AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey, how’s the hand?” Calli asked as she stepped into the kitchen.
I shrugged. “It’s not too bad, honestly.”
“That’s good. I was gonna get some ice out for you, but the tray was empty,” Calli noted with a frown before moving to the sink and filling a glass of water.
“Huh, wonder where the ice went,” Hawk said with a grin as he stepped back, my ‘you aren’t funny’ glare obviously amusing him. “I better fill that up.”
“Mm-hmm,” I agreed, trying to keep my cheeks from overheating. “You better do that.”
MISSY
“Can you call me before she goes to bed?”
Jared rolled his eyes, tossing Kadey’s overnight bag into the back of his car and slamming the door shut. “Sure, because you can’t go more than a couple of days without talking to her. I go weeks, Missy. You get that, right?”
“I’m just saying,” I protested, a little stronger than I usually would. “And she’s with me almost every night, so yeah, it’s hard when she’s not there.”
“Yeah, I bet your new boyfriend is really into family time, huh? I know whatguys like himare like,” he roared, slamming his palm against the side of the car and waking Kadey, who had been sleeping in her booster sleep. His face quickly changed when he realized she was watching him, a wide grin growing. He pulled the door open, unclipping her belt and holding his hands out. “Hey, beautiful girl. Ready to come to Daddy’s for the weekend?”
She looked at me for a second before holding her hands out for him to pick her up.
“I’ll see you in a few days, okay?” I told her, leaning in and kissing her on the cheek. She was still sleepy, her eyes drifting between Jared and me, like she wasn’t quite sure what was happening, although we’d been talking about it all morning. “I love you.”
“Love you, Mommy,” she murmured, releasing a huge yawn as Jared put her into her booster in his car and closed the door.
He reached for the driver’s door, pulling it open but pausing for a second. “Have fun with your criminal boyfriend.” He ducked in and slammed the door shut.
That was him.
Get the last word in and run before anyone can say anything else.
That was how he felt good about himself.
I watched him pull out of the parking lot, waiting until he was gone from sight before leaning back against my car and releasing the breath I’d been holding.
Sometimes I wish I could tell him togo to hellwhere he belonged.
These weekends made me so anxious, knowing Kadey was with him, and while I trusted him to look after her and give her everything she needed—he just didn’t know her like I did. He didn’t naturally pick up on her emotions, and there were times when he had all his friends around, and she’d be too shy to ask him for things.
He had a right to spend time with her.
And Jared was a good dad.
I just wished he was a great one.
***
I’d decided to take a shift that night, knowing it would at least keep my mind occupied.
When I walked in, Hawk and some of his brothers were sitting at one of the larger tables with another man I’d met last week—the accountant who would be keeping a close eye on all the spending.
I was well early, so I grabbed a glass and poured myself a soda before taking a seat at the bar. I was happy to simply chill out for the next hour or so before things got crazy.
There was a big NBA game on, and we were expecting our biggest crowd yet.
It was exciting to be part of something, watch this place grow, and learn and grow with it. Bishop had already organized someone to come in and help us understand how to make cocktails and really work on our skills.
It was a far cry from being a girl shaking her ass and handing out watered-down liquor.
