Page 28 of Wicked & Wildflower

Before I can protest, get on my knees and beg her to let me in, she’s turning the corner and making her way down the boardwalk.

I watch her go until she’s out of sight.

13

Wildflower

Lemon Bars & Emotional Scars

“Do you want alemon bar?”

Leo’s lawyer, Malcolm, eyes my outstretched arms and the plate of dessert carefully as he slowly plucks a piece off it and takes a bite.

I’ve been stress-baking again. Lemons, this time. Lemon cake. Lemon poppyseed muffins. Cinnamon rolls with lemon frosting. Now, I’m onto classic lemon bars. I hope this is the end of my lemon phase, and that after today’s meeting, it’ll be the end of my current stress-baking phase too.

I smile at Malcolm as his face lights up with the first taste of the dessert. “Damn. This is good.”

“That’s what I’m saying.” Leo pats his stomach beside me. “I’m supposed to be on a strict diet for competition season, but shit.”

Darby rolls her eyes. “I think you’re fine.”

After coming home on Sunday, I hardly kept it together while Lou caught up with her aunt and got to know her new uncle. Iwas so sure I’d make it home and instantly break down after that call from Jason, but seeing my daughter’s face light up gave me the strength I needed to push through.

Knowing me better than anyone on earth, though, Darby could see the darkness in my eyes, and the moment Lou went to bed, I broke down in her arms. Like I have so many times over the years, like she has with me, too.

I didn’t tell Lou’s father that I was moving out of state. I didn’t have any obligation, either. He gave up his rights to her years ago in exchange for forgiveness on all back child support he owed me. I haven’t seen him since that day in court. He never called on her birthday, or any holiday, never attended any of her school functions or sports games.

It’s exactly how I was able to go nearly two months living here before he even realized we were gone.

He only realized because my father called him. My father. The person who has abhorrently loathed my daughter’s dad since the day he met him, even more so after he found out I was pregnant. My father went to great lengths over the last decade to keep Jason away from me—not that he really needed to. Jason didn’t want much to do with me, anyway.

Regardless, to learn my dad was the one now bringing him back into the picture, encouraging him to pressure me to move back to Kansas so he can have a place in our child’s life… That gut-deep betrayal sliced through me in ways I hadn’t known were possible.

The claim that my dad would agree my child is better off with her criminally negligent father than she would be with me was like stabbing a searing blade right through my soul.

I was supposed to start my new job on Monday, but Leo insisted I take another week. The anxiety of Jason’s call was eating me alive, along with my father’s secrets I’m harboring, causing him to act this way. I knew there was no way I couldfocus on all of this and learn the ropes at the Small Business Initiative too, but I hate being that person— the one with the excuses who can’t do the job. The one who needs to rely on nepotism from the men in their life to get by.

Leo insisted that the rest of the staff would be fine, though. I insisted I not take more than one additional week from work before I started.

Leo also called his lawyer over to help me sort out the best path forward for dealing with Jason. I can see why Darby loves him so much, why I knew—even without meeting him—that he’d come to rescue her, and that he was a man good enough for my sister.

He’s selfless, protective, and kind. He cares deeply about those in his life, and a part of me knows that he’s going to such lengths for me—letting me live in his house, giving me a job, helping me handle my baby daddy issues—because he wants to see my sister happy, and she wants to see me happy. But I know there is at least a part of him that cares about me too.

“Now, I can only give you my input as a friend. I can’t offer real legal counsel here, as I don’t specialize in family law. Eventually, you may need to get your own lawyer if things escalate. I’d be happy to get you a list of recommendations, though.”

I nod. “Thank you.”

“So, if I’m understanding correctly, your daughter’s father has demanded you move back to Kansas so he can take an active role in his daughter’s life?”

“Yes.”

“But he doesn’t currently hold parental rights?”

I shake my head. “He never paid his child support, not once. A few years ago, we went to court over it. I agreed that if he signed away his rights, I would forgive what he owed.” I swallow. “He’s always been like this, showing up at random and pretending to be World’s Best Dad and then disappearing for years at a time.The last time it happened was my daughter’s seventh birthday. He showed up after almost a year of being M.I.A. He was drunk and couldn’t even remember what age she was turning.” I shudder as I remember the embarrassment of that day, the hurt on Lou’s face. It was the first birthday party she’d ever had with friends from school, and the scene that her father caused had been the talk of the town the following week.

She wouldn’t tell me if anything happened at school afterward, what kids had said, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that I never saw any of those friends again.

She has been doing well in Pacific Shores thus far. She told me the kids at school have been welcoming. Her teacher is nice, and I think it helps that Monica is a volunteer librarian there. She’s friends with Lou’s teacher and checks in with Lou throughout the week.

---