Page 64 of Mother Pucker

“Oh, get over it. You know I am the way I am because I have deep-seated daddy issues.” She laughs, but it sounds hollow.

Rowan groans. “Yeah, no shortage of daddy issues here, either.”

He’s about to say something else when Zach comes back to take our orders.

As soon as we’ve all ordered–two cheeseburgers and a Caesar salad–Piper aims her frown at Rowan. “Did Dad text you before today’s game, too?”

Rowan’s nostrils flare. “Right before the first period. It’s partly why I played so shitty.”

Rowan mentioned his dad when he came to see me in the medical room. And from what he told me a while ago about how his dad left them all for someone a lot younger, it seems there’s a lot of harbored resentment there.

“Why won’t you just cut him off, Row?” she asks, sitting back in her seat with her arms folded over her chest. “That’s what I did, and I’m happier for it.”

Rowan tilts his head. “Are you?”

“I’m happier than when he was in my life and I was just the butt of his jokes. I know you have this inherent need to be there for him, but Dad hasn’t ever done the same for you. For either of us. He’s not going to change, and you know that. So, why hold on to hope for a real relationship with him?”

Rowan seems to be pondering her question when our food arrives. He slides his burger and fries toward me, looking from me to the burger in a silent question to see if I want a bite.

I smile, swiping my bottom lip with my tongue. Any drool that might have slipped out has nothing to do with the delicious smelling burger in front of me and everything to do with the delicious, incredibly sweet man sitting next to me.

I ask the others if they want to cleanse their hands with the natural and homemade hand sanitizer I always carry in mypurse, and I feel better when they both agree. Then, lifting the burger to my mouth, I take a big bite.

It’s so fucking good, I almost break out in a dance. Rowan throws back his head in laughter, watching my eyes roll back in my head. I’m reaching for my napkin to wipe the corner of my mouth when his fingers pinch my chin and his lips drop over mine.

“You guys need me to go?” Piper asks, finishing up a bite of her burger. “I can go back to the bathroom, in case you need a minute to hump inside this booth.”

I giggle, saying, “No, we’re good,” while Rowan retorts with, “That’d be nice.”

I elbow him, still laughing, when he turns back to Piper. Some of his good mood seems slightly diminished. “If I do decide to cut Dad off, I’m going to look him in the face and do it.”

Piper sighs in defeat. “Just don’t be surprised if he turns it all around on you to make you feel like you’re the one who owes him something. Dad’s a master at playing the victim card.”

We’re almost done eating when Dylan responds to the text I sent her, asking how Kai was doing. I saw him on FaceTime earlier when he and Winnie were playing baseball outside with Cortney. Neither Kai nor Winnie wore enough layers for my comfort, but they seemed to be having fun, so I bit my tongue. I also resisted in asking Kai which shoes he was wearing, which I thought was a small personal victory.

Dylan

All good, but Cortney says he’s going to have to work with Kai on his swing.

My brows pucker, and I’m just about to type in a response when a picture comes through of our house–one of our windows clearly shattered with a baseball-sized hole in it.

I gasp, showing Rowan the picture. His face transforms from a wince to a laugh, his shoulders shaking. “Hey, it’s not a fun day unless a window gets broken.”

I shake my head. “We just had the windows replaced, too.”

Rowan rubs my back, knowing I’m tense. “He’s a kid. These things happen.”

His phone buzzes on the table right as I’m sending my response to Dylan, a frown replacing his grin.

“What?” Piper and I ask at the same time.

“The team wants me to meet them at a bar nearby to celebrate our win.” He starts typing out a message. “I’m telling them I won’t be there.”

“What? Why?” I ask, placing a hand on his forearm, loving the way his tattoos peek out from under his long sleeve.

He turns to me, his eyes dropping to my lips. “Because I’m going back to the hotel to enjoy my dessert.”

“Gross,” Piper grunts.

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