“We should get started,” George said. “This won’t take long, and I’m sure we all have better things to do, and you told us not to expect your client.” He grinned.
He’d been grinning the entire time I’d been at the office, like he knew some big secret. He’d always been a man who liked his jokes and smiles, but this was downright unnerving. I was more than happy to have my lawyer be the smug and overconfident one.
“No, Mr. Blue has made his wishes clear.” Lionel’s lawyer offered me a thin smile. “And I don’t think my client’s requests are unreasonable. As long as you’re willing to not to argue that point, this meeting will be short.”
“You don’t think full custody is unreasonable?” I shouted.
“Now, now, Emily,” George said, patting me on the arm. “Let’s be civil.”
Lionel’s lawyer stared at me, that same thin smile still plastered on his face. “Yes, let’s be civil.”
“I’m not going to be civil about Lionel trying to steal my daughter.”
He laughed. “He’s her father. It’s hardly stealing. He only wants to alter the custody arrangement.”
“Over my dead body.”
George sighed and shook his head.
The other lawyer shrugged. “Your passion is admirable, ma’am, but it doesn’t change the legal situation.”
Movement to the side caught my attention, and I turned. My stomach lurched. Lionel sauntered into the conference room, looking even smugger than his lawyer. I’d not expected him. From the look on his lawyer’s face, he hadn’t either.
Wonderful. Maybe this was for the best. I wanted to see his face when we finally finished this nonsense once and for all.
Lionel planted himself into a chair directly across from me and glared at me. “I gave you a choice, a good choice that would benefit our family and our daughter, and this is what you d
o? Decide to get your lawyer involved?”
I slammed my fist down on the table. Ouch. The men all jumped slightly in their seats. Even though my hand was now sore, I kept it on the table, determined not to show any weakness in front of Lionel.
“Screw you, Lionel,” I said. “You’re the one who threatened to take Juniper away, so you don’t get to complain about lawyers being involved. Did you really think you could scare me into doing what you want?”
“Calm down, Emily,” George said. “This isn’t helpful.”
“See? She’s out of control.” Lionel said, looking to his lawyer and then mine. He pointed at me. “You’re in for it now. Juniper’s going to be mine unless you stop this garbage and come back to me.”
I opened my mouth to say something but closed it at George’s raised hand.
He chuckled and pushed a thick stack of papers toward Lionel. “I think you should sign this, get up, and walk away, Mr. Blue.”
Lionel and his lawyer peered down at the top document.
After a good thirty seconds, his lawyer frowned. “Something’s wrong. This paperwork says we agree to a temporary full custody order for Emily. I think you have that backward, George.”
My lawyer gave him a huge grin. “No, I figured if you signed it now, it’d save us all a lot of time.” He looked over at Lionel. “Keep in mind if your lawyer fights this, he gets paid no matter what happens, but you’re still going to lose in the end. So it’s in his best interest to fight to the bitter end but not necessarily yours.”
“What are you saying, George?” the other lawyer said, his face reddening.
I glanced over at George. I didn’t mind his confidence, but I wasn’t sure where it was coming from.
He reached into the briefcase and grabbed another small stack of papers. He tossed them in front of Lionel and his lawyer. I realized they weren’t papers, but photographs.
My face heated. I’d seen these pictures before. It was bad enough to see a picture of your husband cheating on you and evidence that he using drugs. It was even worse to see different women in different pictures. Even after two years, my stomach knotted at the direct proof of my ex-husband’s ways.
“We held this back during the divorce,” George said, “but this does a lot to speak to Lionel’s character. I’m sure a judge would agree that a man with a history of drug use is not the best guardian for young Juniper.”
“That’s the card you’re going to try and play?” Lionel glared at me. “You think this will stop anything? It doesn’t change anything. I can still get Juniper, Emily.”