chapter twenty-seven

JUST DESSERTS

Daxton

Half an hour later—after a quick stop at Kailyn’s so she can change and fix her hair—we’re seated inside the same conference room where I first met Kailyn, the folders of evidence lined up on the table. Kailyn and I are both sipping coffee, although I feel like a scotch might be warranted once this meeting is over considering what we’re about to do.

“She’s going to drop the lawsuit, Dax. Everything will be fine.” Kailyn squeezes my bouncing knee.

“I won’t be able to relax until it’s over.”

A minute later there’s a knock on Kailyn’s door and her assistant appears. “Miss Flowers, Linda Thrasher is here to see you.” She gives us both a conspiratorial smile.

“You can send her in.” Neither Kailyn nor I stand to greet her as she enters the room and Cara closes the door behind her. Linda stumbles a bit when she sees me.

“I thought this was a private meeting.”

“It is,” Kailyn says evenly. “Private between the people who have a vested interest in Emme’s future.” She motions to the empty chair across from Kailyn and me. “Have a seat, Linda.”

She pulls out her phone. “I’m calling my lawyer.”

“I would reconsider that.” Kailyn flips open the folder in front of her and reveals the email chain between Linda and the principal from the private school, and the pile of loan documents. “I feel it’s in your best interest to hear us out first, Linda.”

Face ashen, she sinks down in the booth. She looks between us. “What is this?”

“It’s your come-to-Jesus moment. This is where you admit the only person’s well-being you were concerned about was your own.” Kailyn taps the pile of loan documents. “It seems you owed Evelyn and Craig a lot of money.”

“I-I-I—”

“No need to qualify that with a response.” Kailyn presents another set of emails between Linda and Evelyn chronicling her consistent requests for financial support over the years and Evelyn’s pleas that she seek help.

“I ran into a bit of financial trouble—”

I cut her off. “A bit? You’ve been borrowing money from my parents for more than a decade, Linda. You know, it would’ve been one thing if you came to me asking for help, but to sue for custody so you could access money that isn’t yours is morally reprehensible.”

“Emme is better off with me. I’ve already raised children,” she sputters meekly.

“Enough with the bullshit, Linda. Two days after you filed the custody lawsuit, you were already trying to find a way to get rid of her by sending her to boarding school. You planted the alcohol in her locker to build a case against me, for fuck’s sake.”

“T-that’s absurd,” Linda stammers.

“Is it? Kailyn overheard you talking about it yesterday.”

She looks from me to Kailyn with wide-eyed panic. “Your plans to visit Vegas, how Dax would want Emme on weekends and you’d look good by giving him what he asked for.”

Beads of sweat dot her brow and her upper lip. “You can’t do this.”

“Now would be a good time to drop the custody lawsuit against Daxton,” Kailyn says flatly as she pushes her phone across the table and cues up the recording.

“You can’t prove anything. So I’ve had some financial trouble. It’s not like everyone has millions of dollars to play with—”

“It’s all here. Documented proof that you’re self-centered and opportunistic and, worse, you were going to use a grieving thirteen-year-old to your financial advantage.” Kailyn hits Play, and Linda’s voice filters through the office.

Linda’s horror grows as her words are thrown back in her face. She raises a shaky hand. “I don’t need to hear any more. I’ll drop the lawsuit.”

Kailyn stops the recording and smiles icily. “We thought you might say that.”

We file away the documents while Linda wrings her hands and gives me an imploring look. “Daxton, you have to understand—”

“Don’t,” I snap. “Don’t try and justify any part of this to me. We’ll be waiting for a call to let us know the lawsuit has been officially dropped.”

Kailyn and I wait silently while Linda gathers her things and leaves the office in a rush. As soon as we’re alone, I exhale a long breath.

Kailyn squeezes my hand. “Are you okay?”

“I think so?” I run my free hand through my hair. “It’s just been months of uncertainty and chaos, so the possibility that this could be over is sort of . . . jarring.”

