Page 86 of Surrogate For My Best Friend’s Man 2

“What?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“How is Brittany doing?” My anger didn’t disappear but it shifted. “She’s okay.”

“Is she asking about me?” I stared ahead. “Every day.” He didn’t say anything. “Deuce?”

“I’m here.” His voice sounded different. “Tell her Daddy loves her.”

“You need to tell her yourself.”

“How? You don’t answer.”

I closed my eyes, he had me there. “I’ll let you talk to her next time.”

“Thank you.”

“But don’t confuse that with me forgiving you.”

“I won’t.”

“And don’t start calling my mama’s house all damn day either.”

The recording interrupted again. “One minute remaining.”

“Alisha.”

“What?”

“I miss y’all.”

I swallowed, I hated that those three words still did something to me. “Deuce…”

“And I’m sorry.”

The call disconnected, I stared at my phone. For weeks, I’d wanted him to feel what it was like not having access to me. Now I’d finally talked to him and somehow, I had more questions than I did before. By the time I left the shop, my nerves were shot, I kept checking my mirrors the whole drive to my mama’s house.

Every black truck, every car that stayed behind me too long, every time somebody made the same turn I did it made me more paranoid. That man had really fucked with my head. First my house then my shop. Now I was driving around wondering who the hell was watching me.

When I pulled up to my mama’s, Brittany came running out before I could even make it all the way up the walkway. “Mommy!”

“Hey baby.” I bent down and caught her when she jumped into my arms and she squeezed my neck. “You took forever.”

“Girl, I was at work.”

“You are always at work.”

I pulled back and looked at her. “And you're always asking for stuff that costs money, so it sounds like we both have problems.”

She giggled, and my mama came to the door. “She already ate a snack.”

“Good, because I’m taking her to get something to eat.”

Brittany’s eyes lit up. “Where?”

“I don’t know yet.” I laughed.