# Chapter 36: A Father’s Fight, a Lawyer’s Dilemma, and a Matchmaker’s Heart in the Crossfire
Hello, hello, lovely readers and listeners! I’m so glad you’re back with me for another visit inside *Searching For Someday free digital audiobook*. Have you ever watched two people try to outrun a connection that simply refuses to die? That’s exactly what Chapter 36 gives us — while a desperate father walks into Slade’s office carrying the weight of his entire world.
The chapter opens in Slade’s office, where Pete finally lets the truth spill out. His wife wants a divorce. She told him to move out, said she’d hire a new nanny for the kids, and called him useless — accusing him of being unambitious and lazy, of tainting their children with his demeanor. The bitterness in his voice is like acid. Slade’s dry reply cuts through it: taking care of three children properly is lazy? Apparently, to Pete’s wife, it is.
Pete explains the cruel math of his marriage. She has missed every important event in their kids’ lives, and now she wants them because they’re a possession to her — a way to protect her reputation. When she demanded the divorce, Pete refused to give up the children and refused to leave the house, terrified he’d never get back in. Slade calls that an excellent decision.
But the situation is worse than emotional warfare. All the money is in her name. She paid the bills, gave Pete an allowance for the kids, and he never needed anything else. Now he has no credit card, no job, no money. She closed the main account and moved the funds somewhere he can’t reach. His simple plea — “I can’t lose my kids” — burns raw in Slade’s gut.
Slade knows he cannot let Pete be bullied. Pete is the main caretaker. He has done what countless mothers have done: put his children first. Slade decides to pull out the big guns and fight until he gets full custody. Fathers are still rarely granted full custody, but this case could be a turning point. Even the worst scenario — partial custody — is winnable with the right tools and contacts.
Then comes the opposing counsel: Bronte Edwards. Slade winces. She’s a super hard-ass, but he’s battled her before. She goes straight for the jugular. Still, Slade says the case is solid. He’ll petition immediately for Pete to stay in the house. He needs papers, proof about previous nannies, anything Pete can get his hands on, and he’ll contact Pete’s previous employer.
Pete asks the question that breaks the room: “Do we have a shot? I’m a father with no job. Is this even a possibility?” Slade stares at the man’s stooped shoulders and tired face — symbols of broken relationships and lost hope. He chooses his words carefully. It won’t be easy. Most judges still favor the mother. If she presents a tearful, broken image in court, it may crucify them. It’s going to get nasty. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Pete will need to dig deep and fight like he’s never fought before. If he commits, Slade promises to do everything in his power — but there are no guarantees.
Pete hesitates, hangs his head. Slade waits, knowing this is the key. Too many clients surrender early. But Pete looks up and says simply, “My kids are my life. I’m in.”
Slade works with him for the next half hour, giving him tasks — some to help him focus, some to help in court. Then Pete asks the awkward question: the fee. He knows Slade’s standard rate, but he has nothing to give right now. Slade shakes his head. If they win full custody and full alimony, his fee can be paid then. If not, this is pro bono. Pete doesn’t understand. Free? Why would Slade do that for a stranger? Slade grins. Because Pete is a friend of Trent’s. Because he’s a man fighting for his family. Because he’s been wronged. Slade takes a few cases like this every year, and he doesn’t want Pete to feel guilty or pitied. He just wants the kids safe.
Pete gives a jerky nod, turns his head quickly, and thanks him twice. Then he’s gone, leaving Slade in silence.
The heaviness tightens Slade’s chest. This will be a long battle and a ton of money. He’ll have to kick in some of his own, or his boss will go ape-shit. Still, he’d be damned if he let Pete hire an incompetent attorney who only cared about the fee. Those children need him.
Slade groans and rubs his hands over his face. He craves his recliner, a cold beer, and his DVR. Instead, he has to go on a date with Emma — a woman who might be perfect for him. A woman who isn’t Kate.
Still, he swore he’d try. If someone else can dig Kate Seymour out from under his skin, he’d be eternally grateful. Stalking her in bars and stealing kisses isn’t his usual style. Then again, he’s never had to chase a woman this hard before. He glances at his watch and goes back to work.
Ten o’clock. Kate is absently rubbing Robert’s head, trying to concentrate on *Bridesmaids*. Usually she laughs her ass off, but the image of Slade on his date keeps ruining her focus. She’s so stupid. She pushes away the remnants of her homemade hot fudge sundae, pats her overfull stomach, and wonders if she still has that joint from her mother. Does she dare light up and sink into criminal activity? Or she could take out the neon pink vibrator — the thing looks like it could choke a horse. What was her mother thinking? The image hurts her brain, so she refocuses on the movie and tries not to think of drugs and sex.
Then her phone vibrates.
Heart pounding, she studies the number. Her finger pauses over the Answer button. Then she hits it.
“Why are you calling me?”
His husky laugh curls her toes and strokes between her legs. Damn, the man is dangerous even over the phone. He says he thought she’d want him to check in — see how his date went. Kate keeps her voice cool and clipped. Of course. She always encourages clients to call and give full feedback. Did he enjoy himself?
