On the way, she didn’t really look at anyone, and I figured that was because, from what I could make out, she wasn’t all that popular. Wynter, much like her mom, and definitely not like me, kept to herself.
I wondered if Rachel would recognize just how similar they were.
It was crazy really how in nature vs. nurture, the woman who’d had zero impact on her life was such a strong presence in our kid’s personality.
I liked it, to be honest. Even as suspicious of my motives as she was, Wynter reminded me of Rach before she was broken.
Wynter was a breath of fresh air, and I knew she’d be the same for her mom if Rach would ever agree to meet with her.
Wynter tilted her head to the side as she approached me, crossing the road then climbing up the rise. I didn’t stand up, just watched her plunk her ass down beside me.
“You look…”
“Like shit?”
She blinked. “Yeah. I haven’t heard you swear before.”
I reached up and rubbed my eyes. “Lot of bad news today, honey.”
I almost jumped when I felt her hand pat my knee. That was the first voluntary touch she’d given me.
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Not really.” I shot her a tight smile and cautiously, like I was approaching a rabid wolf, placed my hand over hers. When she tucked them together, squeezing my fingers, I felt the strength in her.
“You sure? I’m a good listener?”
I didn’t know how to make this PC.
I didn’t want my kid who’d only just turned seventeen, who had her own problems she wasn’t willing to share with me yet, knowing about clubwhores and MC culture.
But I knew I looked like hell, and I didn’t want to freak her out either.
“My dad cheated on my mom.”
“I’m sorry. I know how that feels.”
For a second, I was offended. I hadn’t cheated on her mom, ever. Then I realized what she was saying.
Jeremy had cheated on Ally.
I gaped at her. “You knew?”
She shrugged. “I knew.”
“How?”
“Dad’s not the best kind of guy. He gambles a lot and comes home drunk. Sometimes, he’d come back with lipstick on his clothes.” Wynter gnawed on the inside of her cheek. “He’d stink of perfume too. The final straw was last month for me.”
The oddly adult comment had me twisting to look at her, my own problems shoved aside in the face of hers. “What happened?”
“A couple things.” She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “But the first was that he came home high.” Her gaze darted over to mine then flittered away. “Some of the band, after a game, they smoke a few joints.” My expression must have darkened because she blurted out, “I don’t. Just the smell makes me feel woozy, so I don’t want to inhale too much.”
Christ, she had no idea how much she sounded like Rachel.
“So you know how people act when they’re high?”
Nodding, she muttered, “I don’t like it.”
“What else happened to make you leave?”
Wynter cleared her throat and tugged her hand free of mine. “It doesn’t matter.”
It did.
But I didn’t want to push my luck.
Not unlike her mother, she needed gentling.
But God, I missed the feel of her hand in mine.
Needing to man up, I told her, “I’m sorry you had to experience that. Home should be a safe space.”
“Mom protected me, but I was…” Her smile tightened. “Never mind. You were saying? About your dad?”
The glimpse into her life gave me more questions I needed answering, but I just said, “I found out that when he cheated on her, he had a kid.”
Her brows lifted. “That’s… bad.”
“It is.”
“Do you know the kid? Have you ever met them?”
“She lives by me.”
“Oh.”
“I hate her,” I said grimly. “She’s a horrible woman.”
She clapped a hand to her mouth when she released an amused snort. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh.”
My lips twitched. “I’m glad I made you laugh.”
“It was inappropriate. I really am sorry.”
“There’s no need to be. It’s a ridiculous situation, but it knocked me sideways. I always thought my dad wasn’t like that.”
“It’s never nice to learn that our heroes are humans too.”
I stared at her, bewildered by how mature she sounded. “Yeah, you’re right.” Liking that a barrier seemed to have fallen between us, I confessed, “I did something bad at the hotel.”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“I threw something at the TV. It shattered.”
A sharp gasp escaped her. “Oh, no! Do you think you’ll get into trouble?”
Amused and warmed by the innocence of her reply, especially after how grown-up she’d been sounding, I said, “It’ll cost me a small fortune. Serves me right for losing control like that.”
“It wasn’t a nice call.”
“No. It wasn’t,” I said grimly. “It couldn’t have been much worse.”
“You… The call, it was with my mom, wasn’t it? She’s your lawyer?”
“It was.”
“How is she?” Wynter asked shyly.
It wasn’t the first time she’d asked after Rach.
“I don’t know. Probably scared,” I admitted on a sigh.
“Why?”
“I hung the phone up on her and she keeps calling, but I’m not answering.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to say the wrong thing. I don’t want to upset her.”
She queried, “Is that practical?”
“Probably not.”
“Do you feel that way when you’re talking to me?”
“Sometimes. I don’t want to say anything that’ll upset the balance. I like this. I want to get to know more of you.”
“I do too, but if this isn’t all of you, then how can I know the real you?” It didn’t sound like she was upset with me. Something she rammed home when she patted my knee again. “We’re past the point of first impressions, aren’t we? I mean, you've stopped shaving, so I took that to be a good sign.”
I almost smiled. “When did you get to be so wise?”
“I don’t know. Mom says I’ve got an old soul.”
“She’s right.”
Wynter hummed. “Do you want to call Rachel now? Maybe say sorry for scaring her?”
“With you here?” I saw the nerves she was trying to hide. “I can call her later if you’re not ready for that.”
“Does she want to talk to me?”
“She does. I don’t think she’s expecting it though.”
“Do you talk about me?”
“We do. Every day.”
“Do you think…” She bit her lip. “Do you think she wants to meet me?”
“I know she does, but she’s scared about that too. She’s worried you’ll hate her.”