No Ordinary Affair (16 page)

She hurriedly changed and ran back out. “Clay -my ex-husband - the other night, after the credit card thing, I told him I was going after child support. Now he wants to come get Evan!”

“You can’t let that happen,” said Max.

“I know,” she said, and ran out the door.

“Wait!” Max grabbed his coat and followed. When he got outside, Laura was in her Cherokee, finally trying to start it.

“It’s flooded,” Max said to her as he opened her door.

“It can’t be!” she cried. “I have to get there!”

“And you will,” he said. “You have me now.”

****************

The snow was falling even heavier as Max’s SUV sped towards the city lights. Beside him, Laura was a ball of nerves, but thankful he’d given her a ride. Some vehicles had already pulled over from the storm. She couldn’t imagine how helpless she would have felt if she’d been stranded by the roadside all alone. But she wasn’t alone. She had Max.

The traffic gods were kind once they reached the city; each light the
y came t
o was green. And soon they were in front of Laura’s brownstone. A strange car was out front and a blonde woman got out of the passenger side, flicking her cigarette into the snow. A man got out of the driver’s side. Clay.

Max guided his SUV into the space behind them and Laura jumped out. She’d already called Tammy to tell her to not let Clay in. She walked up fast behind the couple as they were mounting the steps.

“Clay!”

He turned at the sound of her voice, a look of anger and surprise on his face.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. “Have you come to drop off Evan’s tuition money?”

“Hell no,” the woman said. “He’s come to get his son for a few days!”

Laura looked at the blonde, or, more accurately, the fake blonde. She was a hard-looking girl, and gaunt, with the air of a hooker. Clay had left her for this?

“So what? You can’t speak for yourself anymore?” Laura asked.

“Steph, let me handle this,” Clay said to the girl, who effected a bored look and lit another cigarette.
“I’m here to get Evan,” he said.

“Well, you’re not taking him,” she said. “A week or so ago, maybe I would have, but after the stunts you’ve pulled
,
any time you have with Evan will be by court order. I’m filing papers for divorce tomorrow. And for full custody of our son.”

She said the words as convincingly as she could, knowing that lawyers were expensive. But she’d find a way. She felt confident she would. She glanced back at Max, who gave her a reassuring wink.

“I’ll get a better lawyer,” Clay shot back. “I don’t care how much it costs. I’ll end up with Evan and you’ll end up with child support.”

Laura looked at Clay and for the first time and realized how scruffy he looked. His clothes looked like they hadn’t even been washed in a week and his blonde hair was sticking up all over. His girlfriend’s Taurus, still running on the sidewalk, didn’t look like it was good for many more miles. And despite his bluster, he looked genuinely worried. Clay wasn’t doing well, not at all. She knew it, and he knew she knew it.
In spite of everything, he always had been pretty careful with money.  He wouldn't have dipped into the "emergency" credit card unless he was desperate. 

The fact was that Clay
was nothing but a paper tiger. A paper tiger who couldn’t even afford a lawyer.

“Oh, fine,” she said, calling his bluff. “I’ll have my lawyer get us on the docket as early as possible,” she said.

Now his expression changed. “Let me tell you something, Laura,” he said, getting inches from her face. Laura drew back in revulsion. He smelled of whiskey and cigarettes. “If you even think of making things hard on me I will so fuck you up!”

A large hand descended on Clay’s shoulder and pulled him back. “Communicating threats? That’s not smart in front of witnesses.”

Clay turned, looking Max up and down.
“Who the hell are you?” he asked incredulously, looking up at the large man who loomed over him.

“I’m Laura’s friend,” Max said. “Laura’s very special, overprotective friend.”

Clay just looked stupidly from Max to Laura and then back to Max. “Hey, wait a minute,” he said. “You’re that guy! That security guy from the TV!”

“That’s right,” Max Greenway said and then nodded in Laura’s direction. “And her security is my business. Now I suggest you just back off before I’m forced to defend her. Her lawyer will contact you tomorrow.”

Clay looked as if he were going to say something, but didn’t. Instead, he stomped back over to his girlfriend’s car. “Come on!” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Whatever,” she said, tossing her cigarette away.

Laura and Max watched as the car pulled away from the curve.

“Thanks,” she said.

“No need to thank me,” he replied. “You’re the one who stood him down. I was just your back up man.”

“You’re wonderful,” she said. “You know that?”

“Oh, I’m wonderful for the right woman,” he replied, putting his arm around her. “Of course, it pays to shop around until you find her. Now what do you say you introduce me to the other man in your life.”

“Sure,” Laura said, and - arm in arm - they walked into the brownstone together.