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“What the fuck’s with the creeper act?” he asked, though the question didn’t need answering. They were there to butt their noses into his business. With a huff, he tore the top off the yogurt, pulled out a chair, and plopped down next to the highchair.
“We wanted to talk to you,” Mickie said in a tone that had him feeling twitchy. No good ever came from that conversation opener. Hence why he’d been avoiding her for the past two days.
“I’m good, thanks,” he replied, scooping up a spoonful of yogurt. Kayla abandoned her fascination with the ladies in their family and gobbled down the first bite.
“Don’t be an ass,” Ronnie said, tactful as usual. “Hannah is the best thing to happen to you in, well, like ever, and you fucked it up. We’re here to find out how and help you come up with a plan to fix it.”
He straightened and gaped at them. “I fucked it up? Excuse me, but what the fuck? Why would you assume I fucked anything up?”
Kayla made a near-growling noise accompanied by an aggressive arm-waving, clearly not impressed with the pause in her meal. “Sorry, baby.” He held a full spoon up to her lips.
“Well, for one thing, you’re a man,” Ronnie said, holding up a finger. Her shitty smirk let him know she was enjoying his misery a little too much. “And two, you’re a Benson man. That really says it all for us.” Another finger joined the first, wiggling back and forth.
“Thanks,” he said in a droll tone. “I feel better already. You really rock at this pep talk shit.”
Ronnie flipped him off.
“Okay, okay, let’s settle down. This poor child’s first word is going to start with an f for sure.” Mickie pulled a chair away from the table and took a seat. Ronnie followed suit. “We really are here to help, JP. You’ve been miserable the past few days. None of us want that. We love you.”
He liked Ronnie’s no-holds-barred approach better. At least he didn’t feel like a dick for telling her off. When Mickie came at him with her sweet smile and talk of love, he looked like an ass for pushing her away. Guess he was stuck listening to them. That or listening to Kayla scream her face off if he cut her meal short and left the room.
“So what happened?” Mickie asked. She grabbed a napkin from a pile and wiped Kayla’s chin. “That’s better, messy girl.”
He sighed. Both women watched him, waiting for an answer. Hell, they could probably wait him out all day if necessary. “Fuck.” He gave Kayla another spoonful of yogurt then scrubbed a hand down his face. Lucky baby didn’t have a damn clue what was going on. “Hannah’s mom was in a car accident the other day. Nothing serious, but they are keeping her in the hospital because they’re worried she may have crashed on purpose with the intent of harming herself.”
“Oh, my God.” Mickie pressed a hand to her stomach.
Even Ronnie looked a little stunned at his admission. “Poor Hannah. She must be devastated. Well, that explains why she took off so fast, but it doesn’t explain why you’ve turned king of the sad sacks. Or why you didn’t go with her.”
They’d change their tune once they had more details about her mother’s behavior. “She’s not coming back.” He shrugged. Hopefully, they wouldn’t see behind his façade to truly how shredded he was. “I told her not to go. We fought about it. She left. It’s done. That’s that.”
“Whoa, whoa, wait up.” Mickie lifted a hand. “Let me make get this straight. You told her not to go see her mother, who is in the hospital, injured and potentially suffering from a mental health crisis?”
The censure in her voice made him feel two inches tall. “Um, yes?”
“Jesus Christ,” Ronnie said with a shake of her head. “You really are an idiot.”
“Hey! You two have no idea how horrible her parents were to her. To us. They told her she wasn’t welcome in their home until she walked away from all Bensons and was willing to help them fight to gain custody of Kayla. They’re toxic and completely dysfunctional.” He set down the yogurt despite Kayla’s protests. “I wasn’t trying to be a dick. I wanted to protect her from the pain I know they will inflict on her. They’ll blame her, and she’ll take it on. For fuck’s sake, I love her and can’t bear to think of her being treated that way.” He snatched up the yogurt and resumed feeding Kayla, who remained oblivious to the riled-up adults around her.
Ronnie gawked at him, wide-eyed.
“You love her?” Mickie asked in what could only be described as a mushy tone.
JP’s shoulders sagged. “I do.” God, how he missed her. Missed her laugh, her smile. The way she’d grab Kayla from him without him asking as though she sensed when he needed help. They were connected in a way he’d never experienced and hadn’t believed possible. Maybe that was part of the reason he’d felt so ill the past two days. He was suffering right alongside her, knowing full well her parents wouldn’t treat her kindly.
