“None, Trenton made that clear.”
Ghost nods, making another note in the file he’s starting.
“Then here’s the path forward. Step one: paternity test. I’ll set that up quietly and send you the address. You’ll both need to go. I won’t file with the court until we get the results.”
I nod, trusting his judgment because I’d be lost or wrung dry seeking counsel elsewhere.
“Step two: once we have confirmation, we move to establish legal paternity and custody.”
“How long is that going to take?”
Ghost gives me a thin smile. “Normally, a couple of months. You’ll have to go through the county system, which is lucky for you. If we had our own here in town, they might know a little too much about the club and hesitate on granting custody even with proven paternity.”
I raise a brow. “They can do that?”
He waves me off like he’s not worried about it, then tapsthe pen against the paper. “Fortunately for you, I’m very good at navigating gray areas.”
That’s an understatement. Ghost might wear suits during the day, but he earned his road name the same way the rest of us did.
“But until everything’s finalized, the kid still needs documents.”
“Like what?” The only things that come to mind are a birth certificate and a Social Security card. I figured that with the information I have, Ghost can do his magic and get us copies.
“Everything. School records, medical forms, identification paperwork.”
I stare at him. That’s way more than I’d have ever thought about. Medical forms didn’t cross my mind.
“You’re telling me we need all of that just to have him sleeping under my roof?”
“Welcome to the modern world of having a minor with a woman who hid his existence until she couldn’t help. Ask Josie, I bet she knows where every single one of those documents is for Haley,” Ghost says dryly.
That doesn’t make me feel any less like a piece of shit. I should know all of this. I have a kid that I’ve been there for since she was a second pink line on a test. What a fucking joke of a father I am.
He leans forward, lowering his voice slightly.“ Now here’s the part where things get… creative.”
That word usually means the law’s about to bend a little.
“I’ll draft temporary guardianship paperwork,” he says. “Technically legitimate, though the filing date might not line up perfectly with reality.”
Meaning it’ll look like Trenton’s been under my care longer than he actually has.
“And the rest?” I ask.
Ghost shrugs.
“School enrollment forms will show you as his legal guardian. Medical authorization will allow you to sign for treatment. Identification paperwork will follow the same trail.”
“Anyone checks it?”
“They’ll see exactly what they expect to see.”
Ghost sets the pen down.
“By the time the courts get around to reviewing anything official, the kid will already be established as living with you.”
“Which makes it harder to challenge.”
“Exactly.”
