Page 19 of My Hotshot

“Do I want to know why you’re suddenly smiling?” Lottie asked.

I glanced at her. “Just thinking about how different our life is now.”

“Without Dad?” Lottie asked.

Lottie was smart.

Lee had treated her well, but then she saw how he treated me.

I felt bad for her that she had to wrestle between her dad being good, but then him treating me badly. I had tried to shield her from it, but I knew she still saw it.

“Do you miss him?” I asked.

She shrugged and looked out the window. “I miss him, but I don’t miss Stephanie at all. She was just… too much.”

Ha, that was an understatement. “Have you talked to him about visiting?”

She glanced at me. “I don’t want him coming here. Can I go there to visit him?”

“Why don’t you want him coming here?” That was surprising.

She wrinkled her nose. “Because this is home now for you and me. I don’t want him coming here and making… not good memories with you.”

I reached over and squeezed her hand. “You don’t have to do things because of me, honey. I will be fine if you want your dad to come here.”

“I don’t want him here. I’ll go there when I want to see him. Besides, for now, I’m good with just FaceTiming him. I’m busy with school and getting my learner’s permit.”

I groaned. “You have to mention that all the time, don’t you?” I laughed.

A big grin spread across her lips. “I can’t let you forget about it.”

I squeezed her hand again. “I want you to have a relationship with your dad, Lottie, and not worry about it affecting me.”

She leveled her gaze on me. “I love the man, Mom, but I don’t love how he treated you… ever.” She sighed. “So, that is why he’s not coming here, and I won’t change my mind about that. I’m old enough to tell him what I want, and that’s that.”

“Have I told you how much I love you lately?”

“This morning,” she laughed.

“Well, I love you.” Lottie was my whole heart, and that would never change.

“I love you, too, Mom.”

In half a mile, turn left.The GPS droned.

“Oh, we’re close!” Lottie exclaimed.

And just like that, I was thrust back into reality. Lottie was running off with her friends for the night, and I was picking paint colors and pigging out on Chinese food.

Boring to some people, but for me, it was going to be perfect.

Chapter Seven

Dice

“You’re not going anywhere. My nerves are shot from you four galivanting around the damn farmers market today.”

Poppy plopped herself on the couch with her bottom lip poked out like a kicked puppy. “We were pretty good at the market. You still have money left in your pocket.”

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