With a curt nod, Jamie walked away and it felt like a little piece of her heart walked away with him.
“You okay?” Patrick asked.
No.
Offering him a weak smile, she nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”
“Excellent! Let me tell you what I have planned for this afternoon…”
Chapter Fourteen
“And you’re sure about this?”
Jamie nodded. “I think it’s a good start, don’t you?”
“I do, but…this will be the fourth revision. I want you to be aware that you’re paying me by the hour, and these revisions take a lot of time.”
Arthur McDermott was a local attorney and one who his family worked with on everything. He was pretty much the only one outside of Jamie, his siblings, Ronan, and Fallon, who knew everything that was going on. His time didn’t come cheap, but Jamie knew it was important to have someone who knew the law inside and out to help him with this issue.
Chuckling, he shook his head. “I know, but…it needs to be handled the right way so no one gets hurt ever again.”
Nodding, Arthur made a few more notes on the document. “Can I offer you a little advice?”
“Sure.”
“Take another day to think on this and…do your research. I understand what you’re saying and what you’re trying to do, but considering how many times you’ve asked for me to make changes and tweak things, it tells me you’re still not settled.” He paused and gave Jamie a stern yet concerned look. “You know what you need to do.”
It was pointless to argue because it wasn’t like he was the only person giving him that same advice, and as much as he hated it and wanted to tell everyone to mind their own business, maybe they were all right.
And Lord knows how much he hated being wrong.
With a curt nod, he rose. “Okay. I’ll be in touch.”
Arthur stood and shook his hand. “Take your time on this one, Jamie. Some things are hard to undo.”
“Thanks, Arthur.”
Walking out of the office that was only down the block from the pub, Jamie considered whether he was ready to go to work or if he wanted to go home for a little while and spend some time with his son while he did some serious thinking.
“Home,” he murmured. They had plenty of coverage at the pub and today was Ryleigh’s last day with Asher before she left for L.A. with Ryker. Tomorrow, Arianna volunteered to take a personal day, and then the two days after that, Tessa was stepping in to help. He knew he needed to sit down and start looking at daycare options, but his heart wasn’t in it. Asher was too little for that and Jamie liked the idea of him being cared for at home.
He just had no idea how to make that happen.
Although part of him was trying to juggle it all until his parents got back. Then things would be a little easier. He could take some time off and he knew his mother would help. It wasn’t ideal and it wasn’t like he wasn’t willing to pay someone to watch the baby, but…he wanted it to be someone he knew and someone who would love and protect him.
Groaning, he muttered, “I have issues.”
Driving through town, his mind wandered to his own childhood in Laurel Bay and all the things he wanted Asher to experience here—the baseball field at the elementary school where he played Little League, the giant hill behind the middle school that was great for sledding the few times they got snow, riding his bike to go to a friend’s house, and playing on the playground at the park. The house he was currently renting was only a block away from that park and while Jamie knew he wasn’t in any rush to move, he liked the idea of staying in that area so it was something Asher could go to whenever he wanted.
As he got closer to the house, he spotted Ryleigh pushing his son’s stroller, and it looked like she was heading to the park now. Smiling, he slowed down and watched as she walked into the park. He was about to get out and join her when he spotted Fallon walking toward her. They hugged, and then Fallon picked Asher up out of his stroller and held him close. Her smile was radiant and his gut twisted.
Seeing her the other day with his brother left him feeling angry and hurt. It bothered him that Patrick had the right to be with her and talk with her and make her laugh when he no longer could. It wasn’t fair, and he just wanted things to go back to the way they were before. And not just because of the way she took care of his son, but because of the way she made him feel. He missed her.
He loved her.
And it was a hell of a time to figure that out.
Rather than staying in his truck like a creeper, Jamie pulled away and went home. He had a lot to think about and maybe having the time in the house with no one around would help. And when he walked inside, it hit him how it had been over a month since he’d been alone with no one there. It felt quiet and empty and…wrong.
He used to love to come home and have the place to himself—like his own little fortress of solitude after a day at the pub or a night out with friends or a woman—but now he’d give anything to come home and play with Asher and then have dinner with Fallon and end the day making love to her in their bed.
Raking a hand through his hair, he collapsed on the sofa and closed his eyes. He could have all of that again, but it would take a lot of work. Normally, Jamie did his best to skate his way around doing things the hard way and tended to find a loophole so others would have to do the grunt work for him.
But this would be completely on him.
And he knew the end result would be worth it.
His mind raced with all the things he’d need to do and knew it would require him to leave his comfort zone, but with a little help from his siblings—because this is what they did for one another—it could work.
An hour later, Ryleigh came walking through the door with Asher. “Hey! What are you doing here? Did everything go alright with the attorney?”
Sitting up, he took his son from her when she got closer. “Yeah, everything went fine. I just needed a little time to let everything sink in.”
She nodded, but the last they had spoken, his sister still wasn’t on the same page as him.
No one was.
“How often do you meet Fallon at the park?” he casually asked.
Her eyes went a little wide. “Um…what?”
“Was today the first time?”
“How do you know I saw Fallon at the park?”
“Because I was driving home and saw you,” he said with a laugh. “And before you get all defensive and pissy, I’m not mad about it. I think it’s great.”
“Really?” she asked suspiciously.
“You know I miss her and I’m sure she misses Asher.” He shrugged. “I know I’m the reason she won’t come here to the house to see him, so if the two of you worked something out, then I’m glad.”
“Oh…then…okay. We’ve pretty much been meeting up for almost a week. We hang out in the park for an hour and talk and…that’s it. She knows I’m leaving for L.A. so…”
“Did you tell Ari to meet up with her?”
She nodded.
“And Tessa?”
She nodded again.
“You didn’t have to keep it a secret, Ry. I’m not an ogre.”