I love my son, but lately I want to throttle him. “Are you even listening to me? Put your damn phone down.”
He drops the phone in his lap with a huff. “So what, you want me to go back out with her out of pity?”
“Hell no.” The words punch the air. “I don’t want you going near her.”
His brow furrows. “Then why invite her over in the first place?”
“Because it might not have anything to do with you,” I bite out. “Because she’s my responsibility.”
“Your responsibility?” He laughs, humourless. “Since when?”
“Since there’s nobody else.” I rake a hand through my hair, the ache in my chest tightening. “If I don’t care about her, who the hell will?”
Mason leans back, eyes narrowing, testing me. “Well, you can relax, Dad. She’s seeing someone.”
The room goes still. Ember pauses mid-wipe of the counter, but I can’t move. The words ring loud in my head. I shouldn’t be bothered by them, but I am, bothered enough that I rub my temple at the onset of a migraine.
“She is?” I manage, though it comes out quieter than I mean.
“That’s what she told me,” Mason says, smirking. “Older guy, apparently.”
Older guy? My throat goes dry. I had no idea she was into older guys. Hope swells in my chest, then vanishes as quickly as it came. I’m her ex’s dad, the chief fireman, a respected man in this community. I couldn’t possibly go there, even if I wanted to. And fuck I want to.
I’m sick. All this time I’ve been inviting her over for Sunday dinners under the guise of looking out for her, but it’s all lies. Truth is, I like having the girl around. I like how young shemakes me feel, and I can’t say I don’t enjoy having a pretty woman to look at over dinner. Girl. She’s just a girl. Barely legal, I remind myself.Your son’s ex girl. Fuck.
“Good for her,” I say finally, forcing the words out through gritted teeth. “Long as he treats her right.”
And if he doesn’t, you’ll be there for a shoulder to cry on.I fucking hate myself. My stomach twists into knots at the thought of her with another man. Man, not a boy. Until I find out who this is, it’s gonna drive me fucking insane.
Mason looks up from his phone. “You putting the game on or what?”
My lips press into a thin line as I toss him the TV remote. “Thought you were having dinner at your mother’s?”
He catches the remote. “I did. She had an early lunch. There’s only so much of dorky Doug and my dweeby stepbrother I can stand.”
My lips curve into a smile. “Doug still try to fist bump you?”
“Like I’m twelve.”
Drake snorts. “At least he doesn’t call you champ.”
“He’s done that before,” Mason says, and Ember laughs.
I chuckle, the tension easing just enough to breathe again. “Guess some things never change.”
But as he turns on the game and the sound of cheering fills the room, I find myself staring out the window again, wondering when the hell I started wanting things I can’t have.
“Earth to Flint,” Ember says, her voice cutting through the TV noise. “You gonna stand there brooding all night, or are you cutting that pie?”
Drake chuckles from the doorway, Sienna balanced on his hip. “Don’t bother, Em. You know once he gets that look on his face, he’s thinking about the station or, could it be a woman this time?”
Mason smirks at the TV. “I’ll take the pie if no one else wants it.”
“You’ll get pie when you’ve earned it, kid.” I roll my eyes, stride out of the living room, and grab the serving knife, ignoring the grin on Ember’s face.
She laughs. “Oh, he’s definitely thinking about a woman.”
I clear my throat. “I’m thinking about dessert.”
