Page 71 of Play Dirty

“But she’s…” She cuts off when Bradley starts to cry and reaches for him. “Come to Mommy, baby.”

To my surprise and amusement, he shakes his head and buries it in Marty’s shoulder.

“What have you done?” she hisses under her breath.

I put Emma down and she runs to her mom, wrapping sticky fingers around her legs.

“Hi, baby.” Brenna reaches down to lift her and then wrinkles her nose. “What’s on your hands?”

“Syrup!” Emma says happily.

“Gross. Let’s wash your hands sinceDaddyobviously didn’t do it.”

He didn’t do it because Emma dawdled at breakfast, so we let her take the rest of her waffle in the car with her and she ate it with her hands.

“We’re going to the water park,” Martin says, oblivious to the tension in the room. “Do you want to come, Mommy?”

“Uh, no…” She looks horrified. “Philippe and I are going to brunch at the St. Regis.”

Martin’s face falls. “But I want you to come.”

“Remember, I wasn’t supposed to be here for another five days, so this is just bonus Mommy time. Then you’ll go back to Tennessee with me and we’ll be together every day.”

“What about Daddy?” Emma asks.

“Well, you know that Daddy lives here. You’re going to live with me and Philippe in Nashville.”

“I don’t want to live in N’ville,” Emma mumbles.

Yikes.

“You’ll get used to it,” Brenna continues easily, drying her daughter’s hands now that she’s washed them. “Now let me get some cuddles from my littlest one and then I have to go.”

Martin bursts into tears so then Emma gets teary-eyed.

And Bradley wants nothing to do with his mother.

I don’t know what this is about—Marty has never mentioned issues with the baby—but Bradley is definitely not interested in letting his mother hold him. When she tries to forcibly take him from Marty, he lets out a piercing scream and claws at his father’s shirt.

“Stop, Brenna.” Marty’s voice is low but dead serious. “He’s a year old. You can’t force it.”

“Dammit, Marty, he’s my baby!”

“Yes, and the kids are going through changes because of the divorce. You can’t force the issue just because you decide to breeze in unannounced.”

Her lips pull into a tight line. “Just because you’re screwing some model doesn’t mean you?—”

“Shut your mouth.” Again, his voice is so low the kids may not even register what he’s saying, but I hear him. And so does Brenna.

Her mouth falls open and he leans closer to her. “This is legally my time with them. I’m trying to be gracious but you’re not supposed to be here, and I’ll be damned if you talk crap about the woman in my life. Now take your stuff and go to brunch. Don’t make me get the attorneys involved.” He says it in a somber tone that brooks no argument. In fact, it’s kind of hot, the way he’s standing up to her.

“Why are you being this way?” she demands, her voice shrill and angry.

“Mommy?” Emma has tears streaming down her little face. “Daddy?”

“Stevie, would you take the kids upstairs and get their bathing suits on?” Marty asks quietly.

“Sure.” I quickly take their hands and usher them out of the room.

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