Page 97 of Situationship
Teagan looked at Frank on the couch, a kid tucked under each arm as they watchedFrozen. The precious picture almost made the headache of having him here worth it. Almost.
“Can I help with the dishes?” she asked Harley.
“Nope. I’ve got it. Why don’t you go rest or drink a bottle of wine.”
Teagan laughed. “The whole bottle?”
“Three weeks under the same roof as Frank and I want to strangle him. You spent a decade with that guy—you deserve the whole bottle,” Harley said. “I’ll even take the early shift and make the kids breakfast so you can sleep off the hangover.”
“I might take you up on that,” Teagan said when her phone rang. “It’s Maddison.”
“I didn’t know the girl understood how to initiate a call.”
“I didn’t know if she’d ever talk to me again after I ratted her out for sneaking around with Truck Guy.” She swiped to answer. “Hey, Maddison.”
“My dad just got home, and he went straight to his office,” she said. “I’m kind of freaking out.”
Teagan could hear the panic and fear in Maddison’s voice. Though the girl had a knack for the dramatic, this sounded different. “Maybe he just had some work to finish up.”
“No, it’s daddy-daughter dinner night. We always cook together but when I asked him what we were making, he said he needed a rain check. He never asks for a rain check. Like ever.”
Teagan couldn’t imagine Colin missing a dinner date with his daughter unless it was unavoidable. “Have you tried talking to him?”
There was a long pause. “I don’t know what to say. Can you come over?”
Teagan was touched that Maddison had called her. After that disastrous night when Maddison had walked in on Teagan and Colin, she didn’t know if the girl would ever talk to her again. And that was before Teagan stopped Maddison from going out with Truck Guy.
She turned to Harley. “Could you watch the girls?”
“Done.”
“Why don’t you come over and hang with the girls,” Teagan said to Maddison. “They’re just watching a movie.” She was suddenly worried about Colin. He hadn’t returned any of her earlier texts either. “You know what, bring your pajamas and just plan on staying the night.”
Teagan kissed each of her girls good night.
“Where are you going?” Frank asked just as Maddison walked in the front door.
“I wasn’t sure if I should knock.” Maddison’s eyes were red-rimmed and puffy.
“It’s okay,” Teagan said, and the teen walked right into her arms for a hug. “You’re okay.”
Maddison sniffled and, while still holding on to Teagan as if she was her lifeline, said, “Promise you won’t leave him alone.”
Teagan pulled back and took her by the shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’ve got your dad.”
Maddison wiped her nose on the back of her hand. “I was wrong before. When I said he doesn’t have room for anyone else. I’m glad he has you.”
“He’s lucky he has a daughter like you.”
Over the teen’s head, Teagan met Harley’s questioning gaze. Teagan shrugged her shoulders and Harley waved her off. “Go, I’ve got this.”
Ignoring Frank’s thousand-and-one questions, Teagan grabbed her cell and headed next door. She didn’t bother to knock, but let herself in.
The minute she stepped inside, she knew something was wrong. Colin’s coat was on the entry table, his shoes kicked haphazardly by the door. The cats eyeballed her as if they had been denied their dinner.
“Colin,” she called out. “It’s me.”
When he didn’t answer, she followed the light, which led her to his office. And Colin. Hunched over his desk, frantically working at his computer. He was still in his scrubs, and his hair was a little crazy, as if he’d run his fingers through it over and over again.Helooked a bit crazed. And a whole lot sad.
