Page 92 of Love Is Ale You Need

As he passes me, he leans over and places a quick kiss on my lips. “I’ll be back for more of those.” Abby yanks on his arm and he jerks away. Both of them are absolutely adorable.

While Abby is busy showing him anything and everything, I prepare dinner. When it’s finished, I stroll to Abby’s room. Trey’s on the floor next to Abby looking like they’re besties for life. I’m sure the matching tattoos will come next. The floor is a chaotic mess of papers and markers scattered haphazardly. “Dinner’s ready. Then you’ll need to clean this up before your dad picks you up.”

Abby climbs to her feet. She trudges past me, a full blown pout covering her face. I run my hand over the top of her head, brushing away her chestnut brown hair.

At the table, I sit at the end while Abby and Trey sit on either side of me. I scoop a spoon full of peas and dump it on her plate. With her head resting in her hand, she shoves a pea around her plate.

“Abby. Eat your dinner.” She stabs at a piece of chicken but doesn’t eat it. I drop my fork onto my plate. “What’s wrong?”

Her bottom lip juts out. “I want to stay here.”

“You don’t want to stay with your dad tonight?”

“No,” she pouts. Her gaze is fixed on a pea on her plate.

“Abby, look at me.” She lifts her head. Her normally bright hazel eyes appear colorless. “Why not? He’s renting the new princess movie for you tonight.”

“I don’t want to watch it.”

“Abby. You’ve been talking about that movie for weeks. Why don’t you want to watch it now?” The pea flies off her plate and rolls across the table. I reach over, resting my hand on hers. “Why don’t you want to go?”

She drops her fork on her plate. The clatter echoes through the apartment. “I want to stay here with you and Squirrel. I don’t want to go to Dad’s. It’s not fun. He doesn’t play with me. He’s always busy.”

“He wants to spend time with you,” I reassure her.

“I don’t want to go.” She pushes away from the table and runs across the kitchen to her room.

I turn to Trey. “I’m sorry. She’s never done this before. I’ll be right back.” I walk to Abby’s room to find her face down on the bed, her face buried in a pillow. The bed dips as I sit on the edge. “Abby. What’s wrong?” I run my hand over her shoulder blades.

She mumbles into her pillow.

“Sit up.”

She rolls over. Her cheeks are red and tear stained. “I don’t want to go. Dad always works when I’m with him and it’s boring. I hate it there. I want to stay here with you and Squirrel. You two always play with me.” Her big hazel eyes meet mine. “Do I have to go?”

My heart breaks. If she’s this distraught about going, I won’t force her. I brush a thumb over her cheek, wiping away the tears. “No. You don’t have to go. But can you finish your dinner?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Then can you clean your room?”

She sniffles and nods her head.

I wrap her small body in my arms. “I love you forever.”

“I love you always,” she mumbles into my shirt.

When I return to the kitchen, Trey’s filling the sink with soapy water and scooping leftovers into containers. I lean my butt against the counter next to him. “Sorry. Our alone night for two just turned into three.”

He snaps the lid closed on a container. “You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about. I love spending time with both my girls.”

My lips pull into a small smile. Even in moments like this, he knows the perfect thing to say. “I guess she’s still upset that Kyle spends his time working when he’s supposed to be spending it with her. I can’t blame her. That’s shitty of him to do. I can’t force her to go if she doesn’t want to, right?”

“It’s the right call on not forcing her.” Trey dries his hands on a towel before wrapping me in a hug.

I bury my face into his chest, needing all the comfort I can get. “Parenting is never easy.”

“Abby is lucky to have you as her mom.” He presses his lips to my forehead.

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