“Its dander better not be on her clothes. You know I’m allergic.”
“Oh, come on, Cheryl,” I grumbled, shaking my head. “Do you police your friends who have dogs, too?”
Her eyes became dangerous slits. “Say goodbye to your father, Sawyer. You’ll see him in two weeks.”
“Bye, Daddy!” Sawyer said, looking up at me with wide eyes that were a little sad and apologetic. She likely felt responsible for getting me into trouble with Cheryl, even though she wasn’t. Her mother would have found some other reason to be mad at me.
“Bye, munchkin,” I told her, crouching with my arms open. She ran into them and hugged me tightly. Pressing a kiss against her temple, I wished things could be different.
Better, somehow.
“I love you!” Sawyer said, kissing the apple of my cheek.
“I love you too. I’ll see you soon, okay?” I said, and she nodded. Sawyer took off running up the steps, disappearing through the front door of her mother’s house. Cheryl went to follow her in. “Cheryl, wait.”
She turned, placing her hand on her growing belly. She was about five months pregnant now and due sometime in September. “What?” she demanded.
“I was wondering what your plan is when the baby comes.”
“It’s none of your concern.” She folded her arms across her chest.
I sighed. I’d expected her to be standoffish about it, but it didn’t make it any less frustrating. “If you need help with Sawyer, I’m here. I can pick her up from school, take her to dance lessons, whatever you need. I’m only thirty minutes away now.”
“Mason’s mom is coming to stay with us. We’ll be fine,” Cheryl replied, tilting her chin up, her red hair catching in the setting sun.
“But I live one town over, and I don’t mind taking her more to help while you recover from the delivery.”
“I don’t need help with Sawyer,” Cheryl snapped. “I need you to back off.”
I brought my hands up to my face like I was praying, and covered my nose, my eyes never leaving her face. “All I want is more time with Sawyer, and I thought I could help you out in the process. I didn’t move here to intrude on your new perfect life with Mason, I just want to be closer to our daughter. Can you at least think about it?”
She shook her head back and forth like she wanted to tell me no again. I needed to walk away before we got into another argument. If I could keep my cool, I might be able to convince Cheryl to change her mind, but I knew if I lost my temper it would never happen.
As much as I hated it, I had to play by her rules—even if they sucked.
“Fine, I’ll think about it.” She relented, whirling around and stomping up to her door.
I walked away, my gaze focused on my truck, my heart pounding with adrenaline and frustration. I sat in the cab for a moment, my fingers gripping my key tight, and peered up at the house.
I could see movement in one of the upstairs rooms, a curtain moving away from the window and a small face peering out. I waved, smiling although it pained me, and she waved back.
Sawyer watched as I drove away for another eleven days.
8
Leave Him Wanting
Gwen
On Monday morning, Dad walked into the office with Alaric through the shop doors. I was sitting at my desk, working a quote for a client.
Hearing the sound of the heavy door clicking shut, I glanced up, blinking once to make sure I wasn’t daydreaming again. I drew in a composing breath as they approached.
Dad stopped before my desk, his fingers tapping against it distractedly. “I need you to photocopy Alaric’s welding tickets. He needs clearance to go on a job site.”
“You’re sending him out into the field?” I asked, surprised. It was only Alaric’s second week on the job. Usually, it took new employees months to earn Dad’s trust, if they ever did. They’d have to do shop bitch tasks—sweeping, cleaning up, painting, things like that—before he’d let them go to job sites.
“Yes, he’ll be with Mitch.”