“I did. Wait till I tell you about this.”
She immediately worries. “You didn’t sleep with her, did you? I gave you specific rules to follow, Slade, and I mean it.”
“No sex, I promise. But it was pretty damn close.”
She tries not to sway in the chair. “Oh. Well, I g-g-g-guess that’s a good sign.”
Then Slade launches into a food description so sensual it should be illegal: tender, fresh meat melting in his mouth, cooked medium rare with a slight peppercorn seasoning, potatoes with crazy Gorgonzola cheese, crisp asparagus in lemon butter sauce. Kate’s relief cuts through first, then pure aggravation. Is he kidding her right now?
He swears he isn’t. The place is called Mums, close to Tribeca, and they have the best steaks he’s ever seen. Kate’s voice rises. She doesn’t care about the food! How was Emma? Did he like her? Did they get along? Did she have a good time? Does he even know what she had for dinner?
Silence. Then Slade says of course he knows. Emma didn’t try the meat — she’s sort of a vegetarian — so they made her a platter of fresh vegetables, grilled and seasoned nicely. She shared the wine. He went with a peppery, spicy Pinot Noir.
Kate squeezes her eyes shut. What is wrong with him? She’s working very hard to match him correctly, and she thinks he’s sabotaging the whole thing. How was the date without the food?
Slade finally answers. Emma was great. Pretty, funny, good conversation.
“Finally. That’s a relief. When do you want to go out again?”
“Oh, I don’t want to see her again.”
Kate clenches the phone and drops her voice to a whisper. “What?”
Slade tells her she did a brilliant job. She’s definitely very good at matching people. He’s starting to realize she’s not as much of a con artist as she is misguided. Still, his sister could end up a casualty of all her good intentions, so he needs to keep an eye on the process.
Kate says she’s honored to be promoted from criminal to crazy. But why doesn’t he want to see Emma again? Is he really closed off to finding his mate? She told him this process can’t work if he doesn’t—
He knows, he knows. He’s open. He tried. He pictured them together. On paper it was perfect. But Emma is missing an unknown spark, something he can’t put his finger on. Maybe sexually. It’s an unknown quality a woman has. He either feels it or he doesn’t.
The realization slams through Kate. All the perfect characteristics Slade recited were for paper purposes. To find his correct match, she needs to look deeper. Maybe he needs a woman with more edge, more assertiveness, more of a challenge. As a lawyer, he craves mental banter, physical sensuality, and kick.
Elena.
She’s a wild card, but definitely worth a shot. Elena would surprise him on all levels. The only danger is that Elena doesn’t like to play by the rules, and if she wants him physically, she’ll go after him. Kate teeters on the decision to send him into the arms of a woman who could claim him.
But that’s her job.
“I know who I want you to date next.”
“You?”
She flinches at the silky, caramel tone that wraps her in goo. “No, we’re not good for each other. Her name is Elena and I think you’ll be perfect. She’s different from the others. Are you willing to go out this week again? I can set it up quickly.”
“You still want to play this game?”
His meaning throbs in her veins and mocks her as a big fat liar. No, she wants to rip off his clothes, climb on top of him, and ride him to oblivion. She wants to claim him for her own. Kate imagines him home, sprawled on his couch, shirtless, all that rough toasty skin bare to her view. Imagines him hard and throbbing beneath her stroking hands. Imagines his head buried between her thighs, bringing her pleasure over and over again. She has to fight the attraction and find his match. It’s the only true way to free them both and prove her business a success.
“Yes. It’s not a game to me, Slade.”
His voice hardens. “Got it. I’m free tomorrow night. Set it up.”
She opens her mouth to say something, but he clicks off the line.
Kate stares at her phone for a long while, wondering if this time she has finally pushed hard enough for him to go away. Robert whines, as if sensing her distress, and pushes his nose into her palm. She sinks into the crocheted blanket, petting her dog, watching her movie, and telling herself she is happy with her life.
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## Reader’s Impressions & Star Rating
This chapter hit me in two completely different ways. The first half is heavy, painful, and deeply human — Pete’s custody battle is the kind of story that makes your chest ache because the children are the real casualties. Slade shines here as more than a love interest; he’s a man with a moral compass, willing to risk his own money and time for a father who has been treated like nothing. Then the second half flips into the delicious, frustrating push-and-pull between Slade and Kate. Their phone call is pure fire and denial. Kate trying to match him with Elena while clearly wanting him for herself is both infuriating and irresistible. The chapter balances heartbreak and heat beautifully.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars
## Next Chapter Prediction
Next up, Slade will go on his date with Elena — and I suspect it will be anything but boring. Elena may bring the edge and challenge Kate thinks he needs, but she may also be too much of a wild card, creating jealousy, chaos, and maybe a dangerous triangle. Meanwhile, Pete’s custody battle will escalate, especially with Bronte Edwards on the opposing side. I predict Kate will regret setting up Elena more than she expects, and Slade will use the date to prove a point — or to push Kate closer to admitting the truth. The spark between Slade and Kate is only getting harder to ignore, and Chapter 37 may force one of them to finally stop pretending.
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