She whispered something into Abby’s ear, and the little girl ran off. “How do you know my daughter’s name?”
I closed the distance between us. “It’s on her backpack.”
She looked in the direction of where her daughter had gone, as though she were confirming what I’d just said. “What are you doing here?” Her hands went to her hips. “Did you follow me?”
“No.” I chuckled. “My daughter’s in this class.”
“Your daughter …” I could tell she wasn’t pleased with the news. “Okay, but that doesn’t explain why you’re standing in front of me, like you want to talk to me. As far as I’m concerned, there isn’t anything you should be saying to me right now.”
I kept my voice down, but I didn’t try to tame my tone. “That’s where you’re wrong. There’s plenty I need to say to you …”
FOUR
SOPHIE
Was I surprised that Colson’s daughter attended the same gymnastics class as my daughter? No. For as big as LA was, the circles were small, and the overlap was mighty. I’d run into many clients, opposing counsel, and adversaries during several of the extracurricular activities Abbi was enrolled in. But I was surprised Colson had had the audacity to march into this class—a class I had never seen him attend, and I was present for all of them—and, in a tone I didn’t appreciate, said there was plenty he needed to say to me. There was a time and place to discuss Weston and Gordon matters. It wasn’t here.
“What could you possibly have to say to meright now?”
His hand went to the center of my back, and I did everything I could to prevent myself from leaning into it. Still, the presence of those fingers sent a feeling straight through my body.
A feeling that was far too pleasurable.
“Come with me,” he ordered.
I must have been too tingly, my brain not thinking straight, because I allowed him to lead me a few feet away from the group of kids. When he stopped, he positioned himself directly in front of me. Although the difference in height was at least six inches, even while I was in my heels, the closeness made me feel like we were face-to-face.
And his scent—my God, I wanted to bathe in it. A heavy, delicious mix of amber and black tea, rich and divine and sensual, just like he had been that night at Lush.
“What is it that you want to speak to me about?” I pressed.
The temptation to touch him was overwhelming, so the faster he got this over with, the quicker I could get away from him.
“Your daughter.”
Suddenly, every thought I’d had about his fingers and wanting to put mine on him was gone.
My arms crossed. “What about my daughter?”
“Do you know what she did yesterday? If you don’t, you’re going to hear about it after their class since I called the coach last night to tell her.” His voice had a sharpness that was sending me right over the edge. “Your daughter aggressively poked my daughter in the arm, and it caused Ellie to fall. But that’s not all of it. She also made fun of my daughter, calling her ugly.”
He let out a raging breath while mine brewed in the back of my throat.
“I don’t know in what fucking world that’s okay, but I can tell you right now, it doesn’t fly with me. You need to step in and parent your daughter and teach her right from wrong.”
His eyes dipped down me as though he were taking inventory, and I was positive there was steam coming from my ears.
“I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked that someone like youcreated someone like her. Like mother, like daughter, as the saying goes.”
His nostrils flared as his eyes met mine again. “Let me be as clear as possible. I won’t tolerate a bully treating my child that way?—”
“Daddy!”
Colson turned at what sounded like Ellie calling after him. “Hold just a sec, baby.”
He faced me again. “How can you make this right? You can tell your daughter that she owes my daughter an apology.”
Colson’s attention got interrupted when Ellie tugged at his arm.
