Traci raised her iced tea glass and tapped it against Shannon’s.
“He tried to deny everything,” Shannon said. “But, like the kids say, I had the receipts. That night it happened, I went home, took off my bathing suit, stuffed it in my gym bag, and hid it in the back of my closet. Like, I never wanted to think about it again.”
“Oh—kay.”
“Remember what happened a few years earlier? Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinski and the blue Gap dress? Same. I took my bathing suit with me, and I waved it in his face. Told him I had proof. Hecalled me every name in the book. When he finally quit yelling at me, I told him what I wanted.”
“Badass,” Traci murmured, shaking her head in admiration. “Total badass.”
“Maybe. I was so dumb. All I asked for was money so that I could finish college, after the baby. And money to take care of her. And that was it. I told him I’d be in touch after the baby was born, and I walked out.” She shook her head. “Too stupid to live.”
“And then?” Traci prodded.
“And then Livvy was born. Mama knew a lawyer from church. He wasn’t much of a lawyer, but we didn’t know that. We trusted him. He contacted the old man. Sent him a photo of Olivia. And again, the piece of shit tried to deny being the father. He said he needed proof. So we did a paternity test. And there was no way he could wriggle out of it.”
“Is that when Fred brought in Andy Plankenhorn?”
“Uh-huh. My lawyer said the old man should be on the hook for more than just my college and some money for the baby. Since the plan was for me to live with Mama, he said we should ask for her house to be paid off, and for a settlement to pay for Olivia’s upkeep and education. Fifty thousand? I thought it was all the money in the world. I had no idea what day care or pediatricians or orthodontists cost. Or designer sneakers or cell phone plans…”
Shannon leaned back in the kitchen chair, staring up at the ceiling. “How’s this for irony? Indirectly, I probably ended up pregnant because I was desperate not to live under the same roof with my strict mother. But if it hadn’t been for her, Livvy and I would have been homeless. And now, Olivia goes to work for you here at the Saint, the absolute last place on earth I wanted her to be, because she was sick of living withme.”
“I can do you one better,” Traci said with a wry smile. “According to Andy Plankenhorn, when Ric got his dad to draw up a new will specifically designed to screw me over, he managed to screw himself over instead. Now, it looks like he gets to share his inheritance with Livvy.”
Shannon drank the last of the iced tea. “That’s what he told me when he called me this morning. I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Andy knows what he’s talking about, Shan. Livvy is going to own a sizable chunk of Saint Holdings. And there’s nothing Ric Eddings can do to stop it.”
“How’s that make you feel? I mean, from what Mr. Plankenhorn said, she’ll own a bigger share of the business than you. How is that even possible?”
“At first, I’ll admit, I had mixed emotions. But maybe it’s not such a bad thing.”
“Huh?”
Traci smiled. “I know I’ve already told you this, but, Shan, Livvy is extraordinary in every way. You’ve done an awesome job of raising her by yourself.” She sighed. “You’re so lucky. I’d give anything to have a daughter like her.”
Shannon tilted her head. “How come you and Hoke never had kids? You always used to talk about having five or six kids when we were growing up.”
“We tried,” Traci said wistfully. “We saw a fertility specialist down in Jacksonville. Turned out, Hoke had mumps when he was three, and it affected his sperm count. We were looking into adoption when he died.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without Livvy.”
“It’s probably why Parrish and I were so close. She was the daughter I never had. It used to enrage Ric.”
“And then you lost her too,” Shannon said. “First your husband, then your niece. I’m sorry I’ve been such a bitch to you, Traci.”
Traci waved her apology away. “Let’s put it in the past. We were awesome together, back in the day, and we can be awesome together now, if you’re okay with it.”
“What’s our next step?” Shannon asked.
“As soon as you tell Livvy about Fred and the will, we need to set up a meeting with Livvy and Andy and me.”
“I’ll talk to her as soon as I leave here,” Shannon said, studying Traci’s face. “This has gotta be weird for you, huh? Finding out that a twenty-year-old might be your future business partner?”
“Weird? Yes. But she’s my best friend’s kid. She’s a natural, Shan. And let’s be real—I need her on my side, because otherwise, Ric will squash me like a bug.”
Shannon stood up from the table and stretched. “Hate to say it, but I better get home. I’ve got an early shift in the morning.”
Traci dumped the remainder of her tea in the sink. “Then, let’s roll.”
