Shock - Marie Johnston Page 0,67

not far. You can still visit.”

“I want to do more than visit. I want to be there for him. I’m his dad.” I’m a dad that wants to be around.

“You had your chance. Anyway, I have to give thirty days’ notice. We’ll be moving next month.”

“Cass—”

There’s a cry in the background. “We’ll talk about this later.”

She hangs up and I stare at the phone. When I look up, there’s no Lia, no familiar faces. I’m alone in a crowded room and I’m losing my son again.

Lia

My arms are crossed across my chest, my fingers clenched around the clutch holding the hotel key and my phone. Samuel hasn’t given me a chance to get out what I want to say.

“Then Senator Wescott said—”

“Samuel, I’m sorry, but we’re done.”

Confusion mars his brow.

I continue before he can tell me more about his latest accomplishments. “My mother can still mentor you without being your mother-in-law. She won’t cut you off if we don’t get back together.”

“This isn’t about her, Aurelia, it’s about you and me.”

“No, because you don’t know me. At all. I tried to be what you wanted and what my parents wanted, but that’s not me. That’s not Lia Wescott. I’m going to be a paramedic. I’m dating Ford. I’m getting to know his son and his family. And while I still might come and do these things if Mom asks, I don’t ever plan to touch politics again.”

“But…”

I give his bicep a squeeze. “You’ll find someone who aligns with you. Maybe it’s your ex. Maybe the image you thought you needed to succeed only cost you what you really wanted. I don’t know. That’s for you to figure out. But you and I?” I point at him, then me. “We’re done.”

I march away, leaving him stunned silent behind me. There. Dealt with.

I keep walking while searching the room. Mom approaches the large crowd in the center but tilts her head toward the side of the room when she catches my eye.

Ford’s broad back is to me, his shoulders hunched.

Concern curls in my gut as I dodge women in heels and men in suits and servers with trays. I hurry as fast as my sparkly heels will allow

“Is something wrong?” I ask as soon as I’m in range.

He peers over his shoulder and his expression is destroyed.

I round his front, laying a hand on his shoulder, and stare into horrified blue eyes. “Ford?”

“Cass is moving. She’s moving to Melville and she’s taking Jayden with her.”

“What? That’s awful.”

He shakes his head, staring at the floor but seeing nothing. “I can’t believe she’d do that.”

I look around at the people going about their business, having an enjoyable night while donating money to their party. I haven’t gotten to talk to Mom or Dad, but this isn’t the place for Ford.

“Let me message my parents that you’re having a family emergency and we’re going back to the hotel.”

My fingers fly through the words before tucking my phone back into my clutch. I thread my fingers through his and we plow through the crowd, out to the elevators. My parents reserved a suite for me, making this trip a lot less expensive than it could’ve been.

I punch the number to our floor. Once we’re inside the room, I slide out of my shoes and sit on the bed. Tapping the spot next to me, I say, “Sit.”

He shrugs out of his jacket and loosens his tie. Sinking onto the bed, he puts his head in his hands and props his elbows on his knees.

“She’s fucking taking him away again. Goddammit.” He drops his hands and stares at the ceiling, his profile rigid. “I can’t let that happen.”

“You’re working on the court order. Meanwhile, we can research lawyers, and then…”

He shakes his head. “That could take years. Each day that passes, she has more authority. She’s the unmarried mother while I took over two years to establish parentage. It’s going to look bad.”

“I’m sorry.” I rub his back, wishing this night could have been so different. “But you’re on the right track.”

“No, I’m a failed doctor who’s not in his son’s life. I’m even worse than my own dad.”

“Ford, your dad has nothing to do with this,” I say quietly but it’s as if he doesn’t hear me.

“I need to move.”

“What now?” Does he want a more comfortable chair?

“Melville’s far enough away that it’ll make visitation hard. I can’t be an absentee dad. I have to move.”

“But… you’re job and your mom and…” Me…

He stands and starts