The Newcomer (Thunder Point #2)(26)

Her lips thinned, her nose grew pink and a couple of fat tears rolled down her cheeks. Her voice was a whisper. “I want to make amends.”

“Not this year, Cee Jay. Is this part of some program? Because the rule is—make amends where it doesn’t cause any harm. This—this would cause harm.”

“But no, I don’t want to cause any pain. I just want to know them.”

“We. Can’t. Trust. You.”

“I give you my word!”

“Your word isn’t worth shit around here.”

“I can’t believe how unforgiving you are,” she murmured, wiping her eyes. “You were never like this before.”

“I’ve been burned real good,” he said. “I’m a big boy, I can take it. But my kids are vulnerable. You mess with my kids and you’re going to see how unforgiving I can be.”

“Mac, they’re not just yours....”

“Yes, they are. Because their mother abandoned them and then signed them away. Don’t you dare screw them up and hurt them now. Don’t you dare.”

She straightened. “I’m going to file to amend the custody agreement. You’ll hear from my lawyer.”

“Fine,” he said smoothly. He pulled a notepad out of his pocket. “You can have your lawyer call my lawyer.” He scribbled down a name and city—he hadn’t talked to Sidney Mikowski in almost five years. “Until you get a ruling from a judge, stay out of Thunder Point.”

“You can’t tell me where I can be.”

“Yes. I can. I’ll have a restraining order before close of business today and it will be my absolute pleasure to arrest you. And, if you sue for custody I think you’ll find that I’ll be suing for back support. That car out there—the price tag on that should help with tuitions and braces.”

“God, you’re so hostile! I never expected this rage from you!”

He leaned toward her. “Do you have any idea how long I hoped you’d think of your children, even if you didn’t think about what you’d done to me? Do you have any idea? I prayed for a phone call! For years I waited, hoping you’d send one of them a f**king birthday card, but there was nothing! I even decided that for the sake of the kids I wouldn’t make you grovel too much, if you’d just promise not to stray again.” He sat back. “Cecilia Jayne, I’m afraid I got over that little fantasy quite a while ago. You can’t just stroll into town and pick up where you left off. It’s over. There are consequences—you’ll just have to live with that.”

“I am living with it!”

“Leave, Cee Jay. Leave and don’t look back. This meeting is over.” Mac stood and fished out his wallet, throwing a ten on the table for the coffee, extreme overpayment. Her clothing, jewelry and car made him act as if he was a rich man when in fact he’d struggled with money every day for the past ten years. He was going to struggle for the next ten. Probably twenty.

“Who are you with now, Mac? I know you’re not remarried—I checked. Gotta love that internet. So, who is it?”

“We’re done talking,” he said.

“Not that washed-out little blonde at the diner, is it?” A fierce look must have come into his eyes because she laughed.

Ah, there was the true Cee Jay. One minute crying, the next laughing, always manipulating. “What are you really after?” he asked. “Tell me now because I’m going to find out. Are you looking for money? Because I don’t have any. If I did, I’d give it to you to make you go away, but it’s been a real challenge holding it together. What do you really want? You’re not exactly dressed for Little League or soccer practices.”

“I want a chance to reconnect,” she said.

He stared down at her. “Not gonna happen. Drive carefully.” And he walked out of the restaurant.

* * *

Mac sat in the Denny’s parking lot. No judge would give him a restraining order, not even a judge who was his biggest fan. Cee Jay hadn’t threatened any of them. That was just all talk and, by now, if Cee Jay had called her lawyer, she probably knew that. He dialed Lou’s cell phone. “Where are you?” he asked her.

“Grocery store. You have some special request?”

“And the kids?”

“Dee Dee’s at gymnastics, Ryan is at soccer, Eve is at cheer practice. Or maybe that’s over and she’s with Ashley—Ashley drove today and gave Eve a ride. Why?”

God, he thought. Did Cee Jay have any idea what these lessons, teams and activities cost? Just the sign-ups alone without factoring in uniforms, gear and associated costs were a strain. Twenty dollars for this gymnastics meet, twenty bucks for the bus for that soccer tournament out of town. Just to get your kid in the parks-and-rec soccer league was over fifty bucks. Then there were uniforms, shoes, your turn supplying sports drinks and bottled water and snacks, then there were regular pizza parties and barbeques to celebrate wins and season close. Piano, gymnastics, dance and cheerleading—those were expensive teams, lessons and uniforms. It never stopped. More than the money, which was always tight, the emotional and time investment could be exhausting. It took more than bread and water to raise a family. If he hadn’t had Lou the past ten years, he’d have been completely lost.

“I need a couple of things, Lou. I need you to gather up the kids and get them all home. And I need you to stay cool.”