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“She’s cute,” Eva says as I shut the door. “A little fat, but cute.”
Courtney is not fat, she’s perfect.
“You ever call her fat again, we’re going to have more problems than we already have. You need to leave. Now.”
“I thought you said I could spend time with Maddi.”
“Maddi is hiding in her room to get away from you. You’re not here to spend time with her, you’re here to try and start shit.”
“That’s ridicul—”
“Don’t.” I lift my hand. “Don’t push me, Eva. You need to leave.”
“She just wants to spend time with Madeline,” Heather says.
My eyes move to her, briefly.
“Leave.”
“You said any—”
“That doesn’t mean you get to stop by when you know we have plans. That means you send me a message and I will work a time out with you so you can spend time with her.”
“She’s my daughter.”
“Then act like her mother, Eva. For fuck’s sake. She’s hiding in her room so she doesn’t have to be around you. You did that. By coming here. She probably understands why you’re really here.”
“I didn’t do anything.”
“I’m not going to ask you again.” I move to the door and open it.
“Let’s go,” Heather says.
Eva slides off the stool, glaring at me.
“I’m going to talk to a lawyer,” Eva says, stopping in front of me.
“Do what you have to do, Eva. But just know I won’t lose my daughter without a fight—and I will fight until I die to keep her with me, where she belongs.”
She huffs but walks out, Heather pushing her along. I hear the sound of a dog collar clinking and turn, expecting to see Courtney and Merida. Instead I see Fawn and Muffin coming up the stairs—with Courtney and Merida right behind them.
“Is everything okay?” Fawn asks, her eyes moving over both Heather and Eva.
“Everything is fucking wonderful,” Eva snaps as she passes Fawn to head down the steps.
I can tell by Courtney’s facial expression that Eva’s giving her a dirty look.
“Well, I can’t say I’ve missed her much,” Fawn murmurs when she’s close.
I don’t take my eyes from Courtney. I reach out to her and take her hand when she’s within reach. “You okay?”
“I think your ex is worse than mine, and I didn’t think that was possible.” Her eyes drop to my side, and I see her face soften at Maddi, who must have heard her mom leave and come out of hiding. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“Yes,” Maddi says, picking up Merida and taking her over to Muffin, who greets the smaller dog by licking her face.
“Did you two meet?” I look between Courtney and Fawn.
“Yeah, we met outside when Muffin mowed down her dog. I figured out she was yours when she told me her dog’s name. She told me Eva was over, so I told her she could come hang with me until it was safe to go back to your place.” She looks at Courtney. “Maddi hasn’t stopped talking about either of you.”
“Where’s Levi?” I ask.
Fawn looks at me. “Working. He has a case he’s trying to close.”
“We were just getting ready to have dinner. Would you like to join us?” Courtney asks.
“I . . .”
“We have plenty. Or . . .” Courtney looks at me and asks, “Did you get the chicken?”
“I did.” I give her hand a squeeze.
“We have plenty.” She looks at Fawn again. “I was going to make salmon, but there was an accident. So Lucas went out and picked up a rotisserie chicken from the store.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Of course not.” Courtney smiles at her, then turns for the apartment and walks in through the still-open door, taking me with her since she hasn’t let go of my hand.
“What kind of ‘accident’ did you have with the salmon?” Fawn asks, following us inside with Muffin. Maddi’s still carrying Merida.
“I put it to broil and burned it.” Courtney shrugs, and Fawn laughs.
“I can’t cook. I don’t even know what broiling is. Thank god my husband knows his way around the kitchen, or we would starve.” She takes a seat on one of the barstools.
“I can normally cook, or at least follow directions. But I wasn’t paying attention this time.” Courtney lets me go and unpacks the chicken, then moves around the kitchen getting plates and things out.
After I get everyone settled with drinks, I lean against the counter while listening to her and Fawn chat. My mom will love Courtney—I know that without a doubt. I also know my other two sisters-in-law will go crazy once they meet her. For the last year they have been trying to set me up with random women they know from the city. I never took them up on any of their offers, but that never stopped them from trying. They hated Eva, too—my whole family hated her and didn’t understand why I was with her, aside from Maddi.
