Page 57 of Full Throttle

“You too,” he said. “Thanks for the math lessons.”

“I hope it helps.”

She tugged him away, not sparing me a glance. She pulled him through the café, disappearing through one door as Dom and Halton walked in through another one.

They came over, sitting down, and I reached for Dom’s hand. “Well?” I asked, hoping how angry Josh’s mom had been because things had gone well for Dom.

“I get to see him.” Dom’s voice was tight. “I get to see my son. I don’t know if I’ll even recognize him.”

I leaned close. “Dom, he was here.”

He gaped at me. “What?”

“His mom had to bring him with her. She asked if he could sit at my table. It took a few moments after she left, then I realized who he was. It was Josh.”

Halton chuckled. “I told you she was your good-luck charm.”

“You talked to him?”

“I did. He’s so amazing.”

Dom turned, gripping my hand. “Tell me everything.”

Dom studied the photo I showed him, his brow furrowed. I had snapped it as Josh had lifted his head from solving a problem. He had been smiling widely, proud of himself for understanding how to use the tools I had shown him. He looked so much like his father in the photo, and I knew Dom could see that.

“This is the clearest, most up-to-date photo I have,” he said thickly. “The ones I get from the lawyer are always blurry and older. He says Roxanne doesn’t have a decent camera.”

Halton scoffed. “She was carrying the same phone I have. Great camera. She’s playing a game.” He sat back, swinging his leg. “She likes games, that one. I know her type. Using the child to hurt her ex.” He shook his head. “Which, in the end, hurts the child as well.”

“You get to see him,” I prompted. “When?”

“Next Saturday. She’s bringing him to meet me at a restaurant we chose halfway for both of us at one. I get him for two hours. If he’s agreeable and it goes well, I get him for the whole day the following Saturday. Then overnight the week after.” Dom sighed. “I agreed to go slow so Josh isn’t overwhelmed. I don’t want him upset.”

“And the judge saw that. He also saw through all Roxanne’s objections. Her lies. Her obvious temper.” Halton smirked. “When I pulled out a few of the postmarked letters you’d sent to Josh that were returned, I thought she was going to lose it. He saw that as well. It really couldn’t have gone better. The fact that you kept all of it for him was huge, Dom. That you never stopped trying.” He smiled kindly. “That you were still putting him first, insisting Josh have a say in this. All of that counted. All of that mattered.” He stood. “I’ll leave you two, and I’ll see you on Saturday.”

“Thank you,” Dom said, rising to shake his hand.

Halton shook his hand and clapped him on the arm. “This is a good win, Dom. We’ll get you back in his life, and he’ll be the better for it.”

He bent and brushed a kiss on my cheek, whispering, “He’s pretty shaken up. I’m glad he has you.”

Dom sat beside me, once again picking up my phone and studying the picture. I rubbed his arm. “You okay, sweetheart?”

He smiled at my unexpected endearment. “I will be. I’m reeling, if I’m being honest.”

“I can understand that.”

“Halton was incredible. Precise. Authoritative. He ran over her lawyer and his underhanded manipulation like he was sipping a beer on the porch at the end of a day. Nothing fazed him. He knew what he needed to do, and he did it. I thought Roxanne was going to expire on the spot, she was so furious. He didn’t let a single remark pass without refuting it. The angrier she got, the wilder her accusations became, and he squashed every single one. I wish I could have taped it.”

“That must have been difficult to listen to.”

“Once upon a time, yes. Today, it meant nothing. I knew I couldn’t react. Halton warned me not to argue with her—to let it roll off my back. And he was right. The judge saw her temper and my calm. It was always that way, but she used to twist it around, making me sound like the crazy one.” He paused. “I hope she’s not done that to Josh.”

“He seems great. Smart. Articulate. Curious. Funny.”

“You’ll come with me next week?”

“Am I allowed?”