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I haven’t gotten to talk to Scout. She’s avoiding my calls. I’m going to head out there as soon as I get done with this meeting and get the information I need. I look up as I hear my name yelled. I’m sitting right where she can see me. Why the fuck is she yelling? I stand up because that’s what my dad taught me, but I’m not prepared for her to plaster herself against my body and lean up for a kiss. I avoid it and carefully push her back.
I’m pretty sure this is going to come back to bite me in the ass later on.
“Let’s sit, Monica.” I direct her to the chair across from mine, and she continues to stand there. I take a seat. I’m not here for a date, so I don’t want to pull out her chair. She huffs and finally pulls it out herself. She’s dressed in jeans so tight I wonder if she was poured into them. Her top is strapless and barely covers her fake boobs. I heard that when she was arguing with Scout. There was a comment about her lips being fake too.
I don’t want her to think I’m thinking of her lips, so I don’t look at them.
“I’m so glad you called and wanted to get together. I think you and I are ready to finally settle down,” she says, and I look at her with an eyebrow raised.
“Are you on drugs?” I can’t stop the question. “I want to know what you and my mother did to Scout?”
She scoffs. “Are you kidding me? Why is it always about that bitch? Don’t you know she cheated on you? Slept with some North Pole guy.”
My head tips to the side and I’m about to ask her what she’s talking about because that’s different than anything I’ve heard so far, but the server walks up. Monica makes a big show of grabbing my hand and trying to take it, but I pull it back.
“Coffee and that’s all,” I tell the girl. I’m not eating with Monica. My stomach is rolling from the possibility I fell for lies and missed out on my daughter’s life because of this bitch. I’m fairly certain Skyler is mine. Her eyes are just like mine; I know it like I know that Ryder is mine. No doubt about it.
“I’d like a diet coke, and can I also have the house salad, no dressing.” Monica hands the menu to the waitress. I hand mine over and wait for her to start again, but she just sits there.
“Monica, what happened to the story about Scout cheating with an Army guy from the post?” I watch her for stress queues and other signs she’s lying. When her eyes flick up to the side, I got her.
“She cheated with several men. Why do you care?”
“Do you know who Skyler’s father is?”
Her eyes flick again.
“Why do you care? Who’s Skyler?” Again, the eyes flick. She doesn’t lie very well. I watch as she squirms in her seat, and I’m done. I lean over and she’s about to reach for me. She looks around to see who’s watching. “Do you have a call, my love?” she asks me in a sugary sweet voice.
“If I find out you’re lying to me, I’ll bury you. I’m not interested in you. Not now and haven’t been since I was a stupid teenager.” I walk away as she sputters and calls my name. I stop at the counter and pay for my coffee and her salad and drink, acting like I didn’t just make a huge scene.
When I pull into the parking lot of Violet’s café, I notice it’s already closed for the day. I see the fence around the automotive business and clubhouse. I move toward the fence that is currently open because the business is open. I move to the first bay and see River walking across the back. She’s in a white cover that has paint flecks all over it. She was an artist in school, and I see she’s continued that to becoming an automotive paint technician.
“River,” I say her name, and she turns to look at me. I watch as her eyes flick to the office area and then back to me.
“Hey, Thad.” She acts like there is nothing going on.
“I need to speak to Scout.”
“She’s not here.” She didn’t have to think about it.
“Where is she? At her mom’s, or does she have a place?” I watch as a woman about the same height as River walks up. She has deep brown almost black hair with full lips and a curvy figure you can see under her coveralls. I can tell she’s a mechanic too because she has oil and grease on them.
“Jinx already told you Riddler isn’t here. Now leave.” I’m not in my uniform, so the new girl has no idea who I am. I pull out my badge and flip it open so she can see it. “So.” Her eyebrows drop, and she chuckles. “That isn’t going to give you the information you don’t need. What do you want?”
The girl has fire and she’s squaring off with me, but River steps around her and pushes her back.
“Rivet, this is Thaddeus,” River says, as if that explains everything. Rivet’s eyes get big and she looks me up and down. “Thad, she really isn’t here. Her mom took her to an appointment.”
“I have a message for her.” I don’t want to play this game with her, but I will if she doesn’t speak to me soon. “Tell her to call me. If I haven’t heard from her by next week, I’ll be seeking a lawyer.” I don’t say anything else and leave. I can feel others watching me, and it’s not until I get into my truck that I see the women standing on the porch of the clubhouse. My sister starts to move toward me. I roll down my window and she runs over.
“Thad, what are you doing?”
I know I spoke loud enough with the threat about an attorney for her to hear.
“I’m doing what I need to. I need to find out if Skyler is my daughter.” She steps back from the side of the truck and drops her eyes. “You know what I’m talking about. Has she told you?”
“Thad.” She shakes her head and looks up at me. She is torn between her family of choice and her family of birth. I watch as she takes a deep breath slowly in and out. “I don’t know about that. I honestly don’t know. But Riddler is really at an appointment with her mom.”
