Something Old, Something New by Beverly Jenkins Page A

serious about hiring her, Lily pulled out her phone and speed-dialed a three-way between Roni in New York and Reggie in Henry Adams to tell them who they’d found.

Chapter 4
    T rue to her word, Tamar had left the keys to the trailer on the kitchen table. Once Trent and Gary were inside, Gary glanced around and whistled appreciatively.
    â€œWow. When you said trailer, I wasn’t expecting anything this classy.” He peeked in at the kitchen area, then walked to the rooms in the back. “There are three bedrooms,” he called out excitedly.
    â€œYep. The girls won’t have to share.”
    Gary came back to where Trent stood. “I like this. They’ll like this.”
    â€œHow are they handling the split between you and Colleen?”
    â€œLeah seems okay, nothing really throws her, and to tell you the truth, she and her mother have never connected. Now, Tiff? She’s having issues. Keeps asking me when Colleen’s coming back. No matter how many times I tell her the truth, she doesn’t want to believe me. Tells me that if I just apologize to Colleen for whatever it is I did to make her mad, she’ll come back.”
    Trent shook his head sadly. “That’s rough.”
    â€œYep. Tried explaining that her mother is the one driving all this, but she won’t believe that, either. Tiff’s always been Colleen’s favorite, and she’s devastated, as well she should be.”
    â€œI’ve been divorced twice, and as much as I wanted kids, I’m glad we didn’t have any.”
    â€œAnd now you’re going to have what, three sons.”
    â€œYep. Going from zero to sixty in a blink.” Although Davis was grown and wouldn’t need Trent’s hand in his life, Devon and Amari would be his to parent for some time to come.
    â€œThat has to be a little weird.”
    â€œIt is, but it’s a good weird. I’m kind of excited, to tell you the truth.”
    â€œMe? I’m scared to death. I don’t have a clue how to raise those girls.”
    â€œFirst, you might start by claiming them. They’re no longer ‘those girls,’ they’re ‘your girls.’ ”
    Gary nodded. “Point taken. Colleen’s done all the parenting up until now. All she ever allowed me to do was stay out of the way.”
    â€œNow you are the way, and remember, there are plenty of females around here who’ll help. Don’t be afraid to reach out. Tamar is always looking for someone to give fits to.”
    Gary chuckled. “Man, she wore us out back in the day.”
    â€œYes, she did. She’s doing the same to Amari and Preston. They try and sneak by her, hoping she won’t see them and give them something to do, but they’ve learned. She sees all.”
    They shared a smile.
    Trent said, “How about we pick up some lunch at the Dog and take it over to the garage so I can show you the car Amari and I are going to be working on?”
    â€œSounds good.”
    Trent watched Gary take one last long look around the trailer’s interior as if he was enjoying the prospect of moving in, then the two left to drive over to the Dog.
    Over lunch they sat and talked about the old T-Bird Trent planned to restore and about life. “We have a fathers’ support group here, too, now,” Trent informed him. “You might want to come to a meeting and check us out.”
    â€œA support group?”
    â€œYeah,” Trent replied before taking a bite out of the big burger known as Rocky’s Deluxe. “We meet once a week. Keeps us from going insane while we raise these kids.”
    â€œI may need that.”
    â€œYou will need that, trust me,” Trent countered and told Gary where they met and when.
    â€œI’ll see if I can make the next meeting.”
    Later, after more reminiscing and talk of the future, Gary glanced down at his watch. “School lets out in a bit. I need to get back