I was more than a little concerned this might not go my way.

Plus, she was meeting with Sully’s biological father. What if she felt renewed attraction to him?

“I feel like I have to go back to Brooklyn on the next bus.”

“Your mother will kill you if you leave her party this soon. Three more hours won’t change a damn thing. Just relax.”

I wanted to believe he was right.

Checking my phone, I had no texts.

Shoving it back into my pocket, I decided he was right. I went with Mike to talk my mother into cutting her cake.

Chapter 15

Sitting across the table from Adam, who I’d convinced myself I was in love with eighteen months ago, was a bizarre experience. He looked the same. Blond, clean-cut, well-dressed in expensive clothing. He had a charming smile but it wasn’t on display right now. He was fiddling with a napkin and sitting way back in his chair, an espresso on the table in front of him.

“You look good,” he said. It sounded genuine enough but not like he was longing for me or filled with regrets or anything. “How are you?”

“I’m good,” I said, and it was the truth. “Work is letting me work from home, which makes it so much easier.” I sipped my latte. “I’m happy to sign the papers, Adam. I don’t even find the money necessary. This was never about money.”

“I know. I know that about you. By now you could have had me in court to pay child support.” He cleared his throat. “I know this doesn’t make me look that great, but I don’t want this hanging over my head for the next two decades. I just wanted to offer you something but leave everything then up to you.”

Basically, he wanted to buy me off. If I signed, I couldn’t legally contact him for any financial assistance at any point. “What if I died next year?” I asked.

The question momentarily took him aback, but then he said, “I’m sure your parents would do an excellent job of raising him. They did with you.”

My throat tightened. He really didn’t care. He wanted no involvement. None. He had a child and he didn’t care, even if something happened to me and Sully was alone. He just wanted to make sure it wouldn’t “hang over his head.” I felt like the biggest idiot on the planet for falling for a man of his caliber. How could I think he was a good man? I felt gullible as hell and angry with myself. Yes, I was furious with him because he had portrayed himself differently and for being unconcerned about his son but at the same time I was berating myself.

“What if someone wants to adopt him in the future?”

“The document I gave you means I would have no say over that. I’m out. You can legally do whatever you want.” He gave me a long look. “I know you already have some guy living with you. Covered in tattoos.”

I was taken aback. “Are you spying on me? He’s my brother’s best friend and he needed a place to stay. He helps me with Sully in return for a couch to sleep on.” Or at least, until the night before. “It’s not easy to be a working single mom,” I added, because he had a lot of freaking nerve.

“Yes, I had someone watching you for a couple of weeks. I wanted to know why you weren’t suing me for child support.”

“How about I’m independent? And I just didn’t want to deal with you.”

“Fair enough. For the record, I don’t care who the guy is. But I figured he was helping you financially.”

“No, he isn’t. It’s emotional and practical support. The things that really matter.” I was still hung up on Adam saying he didn’t care who the guy was. It was like another kick in the gut. He didn’t care who was spending time with his son. I couldn’t wrap my head around that.