“You got a second?” Quinn asked.
“Uh…” Nick looked back at his woman before stepping outside with us and shutting the door. We walked along the front porch to his—breathe, Jess—patio swing.
My lips pressed together in frustration. Now he was just showboating. I couldn’t help but inquire. “Is Noah going to be a big brother?”
“Pending a paternity test, yes.”
“You always were so romantic.”
Nick shot daggers at me. “What do you want?”
“So, here’s the deal, Nick,” Quinn replied. “I need you to retract your comments and posts about Jess on social media. All of them. And then I need you to issue an apology.”
Nick scoffed.
Quinn didn’t flinch. “I’m not joking.”
“And I’m not doing it. No way am I going to issue an apology. Fuck you both.”
“You know what’s so awesome about being famous, Nick? I have a manager who does all my bidding. And you want to know what my latest bidding was? You. And your family. And all the shady deals you’ve got going on to keep your baby mama and son from getting a dime of your money.”
Quinn held up a folder. “It’s all in here, Nick. I can bury you. I can bury your family’s business. All you’ve got to do to prevent that is show some grace and do the right thing by your son’s mother.”
Nick wasn’t fighting back. Obviously, whatever was in that folder was damning enough that Quinn’s offer was at least somewhat appealing to him.
“And to further sweeten the deal, you’re off the hook financially—forever. I’ve already set up a trust for Noah. He’ll never want for anything. Imagine the relief of not having to hide your assets when it comes time for college.”
My ex was not finding Quinn’s wily digs amusing.
“So what? I make a deal with you and I never get to see my kid again? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Is that what you want?” Quinn asked, almost hopeful in his tone.
“No, it’s not what I want,” Nick blasted back. “He’s my son. Not yours.”
“Then act like it. Be a father, Nick. Go to the hospital when Noah jumps off a shed. Go to the principal’s office when he gets caught pranking his teacher by having his classmates move their desks back every time she turns her back. Go to his baseball games. Answer his phone calls. If you want to be his father, thenbehis father. Otherwise, get out of his life. Because I’m there, and I’d be more than happy to step into your empty shoes. I love Noah. I’ll provide for him and do all the things you won’t do. So, unless you want to lose him for good, I suggest you step up—right now.”
Quinn’s speech was like a mic drop. We all stood there, stunned. Quinn had laid it all out on the line, professing his allegiance to Noah while still giving Nick the ultimatum—the solution of which was entirely in his hands.
“I never wanted any of this, Jess. I was eighteen. A scholarship in my hands. And then you came to me, pregnant and threatening to derail everything I’d worked so hard for. I didn’t want Noah back then. I admit it, okay? Doesn’t mean I didn’t want to be part of his life. But between you and my mother and now Quinn… it’s like I can’t make any decision that doesn’t have everyone screaming. You think I liked seeing my kid run to you on his birthday, Quinn? Tore my fucking heart out.”
Nick dropped into the swing, pissed. Defeated.
Quinn and I exchanged a glance. We’d hit a nerve neither one of us knew was there but now was not the time to cave to sympathy.
“So, what do you say, Nick? Are you going to retract the things you said about Jess so the contents of this file will go away?” Quinn asked, waving it around.
“What about the financial stuff?” Nick pressed. “Will I be totally off the hook?”
“Yes. You will have no further financial obligations to Noah or Jess.”
A clear line had been drawn in the sand, and which side Nick chose would determine all our lives going forward.
“Okay,” Nick said. “I’ll retract all the statements and issue an apology. But in return I want to see Noah from time to time.”
“Supervised visitation,” I agreed.
“Whatever,” Nick replied. “And Quinn? I’ll want that financial agreement in writing.”
