Boomerangers: A second chance romantic comedy (Cajun Girls Book 1)
Boomerangers: Chapter 24

I thought that learning of Alex’s past would afford Spence a little comfort, but it’s done the exact opposite. She is completely losing it. She’s been sick as a dog and won’t hardly eat a thing. Spencer hasn’t been to work in three days. It was hard enough when she thought that Alex was just a deadbeat, but after learning about his past, she is positively terrified of Kyle having a relationship with this man.

I don’t think she will be able to handle it if we lose, and we still could lose. I have to do something, and I’ve come up with a plan. One that isn’t exactly legal but just might work.

“Dad, I need to go take care of something. I’ve got to go out of town, but I’ll be back before morning,” I call out, walking past his office.

My father comes sprinting out to the lobby. “Just where in the hell do you think you’re going, son? You’ve got court tomorrow damned morning.”

I grab my suit jacket from the closet and drape it over my arm. “Exactly,” I answer, giving Dad’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze before continuing toward the door.

“That girl’s gonna lose her shit if you take off right now,” he threatens, rubbing at the back of his neck.

My mouth twitches into a half smile. “I’m pretty sure she’s already lost it, Dad. I’m doing this for her. Don’t worry about Spencer. I’ll call her on the way out.”

“Don’t go gettin’ yourself in any troub—”

The door closes behind me, cutting him off mid-sentence. On the way to my truck, I pull out my cell to give Spence a ring. The last thing I want is to have her worrying about me on top of everything else.

“Hello.” Fuck. She’s been crying.

“Hey, babe,” I say, holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder and setting my things down on the back seat. “I just wanted to let you know I’ve got some things to take care of for court tomorrow and I have to go out of town.”

“Is something wrong?” she asks with a tremor in her voice.

“No, no . . . nothing like that. I’ll be back really late, or maybe even early in the morning, and I don’t want you to worry about a thing, okay?”

She scoffs. “Yeah, okay,” she says mockingly.

“I have a good feeling about this, Princess. Try to relax and I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”

My heart knots when I hear her sniffling through the phone. “I’ll try.”

After hanging up with Spencer, I punch the address Stephen gave me earlier this morning into the GPS and begin making my way to New Orleans.

I’ve been parked outside Alex’s townhouse for almost three hours when his black jeep rolls in, parking in the spot right next to mine. I wait until he’s gotten inside before leaving my vehicle and walking over to knock on his door. I don’t want to risk a public confrontation in the parking lot. The conversation we need to have will be between just us two.

“Can I help you?” he asks politely upon opening the door. Alex is about my height with dark skin and hair. His eyes are brownish-black and scrutinizing. Aside from the eyes and dark skin, Kyle doesn’t look a thing like his sperm donor.

“Hi . . . Alex Hernandez?” I ask to be sure I’m speaking with the right person.

He nods. “And you are?”

“My name’s Cooper Hebert. I’m Spencer’s fiancé. I was hoping that we could have a few words.”

Alex starts to shut the door in my face. “Not interested, buddy.”

I wedge my foot into the doorway to prevent it from closing. “I really think you’ll want to hear what I have to say.”

His eyes become menacing. “I said I’m not interested.”

“What if I told you I know about Lisa Chedwick? Would that change your mind?”

His face pales and all of his features droop. It’s as if he’s seen a ghost. Without another word, Alex glances around the parking lot before opening the door wider and allowing me inside.

“Excellent choice,” I say, giving him a triumphant wink.

“What do you want?”

I look him dead in the eye. “I want you to withdraw your claim and sign papers officially relinquishing your parental rights to Kyle.”

“No.” He stares me down, but I can see the nervousness in his posture by the way he’s suddenly shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“No?” I huff. “You went through an awful lot of trouble reinventing yourself to throw it all away now, especially over a kid you’ve never even bothered to see . . . Moved to a new state. Got a respectable job. A beautiful, wealthy, revered fiancée . . . How do you think she’s going to handle it in court tomorrow when she learns that the man she’s about to marry is a liar? A drug dealer? A murderer?”

Alex is seething. His jaw clenched tight.

I scrunch my nose up, shaking my head. “Probably not too well, am I right?”

“He’s my son.”

At that I laugh. “That boy doesn’t know you from a stranger on the streets. He already has a family who loves him. He’s happy and well cared for. Do what’s in the best interest of Kyle and leave him the hell alone.”

“And if I don’t?” he asks, moving half a step closer in an attempt to intimidate me with his size. We’re similar in height, but he’s got a much bigger build.

“Then I guess we’ll see you in court, along with statements from five of your former clients that say you sold them bad ecstasy that night. The night they all ended up in the emergency room and their friend died of an overdose from drugs she too obtained from you.”

Alex reaches for the knob, pulling the door open. “Get out of my house, Mr. Hebert.”

I nod, having said all I came here to say. I only hope it was enough.