“I can understand that.”

“I’ll feel a lot better when I get the call from Trish.”

“I don’t see her stalling. She knows if she doesn’t, there’s far more at stake than not having access to Emme’s money. She planted alcohol in a student’s locker—her own niece. She would lose her job if that comes out.”

“She should lose her job,” I agree.

“Let’s wait until the suit is dropped before we blow another hole in her ship.”

I nod absently. “Do you have other things you need to take care of today?”

“Only you.”

I thread my fingers through hers and squeeze. “Good, because I don’t think I’ll be able to accomplish anything else until we get that call.”

“Why don’t we leave all this stuff in my office and grab a drink while we wait?”

I help Kailyn carry the files back to her office, which is when Trish calls me with good news: Linda has officially dropped the lawsuit. I turn to Kailyn as soon as I end the call. “Well, that was fast.”

“It’s done?” she asks, eyes soft and hopeful.

I nod and pull her against me. Kailyn wraps her arms around my waist and settles her cheek against my chest. I drop my head, lips finding her crown as I breathe her in. It’s only then that I notice the state of her office. It’s practically empty, only a few boxes on her desk. I step back and motion to the space. “What’s going on?”

“I’m moving offices.”

“To a bigger one?” I hadn’t accepted the offer Beverly put on the table a couple of weeks ago, yet, but I planned to, and soon. Two days ago she called and requested to meet at my earliest convenience, but the past twenty-four hours have been a roller-coaster ride, and I’m just finally catching my breath.

“Not bigger, just to the other side of the floor.”

“But I—”

A knock at the door cuts me off. “Kailyn, I—oh! Daxton, hello!” Beverly smiles at me, then turns her attention to Kailyn and gestures to the nearly empty room. “Looks like you’re almost there.”

“Almost. I was just telling Dax that I’m moving to the other side of the floor.”

“It’s an exciting change for you.” Beverly gives Kailyn a knowing smile and shifts her attention back to me. “Daxton, since you’re here, do you have a moment to speak?”

“Uh, sure.” I want to know more about this change.

“I’ll be here when you get back,” Kailyn says.

“Okay.” I follow Beverly down the hall. I’d ask her what the change is, but I also feel like whatever the news is, it should come from Kailyn.

“How is everything with Emme?” Beverly asks as she motions me into her office.

It’s stark white with a black desk and chair, very little in the way of accents or color. “Great, now that the custody lawsuit has finally been dropped.”

“I just received a call from Trish. You must be relieved.”

“I am. It means I can move forward, now that Emme’s going to be safe and cared for, which is what I wanted.”

“She’s lucky to have you.”

“She’s a good kid. I’m lucky to have her.”

She swivels in her chair. “I’m sure you want to celebrate the good news with Emme, so I’ll cut right to the chase. I have a revised job offer for you to consider.”

“Oh?” The original offer was already pretty sweet. It included a 15 percent pay increase, reduced hours, the option to work from home on some days, and a slew of other benefits.

She rests her elbows on the desk and steeples her hands. “I’d like to offer you partner.”

It takes a few seconds for the words to sink in. “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?”

“With Kailyn moving into family law and not accepting the partner position, it’s left an open position, and I felt you would be an excellent candidate. All of the terms from the original agreement still stand, there’s a buy-in, of course, but we can negotiate that if you choose to accept.”

“What about Kailyn?” I can’t take that from her. I won’t take that from her.

“I’m guessing from the look on your face she didn’t have a chance to tell you. She turned the partnership down.”

“Why would she do that?” She’s worked so hard to get where she is.

“You can talk to her about that, but she’s decided she wants to pursue other avenues in law, and I fully support her in that decision. Anyway, I don’t expect you to make the decision immediately, but if you’d like to mull it over for a day or two before you get back to me, that would be understandable.” Beverly is all business with a smile.