AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I keep stroking and kissing her head. “Stop saying that. You’re a wonderful mother. Don’t forget it. Life is messy. Relationships are messy. Love is messy.”
She nods her head into my chest as she starts to calm down. I lift her face and softly kiss her lips. “I’m here for you if you need me.”
“Thank you. I have to go.”
I walk her down and watch as she drives away. This will be our first night apart in three weeks. My heartfucking hurts.
By the time I shower,work out, and then shower again, Mom and Andie are home. Andie runs into the house and right past me without a word.
I clear my throat. “Hello, little lady.”
She turns back. “Sorry, Daddy. Hello.” She gives me a quick hug before she takes off for the studio. After a minute or two, she returns. “Where’s Amanda?”
“She had to go be with her daughter.”
Mom looks at me. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m not sure. Apparently her father got into it with her boyfriend.”
“Oh no.”
Andie looks up at me with worried eyes. “Is she coming back tonight? She said we could finish my latest painting.”
“I’m not sure, baby. Her daughter needs her mom right now.”
Andie’s lower lip starts trembling. She’s really come to rely on Amanda. I have mixed feelings on this.
I pick her up and kiss her cheek. “How about ice cream sundaes for dinner tonight? It isSunday, after all.”
Andie smiles and then scrunches her nose. “That was a terrible one, Daddy.”
“I guess you don’t want that for dinner. Karen left chicken and broccoli. We’ll have that instead.”
“No! Ice cream sundaes. Extra cherries.”
I tickle her and she giggles. “Okay, deal.”
We enjoy our sundaes, I give Andie a bath, and then she goes to bed.
Mom pours us two glasses of wine as we sit in the family room. “Have you heard from her?”
“No. She was really upset when she left. She blames herself for anything that goes remotely wrong in Jade’s life. Jade’s an adult. One that’s mature beyond her years. Amanda can’t do this to herself.”
“You really care about her, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Then explain why you’ve been faking this relationship the whole time.”
I look at her in shock. She knows.
“I’m not stupid, Beckett.”
“I know you’re not. I’m sorry. I was just sick of you being on my case all the time about dating. It’s hard for me, Mom.”
“I know you loved Jenny—”
“It’s not about Jenny. It’s about me. Dating isn’t simple for a man like me. No one ever wants the real Beckett. They want Beckett Windsor, the billionaire.”
