sort of arrangement on your own.”
That was highly unlikely, Gonzo thought, as he hadn’t even spoken to the woman in months.
“How do you wish to proceed?” Andy asked. “I could set up a meeting with Lori and her attorney. Give you two a chance to hammer this out amicably.”
“Do you recommend that?”
“It’s always advised to keep things as friendly as you can for as long as you can. Perhaps you can work out something that works for both of you, short of going to court.”
“I don’t want anything less than full custody.”
“You need to be prepared for the fact that she wants the same thing.”
“She can’t possibly have as strong a case as I do as the parent who has cared for him all this time.”
“Maybe not, but she is the child’s mother, Tommy, and the court will be pleased by the changes she’s made. It shows that she has good intentions.”
“Where were her good intentions when she hadn’t even bothered to give my son a name months after he was born?” Gonzo couldn’t keep the bitterness from creeping into his tone.
“Should I set up the meeting?”
Gonzo thought about it for a long moment, weighing the pros and cons. “Yeah, go ahead. See if you can make it for after the election. Christina has enough on her plate between now and then.”
“I’ll see what I can do and be back in touch. Hang in there, okay?”
“I’m trying. Thanks, Andy.”
“No problem. Talk soon.”
Gonzo put his phone on the coffee table and reached for one of the teddy bears Alex slept with. The scent of baby shampoo and powder clinging to the bear brought tears to his eyes. Thinking of a long, protracted, expensive battle with Lori only added to his weariness. All he wanted was a peaceful life with Christina and Alex and any other children they might be blessed with. Was that too much to ask?
Apparently, he thought bitterly. He could never regret the one-night stand that had brought Alex into his life so unexpectedly last winter. At the time, he’d been stunned to learn he had a son with a woman he barely remembered. Now he couldn’t imagine a day, let alone a life, without the boy at the center of it. He’d fight for him with everything he had for as long as it took to ensure their family stayed together.
The thought of telling Christina that they might be in for a fight with the baby’s mother filled him with pain. They’d both submitted to the fantasy of letting Alex think of her as his mother. Why wouldn’t they when his real mother barely showed an ounce of interest in him?
Christina was amazing with him, as devoted to him as she was to Gonzo. They’d barely begun dating when Lori dropped the bomb on him about Alex, but Christina had rolled with it from the beginning. It was simple, she always said, she loved him, and she loved his son.
Gonzo got up and flipped on the radio, tuning it to WFBR, the station owned by the Feds. Then he went into the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee that would be critical to remaining awake after the night without sleep. He got busy on his laptop digging into Willie Vasquez’s life and listened to the hate spewing forth from angry fans on the radio. But all the while, his thoughts were on the little boy he loved and the looming fight to keep him where he belonged.
Chapter Four
Sam arrived home in time to catch Nick as he was about to leave for the Hill. When she came in the door, his gorgeous face lit up with that sexy grin she loved so much.
“This is a nice surprise,” he said, approaching her, his intentions obvious.
She held up her hands to stop him from getting any closer and started stripping out of her foul clothes right inside the front door.
“Scotty and Shelby?”
“Left ten minutes ago.”
Removing the holster that held her service weapon, she put it on a table next to her badge and cuffs.
Nick’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open as he took in the striptease. “To what do I owe this unexpected show?”
“I’ve been Dumpster
That was highly unlikely, Gonzo thought, as he hadn’t even spoken to the woman in months.
“How do you wish to proceed?” Andy asked. “I could set up a meeting with Lori and her attorney. Give you two a chance to hammer this out amicably.”
“Do you recommend that?”
“It’s always advised to keep things as friendly as you can for as long as you can. Perhaps you can work out something that works for both of you, short of going to court.”
“I don’t want anything less than full custody.”
“You need to be prepared for the fact that she wants the same thing.”
“She can’t possibly have as strong a case as I do as the parent who has cared for him all this time.”
“Maybe not, but she is the child’s mother, Tommy, and the court will be pleased by the changes she’s made. It shows that she has good intentions.”
“Where were her good intentions when she hadn’t even bothered to give my son a name months after he was born?” Gonzo couldn’t keep the bitterness from creeping into his tone.
“Should I set up the meeting?”
Gonzo thought about it for a long moment, weighing the pros and cons. “Yeah, go ahead. See if you can make it for after the election. Christina has enough on her plate between now and then.”
“I’ll see what I can do and be back in touch. Hang in there, okay?”
“I’m trying. Thanks, Andy.”
“No problem. Talk soon.”
Gonzo put his phone on the coffee table and reached for one of the teddy bears Alex slept with. The scent of baby shampoo and powder clinging to the bear brought tears to his eyes. Thinking of a long, protracted, expensive battle with Lori only added to his weariness. All he wanted was a peaceful life with Christina and Alex and any other children they might be blessed with. Was that too much to ask?
Apparently, he thought bitterly. He could never regret the one-night stand that had brought Alex into his life so unexpectedly last winter. At the time, he’d been stunned to learn he had a son with a woman he barely remembered. Now he couldn’t imagine a day, let alone a life, without the boy at the center of it. He’d fight for him with everything he had for as long as it took to ensure their family stayed together.
The thought of telling Christina that they might be in for a fight with the baby’s mother filled him with pain. They’d both submitted to the fantasy of letting Alex think of her as his mother. Why wouldn’t they when his real mother barely showed an ounce of interest in him?
Christina was amazing with him, as devoted to him as she was to Gonzo. They’d barely begun dating when Lori dropped the bomb on him about Alex, but Christina had rolled with it from the beginning. It was simple, she always said, she loved him, and she loved his son.
Gonzo got up and flipped on the radio, tuning it to WFBR, the station owned by the Feds. Then he went into the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee that would be critical to remaining awake after the night without sleep. He got busy on his laptop digging into Willie Vasquez’s life and listened to the hate spewing forth from angry fans on the radio. But all the while, his thoughts were on the little boy he loved and the looming fight to keep him where he belonged.
Chapter Four
Sam arrived home in time to catch Nick as he was about to leave for the Hill. When she came in the door, his gorgeous face lit up with that sexy grin she loved so much.
“This is a nice surprise,” he said, approaching her, his intentions obvious.
She held up her hands to stop him from getting any closer and started stripping out of her foul clothes right inside the front door.
“Scotty and Shelby?”
“Left ten minutes ago.”
Removing the holster that held her service weapon, she put it on a table next to her badge and cuffs.
Nick’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open as he took in the striptease. “To what do I owe this unexpected show?”
“I’ve been Dumpster
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