“I can’t deal with this guy being a part of your life, Addison. I won’t.”
He hadn’t even finished his sentence when her other line clicked. It was Fred. She was sure he’d have demands of his own. Her head was spinning and her stomach roiled. This day had been an absolute nightmare, and it felt like it was still far from over.
AJ was still going on about how he didn’t even want her talking to Fred. She could fight him in court, and AJ was sure she would win full custody. They’d get the best lawyers on it. He said Fred didn’t have a leg to stand on. They could get his estranged wife to testify that he’d never even told her about the daughter he never wanted. They could get a third party to handle any negotiations without Addison having to speak with him directly. He’d heard of people doing that. The lawyers could handle all the negotiating without her ever having to speak with him. AJ was making it perfectly clear. It’d be the only way he’d put up with any kind of relationship she might have with Fred.
“I know it sounds unreasonable, but I’m just being honest with you. There’s ways of dealing with this fucker in your life.” Addison could hear the conviction in his voice. He was breathing hard, and she could almost picture him pacing madly. “We both know the only thing he wants, and it has nothing to do with Clair. He’s just using her, and I ain’t fucking having it.”
The other line had since stopped beeping, but she heard another beep and knew it was a text. Without telling AJ, she checked it.
I’ve agreed to be part of the post-game press conference. You know what they’ll be asking. Answer your phone unless you want me to tell them exactly why that fucking animal did what he did. You can’t seriously expect me to be okay with him around MY daughter.
When her other line beeped again, Addison refrained from gasping. She was afraid AJ would pick up on her anxiousness. How could this possibly be getting worse?
“I have another call,” she said, interrupting AJ. “I have to take it.”
“From who? Fred?”
His words were laced with such anger—such disgust—her response flew out before she could think about it. “My lawyer,” she said.
“Swear on Clair it’s not that fucker on the other line.” Addison’s silence was all it took.
“Why are you lying to me?” he asked, raising his voice. “What else have you lied about?”
“Nothing else,” she said anxiously. “I’m sorry. It is him, but you were already so upset—”
“You take his call; don’t call me back.”
Addison closed her eyes, feeling the hot tears burn her eyes. “I have to take it,” she whispered.
The line clicked and he was gone. She stood there, frozen, the tears dripping down her cheeks, as the stadium suddenly went wild. Someone scored or something big was happening on the field, and she had zero interest. With AJ off the phone now, her phone automatically clicked over to Fred.
“Addison?” he sounded worked up too, but nowhere near as worked up as AJ had been.
“We need to talk,” she said, squeezing her phone as hard as she did her eyes shut.
She hadn’t planned on having this conversation with Fred this soon, and she’d planned on telling AJ about this first, but under the circumstances, she had no choice. Addison needed to regain a little control of this situation that was so out of hand now.
“In person,” he said.
“Fine. But if you reveal anything about Clair or why you and AJ got into it on the field, other than it was something game-related, the only way you and I will ever communicate again is via our lawyers, understood?”
“Agreed. But I wanna see you tonight after the press conference.”
Taking a deep breath, she knew just how angry AJ would be about this and what taking Fred’s call alone might have already cost her. She’d be taking several risks, both with AJ and Fred. But they were risks she was willing to take for the sake of her daughter. Addison could only pray now that both the aces in her pocket would pay off in the end. The finality she heard in AJ’s voice tonight was like none she’d ever heard from him before. It was what scared her most. Even her ace might not be good enough to make him get over her ignoring his ultimatum and her going to meet with Fred on the very night of their epic public brawl, especially since she was certain those leaked pictures were all Fred’s doing.
Addison had every intention of telling AJ about this. If he ever forgave her for this, there’d be no more lies or even secrets between them. She just knew she had a better chance of being forgiven if he heard about it straight from her first. “I’ll meet with you tonight, Fred, but know this. If any photos of us meeting tonight get leaked, tonight will be the last time you hear my voice outside a courthouse. If I hear so much as a rumor that you and I met tonight, the next time you wanna talk to me about anything you’ll have to go through my lawyers. They’re already on standby; it’s all about how you decide to handle this.”
It was how she hoped things would be in the end, especially now that AJ had made it so clear that it’d be the only way he’d deal with this. She just needed Fred to think for now that if he behaved and didn’t pull any stunts after tonight he still had a chance to continue with his infuriating requests.
Her last requirement for agreeing to meet with him tonight, she also added with the same threat about her lawyers. “Cover up that ridiculous tattoo during the press conference, will you?”
~~~
Not only did Fred comply with her wishes of not saying anything she wouldn’t want him to at the press conference, he didn’t even show up to it. At first, Addison thought it was a good-faith gesture on his part. He was going the extra mile to show her he meant what he’d said on the phone call Clair overheard her on earlier. He really did have her and Clair’s best interest in mind when he insisted he just wanted to be a part of their lives.
He’d even shown up at the riverfront pedestrian trail she asked him to meet her at, wearing a sweatshirt with the hoodie up over his head. Even if he didn’t do anything stupid like have someone follow them and take photos, she didn’t want to take a chance of anyone recognizing him and taking their own photos they might leak. It was a lot colder in St Louis than it was in San Diego this time of year, so a sweatshirt with a hoodie made perfect sense. She’d been beyond relieved that, even while she knew it was him when he first got out of the car that dropped him off, she wouldn’t have recognized him otherwise.
Then he got close enough for Addison to see the real reason why he’d likely called off the press conference and why he was all covered up now. His face was a mess. He had a fat lip ripped in two places and a knot on one of his temples that was beginning to swell around his eye. It wasn’t too bad, but it was bad enough that she could see why he wouldn’t want to give a closeup interview on national television that would end up on YouTube forever.
Addison felt a little evil for not feeling any sympathy for him, but she still asked if he was okay. “I’m fine,” he said. “Goes with the territory. Not the first brawl I’ve been in; won’t be the last.”
She only hoped he didn’t mean there’d be more this series. Yet knowing how angry AJ was, she knew the possibility of that was still too real, which was why she needed to do this now and then hopefully get back to AJ as soon as possible. Before the fourth game back in San Diego. Before he could step foot on that field with Fred again.