Page 100 of From Nowhere

I plaster on my usual fake smile. “I did.”

“Good,” she says, and when her gaze meets mine, she pays me something resembling a sincere smile and murmurs, “Thank you.”

I know those two words must taste bitter on her lips.

“I appreciate it, Oz.” Amos does a better job of actually being sincere.

“No problem.” I lead them into the house.

“What did you do all weekend?” Tia asks, hanging her rain jacket on the coat-tree.

“Aside from fixing your car, planting your seedlings, painting Lola’s room, and installing her LED lights?” I lean my hip against the banister and cross my arms.

Tia’s lips part into an O. I smirk, stopping short of gloating. Hopefully, that’s enough for her to chew on, and she won’t need to ask if I did anything else.

“Is Lola home?” She heads toward the bedroom where Amos took the suitcase.

“She’s downstairs,” I say.

“Did everything go okay at your mom’s house?” Tia asks, stopping at her bedroom door.

“Yes. She had a great time. And my mom and Ruth loved having her there.”

Tia nods slowly. “That’s good.”

“It is.”

“Dad? How do I make the lights change color?” Lola calls.

I jog down the stairs and throw her over my shoulder.

“Dad!” She giggles and squeals.

It’s beenthe bestweekend.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Maren

Monday morning, Ozzy calls on my way home from the gym. “Hey!” I can’t hide my enthusiasm.

“Good morning. I was going to text you, but seeing how my daughter manages to get into my phone, I thought a call would be better.”

“What were you going to text me that you don’t want Lola to see?”

He chuckles. “Nothing too inappropriate.”

“A shame,” I say.

Again, he laughs. “I wanted to say good morning but decided I needed to hear your voice too.”

“Mm, good morning. Are you not working?”

“I just got to work, and I’m finishing my coffee before clocking in.”

“Did Lola have a good time with your mom? And did she love her purple room?”

“Yes. And yes.”

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