The Trouble with Angels (Angels Everywhere #2)(84)
"There was something more?”
"Yes,” Paul said, leaning back on his chair, relaxed now. Confident he’d made the right decision. "I’ve decided to submit my resignation after all. We’ll need a replacement for me, effective next Sunday.”
If Maureen kept worrying about Brian wanting custody of Karen, she was going to make herself sick. His sudden desire to spend time with his daughter, talking to Karen behind Maureen’s back, making plans with her, all seemed to add up to one thing. He would soon apply for custody of Karen.
Maureen didn’t know what to do.
She didn’t want to plague her parents with her problems, but she couldn’t go on like this much longer. Brian always could jerk her chain. Always could make her miserable.
Maureen waited until Karen was asleep and hoped her mother was awake when she punched out the button that predialed her parents’ home phone.
It rang three times before a male voice answered. "Nichols’s Riding Stables.”
"Thom?” Dumbfounded, Maureen stared down at the telephone. She’d been avoiding him since their last conversation. He talked about forgiveness while all she could think about was revenge. Being with Thom made her feel petty and vindictive.
"Maureen? This is a pleasant surprise.”
"But I didn’t dial your number,” she insisted.
He chuckled. "It seems we’ve had this telephone conversation before. You did dial it. Otherwise why would I have answered the phone?”
"But—”
"You’ve got me now.”
She smiled. The sound of his voice worked wonders on her tired, achy muscles, especially her neck.
"Something’s on your mind?”
How well this man knew her.
"It’s Brian. I’m convinced he’s going to fight me for custody of Karen.”
Thom was silent long enough for her to know he’d taken her concerns seriously. "Are you sure you’re not making a mountain out of a molehill?” he asked.
"I wish I were. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes. Brian hasn’t seen Karen in over a year. All at once he’s willing to pay attorney fees and fight like a bullmoose to have his daughter spend Christmas with him.”
"Perhaps he’s had a change of heart.”
"If that’s the case, one would think he’d pay me the back child support payments he owes me.”
"Perhaps,” Thom agreed. "Go on.”
"He phoned Karen when he knew I wouldn’t be home.” She drew in a deep, steadying breath at the fresh wave of anger and frustration. "According to the terms of our settlement, all contact with Karen is to have prior approval from me.”
"That seems pretty severe.”
"He agreed to those terms,” Maureen said, and knew she sounded defensive.
"All right, let’s look past that. Brian contacted Karen without prior notice or approval from you.”
"Yes.” She could hear the panic level rise in her voice. "I don’t know what he said to her. I could only hear what Karen said, but it sounded like, oh, I don’t know, like he planned on showing her a wonderful Christmas.”
Thom was silent for a time. "This worries you?”
"Of course it does. Don’t you see? Brian’s the type of man who only thinks about one person, and that’s himself. If he’s being good to Karen, there’s a reason.”
"People change, Maureen.”
"Not Brian. The man is—” She bit off saying a choice word. "He’s going to take Karen away from me. The more I analyze what’s happening, the more I realize what he’s doing. If he’s looking to get back at me, there’s no better way than through Karen.”
"Why don’t you ask him?” Thom suggested. "If you’re that worried, and clearly you are, then call him right now and ask. Wouldn’t you rather deal with the truth than suffer with speculation?”
"Ask Brian?” she repeated. It was probably the most dangerous thing she could do. "I can’t do that. If he isn’t already thinking along those lines, why give him the idea? You don’t know my ex-husband. If he even suspects something would worry me, he’d play up on it and make me as miserable as possible.”
"Maureen, you’ve been divorced a long time.”
"What’s that got to do with anything?”
"Brian’s remarried.”
"Yes, and he has a son, too, but that doesn’t mean anything.”
"I think it must. He’s supporting a wife and his son and supposedly Karen.”
"I sincerely doubt he’s supporting anyone. Wanna bet he’s home with the baby while wife number two brings in the paycheck?” She sounded cynical and bitter, but with damn good reason.
"Maureen,” Thom said, dragging out her name in that thoughtful way of his, "have you given any more thought to what I said the other night?”
"About what?” She was stalling, not wanting to admit his words had hounded her ever since.
"Forgiveness.”
"I don’t believe it’s possible, Thom. I have thought about it, almost constantly. But you have no way of realizing how much Brian hurt me and Karen.”