Riot novel · Chapter 18 of 24

Chapter 18: The Lease

Joss's POV

At thirty-two weeks, I lay on the exam table with my shirt up, and Rhys sat beside me with his phone off.

The doctor squeezed cold gel across my belly and found the heartbeat.

Rhys leaned in so close that his shoulder touched mine.

"Hello, Riot," he said to my stomach.

"She can't hear you through the gel," I said.

"She's heard me all month."

He asked the doctor how much the baby weighed.

He asked how big the head was, and whether the heartbeat was strong, and whether she should be lower.

He asked nine questions in a row, and every one was about the baby.

None of them were about me.

I told myself he was nervous.

I told myself that was how fathers were.

Then the doctor asked, "And how are you sleeping, Joss?"

Rhys turned to listen, late.

I said I was sleeping fine.

I was not.

On Thursday, the old owner stood at the bakery counter before opening, holding an envelope in both hands.

"The sale closed yesterday, honey," she said. "I wanted you to hear it from me. Read the new lease."

I opened it.

The chain had not bought the bakery.

A company called Lakeshore Property Partners owned the building now.

The rent was cut in half and frozen for ten years.

At the bottom, in blue ink, was the signature of Rhys's lawyer.

I knew that name.

It had been on the custody paper Rhys brought to my kitchen.

My ears rang.

I put the letter flat on the counter and smoothed it with my palm.

"Who asked him to?" I said.

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