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“Where the fuck did you get all this wisdom?”
“From experience. Like I said, you’re not the only one whose heart has ever been broken.”
“Tell me,” I urged, because I needed to know she had connected with someone in the same way I had with Grace.
“I was seventeen.”
“A crush?”
“You’d think, but no. It was the real deal. Problem was he was ten years older and married, but it was real enough.”
“What happened?”
“I was mad about him, he paid me so much attention in the beginning. After a while I became his booty call. He played me for a year and I tried to be patient when he promised me the world. I guess I was vulnerable, lonely… and stupid, because I believed every one of his lines. Eventually he told me his wife was pregnant. It was a real eye opener as to who he was as a person and I dumped his ass.”
“Fucker. Glad you got rid of him. He didn’t deserve you.”
JoAnn flashed me a forced smile, and I grinned, then her eyes grew serious. “Okay, so you have the weekend at home with your daughter.”
“I’m taking her on an overnight pony trek,” I reminded her.
“Sounds great. Go home and spend time with Layla. Forget Harper for a few days. Let her miss you. ”
“I’m not into playing games or mind fucks,” I stated, frowning.
“Well, sometimes they’re necessary to make someone see what’s in front of them.” I wasn’t so sure about this, but my judgement was off, and I had to admit JoAnn appeared more clued in to how relationships worked than I was.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Layla was at school when I first arrived home, and Harper was nowhere to be seen. Dorian was busy doing a crossword puzzle in the kitchen with Matty, their heads bowed over like they were formulating a war strategy plan. Matty glanced up when she heard me enter the room.
“Cole,” she said, dropping her pen on the table as she stood and rushed over toward me. “Layla is so excited you’re taking her on a trail with her pony later. She’s been packing and her poor pony is going to look like a mountain Sherpa’s mule.”
I sniggered and glanced at Dorian. “Hey, Bro, did you miss me?”
“Like a bad bout of dermatitis,” he shot back.
“Yeah, you’re only saying that in front of her. Once Matty leaves the room, you’ll be all over me,” I teased back.
“What were you two like as kids? It’s a wonder your mother still has hair,” she scoffed, chastising us both.
“What do you mean? We’re the reason she still does. Those real hair wigs are fucking expensive I’ll have you know,” I joked.
Dorian was about to take a swig of coffee and sprayed out his nostrils, sending the coffee out of the cup and over the table.
“And he’s back,” he announced standing up and wiping the wet patches down the front of his T-shirt.
“Jesus, you see why I have to go to work? I gotta keep this deadbeat, who can’t even drink a cup of coffee without help.” As we all laughed, the gate buzzer sounded, interrupting us and signaling the return of Layla and Harper.
Turning, I stepped over the weekend bag I’d dumped when Matty came at me and headed for the front door. As Stuart drove up the driveway, I could see Layla’s hand waving frantically from the rear passenger window.
Harper sat in the front, her large shades giving her the advantage over me because I couldn’t tell what she was looking at, even if I felt it was me.
When the car came to a halt, I jogged down the few steps and opened the back door.
“Daddy!” Layla exclaimed, excitedly.
“Layla!” I mimicked back, and she giggled. Her sound was so infectious it even pulled a smile from Harper’s lips.
