A Million Little Things (Mischief Bay, #3)

“Hey, sis. I found this kid wandering around. You want him?”

Jen smiled and took Jack from her brother. She washed his hands, then set him at his small table. After putting out his snack, she sat in one of the small chairs, as well, and motioned for Steven to do the same.

“Are you kidding?” he asked. “I’ll break it.”

“You’ll be fine. Or sit on the floor. The point being, we don’t leave him alone here to eat. He’s part of the family.”

Steven lowered himself to the kitchen floor and eyed the small pieces of cheese and cut-up apple. “That’s a good-looking snack you have there, Jack.”

The toddler offered a slice of apple. Steven took it. “Thank you, my man. Much appreciated.”

Lucas also called Jack “my man” but it was less annoying when her brother did it. She held in a sigh. She was really going to have to get over her dislike of Kirk’s partner. If only he didn’t date the same type of girl over and over again.

“Did you meet Caitlyn?” she asked.

“Yes. She seems sweet.”

Jen raised her eyebrows.

Steven grinned. “She told me she’d looked up the meaning of Easter and was ready to talk about it, if I wanted.”

“Did you?”

“I passed.” He glanced over his shoulder, then lowered his voice. “Mom brought Zoe’s dad.”

“I noticed.”

“I’m worried about him. He’s a player.”

“He’s nearly sixty.”

“Yeah, and Lucas isn’t all that far behind, agewise.”

Which pretty much confirmed what she and Zoe had been talking about. “Are you really concerned?”

“I am. Mom hasn’t dated anyone since she was like seventeen. There was only Dad. She has no idea what she’s getting into. What if she falls for him and he breaks her heart?”

“You’ll beat the crap out of him?”

Steven grimaced. “I’m serious.”

“So am I. Kirk will help. I think the pair of you could take him.”

“Is this you helping?”

“No, it’s not. Steven, Mom is a capable adult. Let her screw up before you start trying to run her life.”

“So you’re perfectly fine with her going out with Miguel?”

“I don’t know. I miss Dad. It’s weird to see her with another man, but that’s my problem, not hers. Look at this from her perspective. She’s always been a loving, supportive mother. Maybe it’s time we started acting a little bit more like her and accept what’s happening.”

“What is happening?” he asked.

“She’s moving on.”

*

Two days after Easter, Zoe dropped by her dad’s place. Mariposa met her at the front door. The little dog danced in circles as she barked and jumped to show her joy at the visit. Zoe dropped to her knees.

“Hey there, pretty girl. How are you?” She picked up the dog and cuddled her. Mariposa smelled of bubble gum. “Did you just get a bath? You smell nice.”

That compliment earned her a doggy kiss. Still holding the papillon, she walked through the kitchen and found her father making coffee.

“Hi, Dad.”

Her father got out two mugs. “Do you need money?”

“What? No. Why would you ask that? I haven’t come to you for money since I left college.”

“You texted me and said you wanted to talk. What was I supposed to think?”

“That I love you very much and wanted to see you?”

“Uh-huh. You saw me on Sunday, at Jen’s house.”

The family dinner had been interesting. Good food and fun company, but an odd mix of people. Plus there had been the distraction of watching her father with Pam. They weren’t overly affectionate but still, there was a definite undercurrent. Steven had been tense and that had put Zoe on edge. While she appreciated that he was worried about his mother, the reason for his concern was her father. Talk about awkward.

“The dinner was good,” she said as he poured them each coffee.

“It was.”

“Pam is nice.”

Her father shook his head without looking at her. “Don’t go there. It won’t end well.”

Zoe felt herself flush. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

He glanced at her. “You’re about to make a comment about me seeing Pam. I love you, Zoe. I would die for you, but you do not get to comment on who I’m seeing. Pam is a lovely woman. I like her very much. You’re not going to come between us.”

“I don’t want to.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Dad, I don’t. I agree. Pam is lovely, and you’re charming and I’m just...” She drew in a breath. “She hasn’t dated much. I don’t want you to hurt her.”

“And what if she hurts me?”

“That doesn’t seem very possible, but okay. I don’t want either of you to get hurt.”

“We’re adults,” he told her. “We’ll handle it. We don’t need your help.” He picked up a mug. “Zoe, for five years I watched you with Chad. Everything about the relationship was a disaster. You put your dreams on hold for him and at the end you were left with nothing. We could all see it, but you loved him so I kept quiet. I respected your choices, even if I didn’t agree with them. I’m asking you to extend me the same courtesy.”

His words shamed and embarrassed her. She ducked her head. “Okay. I won’t say anything.”

“Thank you. How much of this is Steven and how much of it is you?”

She looked at him. “What do you mean?”

“I know Pam’s your friend, but you’ve never cared about who I was dating. Is Steven behind these questions?”

“Um, maybe.”

He shook his head. “Maybe it’s time to start thinking for yourself, Zoe.”





Chapter Twelve

“We are burning rubber today,” Jen said cheerfully as she spotted a parking space by the dry cleaners. “Look at how many errands we got done and it’s not even lunchtime. Yay us.”

She came to a stop and glanced at Jack in the rearview mirror. He grinned at her.