moment, and she didn’t think Liam would thank her for listening, even though she hadn’t meant to.
And yet, for some reason, the pain in his voice made her want to stay. Who was this woman, Bridget? She couldn’t remember reading anything about his marital status.
“Liam,” Bridget answered. “What do you expect me to do? Your fancy lawyers hound me. They say my own flesh and blood would be better off with you.”
“She would be.”
“It’s time for you to move on. Andy and I are trying to make a go of things. He wants to be there for me and for Michelle. He knows he sucked as a father, but he’s back on track now. He’s given up that woman, and he’s sorry. I know you’re hurt, but we don’t need you interfering, trying to play Dad with our daughter!”
“She was my daughter too!”
“No, Liam. She never was, and you know it. Look, I appreciate you being there for us when Andy was away, and I appreciate you stepping in as a father figure for Michelle. I know you love her, but if you do, you have to give up this insane demand for sole custody. Andy’s her real dad, and he’s getting tired of hearing her ask about you. You need to let us be a family.”
“So I don’t get to see her ever again?”
“No. You don’t. I’m sorry, but that’s how it has to be.” She sighed, but then her voice changed and Kate heard a soft cry. “Please, Liam. Please stop punishing me.”
Swallowing her queasiness, Kate figured she’d better get out before she heard anything else. She’d already heard too much. She didn’t want him to think she was eavesdropping on purpose. Quietly, she turned the corner and entered the main room.
Bridget’s head popped up in surprise. “Who the hell are you? Another lawyer?”
Liam looked at Kate and his pale face turned red. “Um, no. This is Kate Callender. A…friend.” He shook his head, as if mystified at his own hasty description of her.
Kate didn’t have a chance to react. She was too busy staring at the floor so she wouldn’t embarrass Bridget as she wiped her tears away. She seemed genuinely upset, and as much as her tears worked on Kate’s natural sympathies, she couldn’t forget Liam was standing just a few feet away, hunkered like a wounded animal, struggling with his own demons. She didn’t know which of them was the true injured party, both oozed uneasy vulnerability. What on Earth had happened between them?
Kate gritted her teeth and headed for the elevator. “I was just leaving.” She looked back at Liam. “I’m sorry I interrupted your visit. It wasn’t intentional.”
“Kate, wait. We weren’t done.” The tired tone in his voice made her want to offer him emotional triage. Great. If there was anything Kate loved, it was a man with heavy baggage. Not that she was interested in him or the size of his suitcase.
“You might as well stay,” said Bridget. “Liam and I are finished anyway.” She turned to him. “Please stop sending Michelle gifts and please call off your hounds. You need to stop trying to control this situation. It’s not yours to control. If you ever loved Michelle, you’ll let her have her real father back.”
Liam didn’t say a word. He just stared at the floor as if he wanted to burn a hole in it.
Bridget passed Kate, picked up her purse from a side table and pushed the elevator button. She continued to avoid Liam’s gaze as she waited for the door to close.
Kate stared at her shoes, and then at Liam. He was white, no, grey, in the face. “Liam. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” He lifted his head, beaten and exhausted.
Stop punishing me. Bridget’s words haunted her. Kate couldn’t deny there was a part of her that wondered if Liam had a punishing side to his character. Surely he’d trampled a few people on his rise to the top. He’d warned her himself he didn’t forgive and forget.
She needed to make her exit now, before she made him feel any more awkward, and before he made her
And yet, for some reason, the pain in his voice made her want to stay. Who was this woman, Bridget? She couldn’t remember reading anything about his marital status.
“Liam,” Bridget answered. “What do you expect me to do? Your fancy lawyers hound me. They say my own flesh and blood would be better off with you.”
“She would be.”
“It’s time for you to move on. Andy and I are trying to make a go of things. He wants to be there for me and for Michelle. He knows he sucked as a father, but he’s back on track now. He’s given up that woman, and he’s sorry. I know you’re hurt, but we don’t need you interfering, trying to play Dad with our daughter!”
“She was my daughter too!”
“No, Liam. She never was, and you know it. Look, I appreciate you being there for us when Andy was away, and I appreciate you stepping in as a father figure for Michelle. I know you love her, but if you do, you have to give up this insane demand for sole custody. Andy’s her real dad, and he’s getting tired of hearing her ask about you. You need to let us be a family.”
“So I don’t get to see her ever again?”
“No. You don’t. I’m sorry, but that’s how it has to be.” She sighed, but then her voice changed and Kate heard a soft cry. “Please, Liam. Please stop punishing me.”
Swallowing her queasiness, Kate figured she’d better get out before she heard anything else. She’d already heard too much. She didn’t want him to think she was eavesdropping on purpose. Quietly, she turned the corner and entered the main room.
Bridget’s head popped up in surprise. “Who the hell are you? Another lawyer?”
Liam looked at Kate and his pale face turned red. “Um, no. This is Kate Callender. A…friend.” He shook his head, as if mystified at his own hasty description of her.
Kate didn’t have a chance to react. She was too busy staring at the floor so she wouldn’t embarrass Bridget as she wiped her tears away. She seemed genuinely upset, and as much as her tears worked on Kate’s natural sympathies, she couldn’t forget Liam was standing just a few feet away, hunkered like a wounded animal, struggling with his own demons. She didn’t know which of them was the true injured party, both oozed uneasy vulnerability. What on Earth had happened between them?
Kate gritted her teeth and headed for the elevator. “I was just leaving.” She looked back at Liam. “I’m sorry I interrupted your visit. It wasn’t intentional.”
“Kate, wait. We weren’t done.” The tired tone in his voice made her want to offer him emotional triage. Great. If there was anything Kate loved, it was a man with heavy baggage. Not that she was interested in him or the size of his suitcase.
“You might as well stay,” said Bridget. “Liam and I are finished anyway.” She turned to him. “Please stop sending Michelle gifts and please call off your hounds. You need to stop trying to control this situation. It’s not yours to control. If you ever loved Michelle, you’ll let her have her real father back.”
Liam didn’t say a word. He just stared at the floor as if he wanted to burn a hole in it.
Bridget passed Kate, picked up her purse from a side table and pushed the elevator button. She continued to avoid Liam’s gaze as she waited for the door to close.
Kate stared at her shoes, and then at Liam. He was white, no, grey, in the face. “Liam. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” He lifted his head, beaten and exhausted.
Stop punishing me. Bridget’s words haunted her. Kate couldn’t deny there was a part of her that wondered if Liam had a punishing side to his character. Surely he’d trampled a few people on his rise to the top. He’d warned her himself he didn’t forgive and forget.
She needed to make her exit now, before she made him feel any more awkward, and before he made her
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