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Chapter One
Benson
“Thank you so much for doing this,” I say as soon as my sister Sloane opens the door, her hand gently placed on her huge bump. “Are you sure this is okay?”
“Are you kidding me? We love spending time with Lily,” she says.
“I know, but you’re about to pop,” I say.
She arches an eyebrow. “Yeah, so? I’m pregnant, not crippled. Besides, someone has to keep the bar running now I’m out for a few months, and you can’t do that with Lily around.”
“I know, you’re right. Thanks, sis.”
I turn to my daughter and give her a hug. “Be good, okay? I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”
“And then we’ll go to the park and get ice cream?” she asks.
“We will, just like I promised,” I tell her. “See you soon, Pumpkin.”
“Bye, Daddy.”
Lily lets go of my hand and runs straight into Sloane’s outstretched arms. My best friend Maverick appears in the doorway, his hair full of sawdust.
“Hello, Lily. Do you want to help your uncle Maverick build a deck outside?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” I say, worry creeping in as I think of my daughter being in close proximity to Maverick’s wood-cutting machinery.
She’s only four years old. She’s not mature enough to deal with dangerous situations, even though Maverick will probably only ask her to hand him a box of nails or something. I know he won’t let her near the electric saw, but it’s not enough to quell my worries.
“Please? Can I, Daddy, please?” she pleads.
I sigh. How can I resist when she looks up at me with those big brown eyes?
“Fine, you can help, but you’re going to listen to everything Uncle Maverick says, okay?”
She nods, excitement filling her eyes.
I turn to Maverick. “You’ll keep her safe, right?”
He nods. “Of course. I’d never do anything to jeopardize her safety.”
“Come on, Uncle Maverick, I want to build the deck with you.” Lily pulls on his sleeve, impatient to help him.
Sloane smiles at her and turns to me. “Maverick’s right. Go and don’t worry about us. We’re going to have a blast. I’m making pancakes later, and there’s fresh orange juice in the fridge. Lily’s favorite.”
“Thanks a lot, sis. You guys are the best.” I run a hand through my hair and wave at my family. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
As the three of them disappear inside, I head back to my truck and drive back down the mountain. Lily is turning five soon, and she’s about to start kindergarten this August. I’m meeting with her teacher this afternoon to discuss some things. It may seem like overkill to some people, but I’m a worrywart when it comes to Lily’s future. Ever since her mother and I parted ways, I’m the only parent Lily’s got left.
She doesn’t know where her mother is. I told her that Mom is not well and won’t return for years until she’s healed. I couldn’t handle telling her the truth about how her mother is spending the next ten years in jail.
Lily was only a baby when Tina got arrested. She will be almost fifteen when her mom gets out of prison, and I doubt she’ll want to meet her mother then, especially once she knows what happened.
I do plan on telling her one day, but not while she’s this young.
I grip the steering wheel with more force than necessary, my knuckles turning white under the pressure. Thinking about the whole ordeal ignites a flame of anger inside of me. Why did Tina do what she did? I will never understand. I guess it goes to show that you never truly know a person, even if you’re married to them.
By the time I pull into the parking lot of Little Cubs Kindergarten, I’m all reeled up from thinking about Tina and her jail sentence—especially what got her there. I do my best to wipe the scowl off my face. After all, I’m here for Lily and refuse to let Tina’s past actions negatively influence my daughter’s future.
