I shrugged one shoulder. "Then it's past time for her to learn what the word 'no' sounds like." Then I frowned at him. "If she's never heard the word, how did you end up getting divorced?"
"I never told her no. I just told her that I wouldn't stay married to someone who constantly cheated on me. She chose to ignore me. So I filed for a divorce. And during that time, we only spoke through our lawyers. It's only been the past few months that she'll deign to call me."
"I don't get it," I said.
"What?"
"How is Jacks such a wonderful, well-adjusted child when one of her parents is like...well, Monica?"
Brody sighed and released me, putting a little distance between us. "I do everything I can to shield her from any tension between Monica and I. And I try not to say anything derogatory about her mom when she's around. Or ever. I don't want to get into the habit of badmouthing Monica because it would make it a lot easier to slip up in front of Jacks and say something I shouldn't."
I nodded. And yet again, here was proof that Brody was better at this whole adulting thing than I was. But I also saw his point and I was going to try to follow that. It wouldn't be good for me to say negative things about Jacks' mother either. I didn't want to put her in a position where she felt that she had to choose between the two of us.
"So what are we going to do?" I asked him. "Because I have a feeling I provoked her today."
"We'll have to wait and see. And I'm going to talk to her and let her know that I don't appreciate her approaching the woman I love and offering her money to leave me."
I had a feeling that would go over as well as my conversation with her had today.
"Whatever happens," he continued, reaching out and taking my hand. "We'll deal with it together, okay?"
I had to hand it to him. When he said that to me, I believed him completely.
Too bad he lied.
