Chapter Fourteen

Amelia sat outside the courtroom, looking nervously at her watch. She’d been there just a handful of times. Usually, it was quite amicable. John wanted to change payment dates or there was a question about amounts.

But this was different. This was the big one.

Amelia hadn’t spoken to John since she confronted him over the phone about Jennifer’s pregnancy.

Now she was sitting here hoping that rage would come back so she could explain to the judge in a rational way why her children belonged with her.

It was ten o’clock in the morning. People in suits were stomping down the corridor. Families with lots of kids loitered in the hallway. She stood up and was just about to go into the courtroom designated for her hearing when she saw John’s lawyer quickly strolling down the hallway.

“Miss Harley!” he shouted and waved.

She stopped and looked at him skeptically.

“I’m not making any deal, Hank.”

John’s attorney was Hank Malone. He was a bald man with expensive suits and no neck to speak of.

“Uh, no.” He cleared his throat. “John won’t be appearing.”

“So? I can do this with you.”

“No. What I mean is he won’t be appearing. I’ve got another court call in a different room. He’s decided not to pursue the changes in the custody.”

Amelia wanted to scream, “Yes!” and really gloat, but she didn’t. She held back her tears of joy and nodded.

“Well, tell him thanks for letting me know before I drove all the way out here.”

She turned and quickly walked down the hallway. She was afraid if she didn’t, maybe Hank would change his mind or say, “Fooled you,” and the whole mess would be a go after all.

When she was finally in her car, she let her emotions out. Laughing and crying at the same time felt good in this instance. She’d won this round.

“And you are a gracious winner, Amelia Harley,” she said to herself as she dug through her purse to find her phone.

She pulled up John’s number and sent him a text.

Thank you. Tell Jennifer the kids and I said congratulations.

It was hard to type those little letters, but Amelia liked how she felt at that moment. She liked feeling like David after he slew Goliath.

Continue The Pink Cupcake Mysteries with book 9, Sugar and Scandals.

When Amelia is interviewed about her cupcake business for a popular food magazine, she also learns about the death of an old classmate. Spencer Randall had always been a ladies’ man, but in recent years, he’d taken to dating wealthy older women for their money. He was found dead on a hiking trail, beaten to death. With multiple women fighting over him, Amelia and Dan have their work cut out for them.

In the middle of a stakeout with Dan, Amelia also uncovers her ex-husband’s latest scandal…

Read an excerpt at the end of this book.

Catch up on all the books in the Pink Cupcake series here.

Sign up for Harper's Newsletter and get notified when new books are on sale for 99¢!