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Maybe I can do the same with Molly and tell Jessa to only call on emergencies or to set up visitation.
“Hello?” I answer.
“I don’t want that whore around my daughter,” is the first thing she says.
Jesus.I scrub my hand over my face.
Jessa’s bullshit isn’t what I want to deal with today.
“First things first. Don’t you refer to Sierra like that again, do you hear me? Don’t you mutter a bad word about her to me, or we’ll have serious issues,” I snap.
She scoffs, “She’s married, for God’s sake. What does that teach our daughter?”
My stomach drops. I hate being reminded that Sierra married someone other than me. “The divorce papers have been signed by both her and Devin,” I bite out, shaking my head. “Not that I need to explain shit to you about my relationship, so unless you called about Molly, it’s time for us to hang up.”
“Uh, yes, you do need to explain and ask my approval if you want to see your daughter.”
I clench my fingers around my phone. “Take me to court, Jessa. I fucking dare you.”
I don’t tell her, but my attorney is already drafting a document. I want Molly’s last name changed to mine, three days a week of visitation, and a set child-support payment. But if Jessa wants to play games with me, I don’t mind asking for more.
I hang up and shop for an iPod online.
* * *
“Hey, man.”
I turn to find Dallas Barnes hopping onto a stool at the bar. “Hey. What can I get you?”
It sucks Dallas doesn’t frequent the pub as often as he used to, but it’s for a good reason. He went through a rough patch after his wife died from breast cancer. Not only was he going through hell, but he also had to take care of his daughter.
So, on the days his daughter, Maven, was with her grandmother, Dallas would come here to drown his sorrows. Sometimes, we talked. Sometimes, we gave each other a head nod, and I gave him his space. He’s a good man who found love again. We were all surprised as hell when Willow came into town, pregnant with his baby after a one-night stand. She was a town outsider but helped replace Dallas’s pain with happiness.
He smiles. “Whiskey, neat.”
I make his drink and set it in front of him. “How’s the family? Kiddos?”
“Good.” A shit-eating grin spreads along his lips as he thrums his fingers against the glass. “Speaking of kids …”
Ah shit, here it comes.
“Word has hit town, I take it?”
He nods. “Word has definitely hit town, thanks to your baby mama. She did thingswaydifferent than Willow.” He shakes his head. “Sierra told Lauren your little one is around Maven’s age and starting school here. Maybe Maven can put her at ease, having a friend there.” He takes a drink and laughs into his glass before pulling it back. “Want to schedule a playdate?”
I chuckle. “Look at us, scheduling fucking playdates.”
“Playdates are the easy part. You wait until you’re singing along with Disney songs and having tea with stuffed bunnies and—I shit you not—holding straight conversations with them. Winnie-the-Pooh loves extra honey with his tea, and her American Girl doll prefers coffee with extra cream.” He takes a drink. “And be careful about the people you have her around. My pain in the ass sister is the one who introduced her to coffee.”
“Lauren does love to stir up trouble.”
“That she does. I told her to wait until her little one grew older. I’ll be getting her right back.”
I pour him another drink and hand it to him, lowering my voice. “How’d you do it? Raise a daughter by yourself?”
Technically, I have Jessa but don’t consider her a part of my team until she cooperates with co-parenting and keeps her opinions to herself. I understand her concern, but it’s not like Sierra’s a bad person, nor did Jessa have an issue with her being around Molly until she found out I was dating her.
Dallas raises his glass and his brow at the same time. “You’re not raising her on your own. You have Sierra.”
