She’d kicked ass as a single mom, and it was through hard work and grit. She’d solved every difficult problem she’d encountered, and this would be no different.
Gray had been angry that afternoon, and it had shown. He’d threatened a lawyer, and used words like ‘custody’, because he’d been cross and hurt. He wouldnevertake Charlotte away, Abby was sure of that. He was a good guy, and she was a great mom. He might have threatened her with contacting a judge and removing Charlotte, but surely no judge would be able to justify the removal of a daughter from a mother who’d ticked all the right boxes, all the way along?
Do not leave Manhattan…
Except, if she’d tried to run. He knew that would be the key to removing Charlotte and securing custody.
A shiver ran down her spine as she imagined, for a single moment, handing Charlotte over to anyone – even Gray. Panic brought a fresh rush of tears to her eyes and she tilted her head under the water, deliberately dousing her face to shock her out of more sadness.
She wouldn’t win this war by giving into her emotions. She had tothink.To be logical and calm. She needed a solution.
Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a towel and grabbed a smaller one to encircle her head, turban style. Padding to her bedroom, she pulled on grey yoga pants and a caramel singlet top, then gave Charlotte a quick check before moving into the kitchen. Charlotte had eaten mashed vegetables and steamed chicken for dinner, and there was a little left in the pan. Abby picked at it absent-mindedly, while she waited for a coffee to brew.
But logical thoughts eluded her.
Until she knew exactly what Gray intended, she couldn’t form a response. He didn’t really want to take Charlotte away, for the simple reason he didn’t want to be a full-time dad. He was, naturally, upset that she’d concealed Charlotte’s existence from him, but once he’d had a moment to reflect and think, he’d probably come around to being kind of grateful. She’d let him off the hook. He’d been free to live his own life.
An uneasy peace settled around Abby’s shoulders. Perhaps she should text him to see if he’d had any thoughts, or wanted to discuss anything further.
She reached for her phone and went to swipe into the text messages, but the screen stayed blank.
With a frown, she moved her finger to the side button, pressing it and holding it down, only to get a red battery icon on the screen.
“Oh, shoot,” she moaned, moving quickly to the charger and plugging it in. Her phone was at least four years old and she usually hobbled it along by charging it multiple times in a day. Obviously, she’d forgotten on this particularly eventful day.
It took several minutes before the cell had enough juice to come back to life, and as soon as it did, a message from Gray pinged through. She stared at his number – saved in her phone as GF – an ache in her throat.
Arrange whoever cares for Charlotte when you work to mind her tonight and meet me for dinner at The Ivy. 8pm.
There was no question. Her acceptance, she supposed, was presumed.
But it was already almost nine. She loaded up a reply and began to type.My phone battery died, so I just got your message.
Before she could send it, her front buzzer rang.
She knew, before she picked it up, who it would be.
“Let me in.”
She rolled her eyes, but pressed the buzzer anyway, unlocking her door and waiting.
As soon as she saw him through the peephole, she pulled it inwards, lifting a finger to her lips to indicate he should be quiet.
The same anger she’d witnessed that afternoon sparked from his eyes, but there was something else, too. Relief.
“You seriously thought I’d try to run away?”
“It did occur to me, when you didn’t show for dinner.”
She pointed to her phone. “The battery died. I just got your message.”
He skimmed her face, then looked towards the phone and finally nodded. A small but somehow vital acceptance.
“May I come in?”
She furrowed her brow, not expecting the courteous question. This was more like the Grayson Fortescue she’d fallen head over heels in love with. But she couldn’t think of that version of Gray, nor that time in her life. That man was gone. Charlotte changed everything.
“She’s asleep,” Abby said defensively, casting an anxious look over her shoulder.