Nathan was being photographed along with several other kids as Liz gave that interview.
“These kids come from less than positive backgrounds,” Liz said, motioning behind her, deliberately inclining her head toward Nathan. “Some have been abused, some have parents who’ve been involved in drugs. Some live in foster care, and some are just economically disadvantaged. The foundation and the team have set up this event to give these kids something positive in their lives, when they haven’t had many positive things to look forward to.”
Liz turned to Nathan and motioned him over. Nathan, obviously not knowing what the hell was going on, grinned back at Liz and came over. The cameras focused on him.
“Are you having a good time today?” Liz asked.
Nathan, looking utterly bashful and camera struck, nodded. “Uh, yeah. Having a great time.”
And then Liz motioned Mick over, and Mick put his arm around Nathan’s shoulders. The entire thing made Nathan look like one of the troubled kids, and Mick was offering up the hero’s helping hand.
Tara’s blood boiled. That f**king bitch. She stood there, her feet rooted to the asphalt, not knowing what to do. Ripping Nathan out of there would cause a scene and would only make matters worse, embarrassing Nathan and herself in the process. She refused to give Liz the satisfaction. And Mick seemed oblivious to the entire thing, playing to Nathan and the cameras as if he knew exactly what was going on.
Maybe he did know what was going on. Or maybe he just didn’t care.
Surely the man wasn’t that clueless. Had he been in on it the entire time? He and Liz worked closely together. He knew every time there was a promo op. Surely Liz had cleared this with Mick, so he had to have known.
Nausea bubbled up, and she palmed her stomach. The sun and the knowledge that Mick would use Nathan like that made her dizzy. She needed to sit down, but she refused to walk away, not when Nathan was so vulnerable.
Fortunately, the cameras soon moved away, and Tara could breathe again. She wanted nothing more than to grab her son and run like hell, but she was responsible for this event, and she wouldn’t let the foundation down. So she swallowed her anger and kept her focus for the remainder of the afternoon, making sure the rest of the event went off without a hitch.
When the last of the kids had piled back into the buses and everything was wrapped up, she grabbed Nathan.
“We’re leaving.”
Nathan frowned. “What? Why? Mick said we’d go out to eat.”
“Don’t ask questions. We need to go. Now.”
Mick was next to her in a second. “What’s wrong?”
She couldn’t even look at him. “I have to go. We have to go.”
He grasped her arm. “Tara. What’s the matter?”
She shook her head. “I need to get Nathan out of here.”
“Is something wrong?”
Her head shot up, and she could barely meet his gaze. “You know what’s wrong,” she whispered. “How could you do this?”
His eyes widened. “What the hell are you talking about?”
She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
She moved away from the crowd of players and wives and girlfriends, taking Nathan with her. “Mom, what’s the matter with you? Why are we leaving?”
“We’re done here.” She was done here. She was done with Mick.
She passed by Elizabeth and saw the look of triumph on her face.
Yes. Liz had won. Finally. Tara was finished with Mick. With all of this.
MICK THREW HIS KEYS ON TOP OF THE TABLE NEAR THE front door, flopped into the chair, and grabbed the remote. He turned on the TV, needing background noise to drown out his own thoughts, because all he’d been able to think about for the past several hours had been Tara.
She’d been upset. Even more than upset. She was mad as hell. At him. And he had no idea why. He’d tried calling her cell. She wouldn’t answer, despite repeated attempts.
He drove by her house and rang her bell, but she wouldn’t answer, even though he knew damn well she was inside. Short of busting down the door, which he didn’t think was a very good idea, there wasn’t much he could do.
So now he sat here like a dumb-ass, flipping through channels and trying to figure out what the f**k he’d done to make her so mad.
They’d barely even had any time together today. She’d been busy all day with the event, and she’d done an incredible job. He’d been so proud of her, and so had Irvin Stokes, who’d come looking for her. Mick had made up an excuse for her, saying she was probably wrapping things up. Earlier in the day she’d been a little harried, but smiling and happy. And then boom—disaster. But he hadn’t said anything or done anything to make her mad at him. Not mad enough to storm off without an explanation or refuse to take his calls or answer the door.
He didn’t get it.
The news was on, and they had a report about the event. Mick clicked up the volume to hear Liz talking up the foundation. Mick saw himself, Nathan, and a few other kids behind Elizabeth while she talked about the kids. He leaned forward when Liz motioned toward Nathan, looked at him, then described the problems kids in the foundation had, from abuse to drugs to everything in between. And then Liz brought Nathan forward, then Mick.
What. The. Fuck. Liz might as well have hung a sign on Nathan and used him as a poster child for damaged children. And there Mick was, smiling and slinging his arm around Nathan, totally clueless about what Elizabeth had just done.
Son of a bitch. She’d used Nathan. Hell, she’d used him, too. And Mick would wager a year’s salary that Tara had seen it and thought he and Liz had cooked it all up as a promotion and even planned to use Nathan in it.
Fuck! He threw the remote across the room and stood, shoving his hand through his hair. He knew Liz was a master manipulator, but he’d never known her to go this far. He never minded her using him or an actress or model to get a good promo shot, but a kid? Oh, hell no.
He grabbed his cell phone and dialed Liz’s number. Even though it was late, he knew she would answer.
“What’s up?”
“Get over here. Now.”
She laughed. “I’m kind of busy here, Mick.”
“I don’t give a shit how busy you are. Get your ass over here.”
There was a pause. “Here being your place?”
“Yeah.”