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“Your daddy ain’t killing me,” she laughs.
Jess pouts. “Well, can y’all tell me if I’m doing it right at least?”
“You go on. I want to see this,” Maggie says.
Jess widens her stance and starts to rock her hips. I’m almost scared to watch until the beat drops and she shocks the mess out of us all. I want to know who this girl has been hanging with.
“Hey now. You got it, Jess. You go girl,” Elise and I cheer at her.
“Here, here. Pop your hips a little more like this,” Maggie says.
I laugh and join them. Soon the four of us are dancing again. This is so freeing after the morning I had.
When the song ends, we’re all laughing and out of breath. Matthew appears, shaking his head as he brings us all bottled water. We each take one. Maggie, Elise, and I move for the couch.
My backup singers and dancers deserve a raise. Wiggling and shaking my behind has me feeling like I don’t run or workout at all, but the smile on Jess’s face is worth it.
“Can I ask you something?” she says with a hopeful smile.
I nod and wave my hand. She beams and comes to flop down next to me. I look at her and smile, lifting my water to my lips.
“You’re so pretty and so kind. Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No.” I shake my head.
“How is that possible? You’re amazing. When my daddy’s divorce goes through, you’d be perfect for him.”
Elise, Maggie, and I all spit our water out. I slap at my chest as I choke. I widen my eyes at Maggie to stop the words about to come out of her mouth.
“Read the room, Mags. Read the darn room,” Elise says through her teeth and a tight smile.
“Oh, did I say something wrong?”
Jess looks at me with both hope and concern. Hope for her daddy, but concern that she’s overstepped. Her expression reveals the wheels are turning.
“No. Maybe we should get ready for dinner. Mags, are you up to doing makeovers?”
“You know it.”
“Oh, can you make my hair look like Auntie Cakes?” Jess asks as her eyes light up.
Elise stands and comes to wrap her arms around my shoulders from behind as she leans into my ear. “Does she remind you of someone?”
That’s crazy. I was just thinking that she reminds me of Pook. I swipe at a tear as Elise’s question sinks in. “Yeah, she does.”
“She’s in love with you. You should tell her who you are to him.”
I frown. “What good will that do?” I grumble back.
“Um, you still think he’s not coming for you.” She kisses my cheek and walks off, laughing from deep in her belly.
Trevor
“No, Andy. That’s all right. I’m in an impulsive mood. Was just thinking of getting a cut,” I say into the phone.
Donna hates when I cut my hair off. I’m doing this not just because it seems to be extra hot this summer, but I want to cut away the past and piss that trolling bitch off.
“Well, you can come on in day after tomorrow,” Andy says.
“I’ll think about it. Thanks,” I say and cut the call as I pull into the Billings ranch driveway.
I’m convinced Donna is delusional. She sent me a text telling me to meet her for dinner this evening. The hell if I will.
First thing this morning, I got a call from Roger telling me Jess’s car has been ready, but Donna hasn’t paid the bill like she promised, and Jess hasn’t come to me to tell me. Roger had planned to just hand it over as an early gift for Jess’s birthday, but Donna shouldn’t be let off the hook like that.
Roger has employees. Those part cost money. I still don’t know what that crazy woman wanted with Jess’s car in the first place.
I have half a mind to buy Jess a new one. That would piss Donna off. If I didn’t know my baby so well, I would.
Instead of stewing in my anger like I’ve been doing all week. I came over to the Billings ranch to see if I could get an update. I wasn’t expecting the amount of people and children I would find here. This place looks like a summer camp.
“Dad, who are all of these people?” Bam asks excitedly.
“Friends of your Uncle Brad’s.”
“Are they all from New York?”
I look out the windshield at all the different faces. I’m not sure if I can say where any of them are from. I catch sight of a few bruisers throwing a football around.
“Oh look, Dad. That guy is cutting hair on the porch. Maybe you can get a cut here,” Scoot says.
Sure enough, there is a guy cutting hair on the porch of the main cabin. Cody Billings stands from the chair right as LaSalle takes his place. Uri, Brad, and two others are sitting with them.
