I don’t have to be nice to this asshole. We have a signed court order that basically equates to a “go fuck yourself” card.
He glares at me. “I want to see Lucas.”
I actually laugh in his face as I stand there with one hand on the door and one on the door frame, blocking his view inside the house behind me. “You haven’t tried to so much as call him in several months, after throwing him out, and you show up on my fucking doorstep wanting toseehim? I don’t think so.”
“Yourdoorstep?” Bill asks.
I didn’t realize I had company behind me until I hear Zoey’s voice by my left ear. “Get out of here, Bill.”
“What doyouwant?” That’s Lucas, and he’s behind me on my other side. When I look, I see that Caine’s right behind him. I glance back to see Arlo’s corralled Katie and is carrying her down the hall.
Good, because I don’t want her to hear any of this, and I expect it’s going to get loud and…sweary.
I move my arm so Lucas can ease into the space next to me, but like hell am I letting him go out there.
Bill sees him standing there, and the blatantly fake smile the man suddenly dons makes me laugh again.
“Hey, buddy,” Bill says. “I wanted to stop by and see if I could take you out to dinner or something.”
Lucas studies him. “She left you, didn’t she?” he finally says.
When Bill rubs the back of his neck and starts to stammer, I realize my son absolutely has this asshole’s number.
“Look, can we talk?Alone?” Bill asks with glares shot at me and Zoey.
Lucas snorts. “Nope. I don’t have anything to say to you. And we were just sitting down to dinner before you interrupted us.”
I guess Bill wasn’t expecting this kind of reaction. He’s practically whining. “Come on, Lucas. I’m sorry. I just wasn’t expecting it. Kids go through phases, right? You’ll probably grow out of it and like girls once you’re able to drive.” He offers Lucas a smile. “I’ll teach you how to drive. Won’t that be fun?”
Lucas’ expression doesn’t change. His hand dips into his pocket, he withdraws his keys, and he hits the door lock button on his fob to make the Toyota’s horn chirp and the lights flash. “Ihavea car,Bill. I’m good, thanks. Anything else?” He drapes his arm around Caine’s shoulders and is looking right at his father when he kisses Caine.
Behind me, Zoey laughs.
We’re just back-up, at this point. Lucas has this well in hand.
Bill nervously swallows. “I’m sorry, Lucas. Why don’t you start coming over to my place on the weekends, huh? Just you and me.”
“Yeah,nooo. Hard pass. I’m good. We done here? Our dinner is getting cold.”
“Can I at least get your cell number? You blocked me on Facebook and won’t answer my e-mails. I’m your dad, and—”
“There’s areasonI won’t answer your e-mails, asshole!” Lucas screams, startling me. “Because you’renotmy dad! Arlo and Nolan are my dads. You can go screw yourself! You threw me out and told me I was a pervert and a freak. I’m not good enough for you unless you’re alone and need someone to show off to. Screw you. You made your choice, and it wasn’t me.”
He angrily turns and heads back inside, Caine right behind him.
Zoey steps in beside me and drops her voice. “You’re going to die alone and miserable,” she tells Bill. “Unless you get your head out of your fucking ass and get some help. There’s a common denominator to all your relationship troubles, and that’syou. Oh, by the way? I showed Lucas the pictures and statement from when you hit me. He knows the truth. Also, when we moved his stuff out, he showed Mary pictures he took of some woman’s car parked in your driveway, and you getting a blowjob from her. Get your shit together, asshole. You’re forty-nine years old.”
She tugs on my arm to prompt me to close the door, making me sigh. “I’mnevergoing to get to punch this motherfucker, am I?” I sadly ask as I close the door in his face and lock it.
“No,” Zoey tells me. Then she rises up onto her toes to kiss me. “Let’s eat.”
“Just a minute. Go on. I’ll be right there.” I watch through the viewfinder until Bill finally leaves. “All clear,” I call out as I follow them back to the table.
Arlo and Katie reappear in the dining room. “Well?” Arlo asks.
“He’s gone,” I say.
“Who was he?” Katie asks.
