Page 39 of Detention with Daddies

Ruby chuckles. “I heard that too. I guess it’s entertaining enough?”

“No problem with DNFing a book, but if you’re entertained, stick with it.”

“Okay. I will.”

Olivia knocks her elbow against Ruby’s, and they share a small smile.

I slide my hand to Olivia’s back as I knock and lean in to talk in her ear. “You are far too good at this.”

Her grin has me grinning back as Marielle opens the door. My sister’s eyes are a bit wide before her face goes back to a positive neutral.

“Marielle, this is Olivia. Olivia, my sister, Marielle.”

Olivia proffers the box. “My brother made treats. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course not.” She graciously takes the dessert from Olivia. “It’s nice to have someone contribute.”

Marielle pins me with a playful glare. I’ve cooked plenty for her over the years. She’s just too Italian to let any of us in her kitchen for prolonged periods of time.

“Anyway, come in. Come in. Dinner is almost done. There are some snacks on the island to pick at.” My sister waves us in, and Olivia gestures for Ruby to go first, stepping in behind her.

I don’t let her get too far from my touch, and Marielle clocks the move. Her brow shooting up with an almost silentmm-hmm.

But when we step into the kitchen, I’m struck, like a wrecking ball to my chest, when I see my ex-wife leaning against the counter with a glass of white wine in her hand.

I’m stuck in place, only able to turn my gaze to my sister.What the fuck, Marielle?

Even Ruby takes a step back to be within my reach, her eyes hard and wide.

It’s an ambush. What kind of cruel trick is this?

Lisa sets down her glass on the counter, perfectly quaffed blonde hair, winged eyeliner, and pearl-pink lips a reminder of all the fakery in our marriage.

I suck in a shuddering breath, hot and cold at the same time as my hand convulses behind Olivia’s back before it drops.

My ex spreads her arms for Ruby. “Well, is this how you greet your mother?”

OLIVIA

I’m stuck in place as this drop-dead gorgeous woman announces herself as Ruby’s mom. Nick’s ex. What the fuck?

He could have at least warned me that she would be here. Right?

But when Nick’s hand drops from my back, and I get a peek at his face and then at Ruby’s, it’s obvious they were equally ambushed.

What exactly is going on here?

Marielle, Nick’s sister, has her back to us, stirring and prodding at what’s on the stove. Did she see the accusation in Nick’s eyes? Is she behind this because she likes his ex better than the thought of him moving on?

There are too many questions that I just have to shut down if I want to survive through dinner.

Ruby carefully and slowly steps into her mother’s embrace, but she doesn’t look happy about it.

What’s going on there? I want to snatch her back, keep her away from this woman who has doused this entire room with tension.

It doesn’t seem to phase this woman. I wish I’d asked what ended her and Nick’s relationship. Why Ruby doesn’t live with her. She doesn’t seem to get her on the weekends either. It seemed like too personal of an ask at the time.

Now, I feel stupid for not prying more, especially before coming to a family dinner.

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