“If I’ve got it, it’s yours,” his friend answered.
“Remember a few weeks ago when you saw my dad out with some brunette chick? Can you find out who she is?”
There was a brief pause, and then DJ’s friend declared, “I already know. You’re part of my crew. Made it my biz to find out in case there’s any comeback. Got an address for you too.”
I looked at DJ and blinked.
His mouth tipped up. “Thanks, bro. Should’ve known you were on it. Can you WhatsApp me the deets?”
“On it,” Josh told him.
DJ smirked, his eyes meeting Donovan’s, and gave him a chin lift as if to say,I’ve got this. “Appreciate ya.”
I stared at my son, thinking,Who is this confident, capable man-boy?
Donovan caught my expression and grinned down at his designer sneakers.
My boy’s phone buzzed again with an incoming message. “Got it, Josh,” he relayed. “Thanks.”
“No probs, bud,” Josh responded. “You know where I am if you need more.”
DJ said his goodbyes and then messed with his phone until my cell chimed with a notification. “Sent it to you both. Forward it to Kennedy; it may help her pin some shit on Dad. If you need more, I can ask Josh to go on a little hunt; give Dad a taste of his own medicine.”
“DJ,” I murmured. “I love that you’re looking out for me, but I don’t want you involved in this. You’re not a child, but you’re not an adult either. I don’t want you in the middle.”
“God, Mom. We’re already in the middle,” Gabby retorted. “We don’t want to move in with Dad, so if there’s something we can do to help your case, we’re going to do it.”
I turned to my daughter. “We have people already working on it, honey.”
DJ rolled his eyes. “My old crew can help. They know what they’re doing. That woman is dad’s new piece. Send your guy to her address and he’ll get what you need.”
I turned to Donovan. “Can you believe this?”
He shrugged. “You raised ‘em this way. You can’t turn around and ask ‘em not to care about you, Ro. You’ve been a stand-up mom, and they know it. The kids have grown up with you at their backs and they’ve watched Atlas and the Demons look out for each other too. If you ask me, they’re not doin’anything wrong because if it was my ma in your position, I’d be doing exactly the same.”
I motioned for Donovan to take Imogen before grabbing my phone and forwarding the information to Kennedy with a short message to explain.
“Donovan gets it,” DJ muttered.
Moving over to the table, I bumped shoulders with DJ, who was heaping Chinese food onto his plate. “I just don’t want to be the reason you need therapy one day.”
“Ma. Get a grip. I’m good.” He carried his heaped plate of food over to the counter and slid onto a stool.
Donovan buried his face in Imogen’s cheek to hide his smile.
“Just eat your food before it gets cold,” I bit out, my gaze falling on Donovan. “And I don’t know whatyoufind so funny.”
His hand darted out and caught my wrist. “You being a helicopter mom is the most fucking adorable thing I’ve ever seen. Don’t worry, Rosie Posy; DJ’s got this.”
I rolled my eyes and muttered, “Oh, alright then.”
He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “Gabby’s got it too,” he added. “Right, Gabs?”
“Yeah, Mommy,” she sang, seemingly unaffected by her brother making moves to help her mom and her lover bring her dad to his knees. “I’m fine. I promise I won’t grow up to be some creepy axe murderer. Even though I’ve read enough crime books to know how to get away with murder, I’ll stick to library management.”
Donovan threw his head back and laughed, and my belly warmed.
His laugh was beautiful, and so was what it did to his face. He looked effervescent and alive. His straight, white teeth flashed in his tanned face, and his stunning, bright blue eyes danced.
