Page 24 of Wicked Love

I’m worried about your dad. Can you come?

My mom is worried about my dad every other week, and that’s not to say that I’m not. My dad has been an alcoholic from as far back as I can remember. My mother hoped leaving Austria when I was a kid would magically cure him of it, but vodka is his first and only love, always will be.

I’m in Landmark Mountain right now. Is he in the hospital?

Mom

You know I can’t get him to go to the hospital.

That lets me know the situation isn’t too dire or she would’ve called an ambulance by now.

The McGregors went back to Silver Hills already and I’ve given them the day off, but I’ll see if Mrs. McGregor is able to watch Becca when we get home and come over.

It’s not easy taking Becca to my parents’ house. I don’t like her being around the dysfunction, and my parents aren’t exactly the loving grandparent types either. It’s not a great feeling when you know your parents would rather not be around your child. They’re not mean to Becca, they’re just uncomfortable, and because they’ve made so little effort to become more comfortable with her, I choose to not put her in that situation as much as I can help it.

“You okay?” Henley comes over and stands by me.

“Yeah.”

Rhodes is not far behind him, moving to my other side. “Fun having Poppy around, right?”

Rhodes has been pushing for me to pursue Poppy since the day I met her at Twinkle Tales. It’s my bad luck that he was there when we first met because the guy does not let a matter drop.

“Can’t say I love it,” I say.

“Why the hell not? She’s great,” Rhodes says.

Just then, Becca takes Poppy’s hands and they dance around the yard. My chest gets a weird pinch as I watch them.

“Don’t start, okay?” I mutter.

Poppy and Becca stop dancing and Poppy fans her face despite the chill in the air. She turns and her eyes meet mine, and the elation in her eyes dims.

“Holy shit.” Rhodes laughs. “What did you do?”

“You don’t want to know.” I sigh.

Penn and Weston walk over.

“Don’t want to know what?” Penn asks.

Fuck me.

When I feel all their eyes on me, I throw my hands up. “We’re not going there, okay? This is not a Single Dad Players meeting right now.”

“Sounds like it should be,” Rhodes says.

Henley’s the one my eyes can’t avoid. They all know me well, but Henley and Rhodes know me better than anyone.

“Next meeting, you’re talking,” Henley says, pointing at me.

CHAPTER EIGHT

BLINDED BY THE HAIR

POPPY

After having sex with Bowie Fox, it’s hard to just block that out. But a few days after my fun weekend—and it really was fun despite (and because of) Bowie—I’m getting better. I refuse to let his cold brush-off bring me down.

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