Page 39 of Pucking Daddy

But he owns it so completely that something in my chest loosens just a fraction.

“I’m not here to make your life harder,” I say. “I’m here to make it easier. But I need access. Information. Clear expectations.”

“You’ll have it,” he says.

And for some reason, I believe him.

“You should probably know,” he goes on, “or—actually, I mentioned it when we first met. I’m in the middle of a custody battle.”

I’ve wondered about that. And from what I overheard yesterday, things with Lily’s mom aren’t easy.

“That’s why everything has to be… tight right now,” he continues. “Schedules. Structure. Consistency. It all gets looked at.”

“They’re evaluating your home environment?” I ask.

“Yeah.”

“And you’re worried about how it looks.”

“I know I can give my daughter what she needs. But historically, the courts haven’t been favorable to dads getting sole custody, and I’m worried about losing her,” he says. “It’s… a lot.”

I swallow, my chest tightening.

He exhales. “Her mom is going through a tough time. I don’t want to go into too much detail, but you’ll probably figure it out sooner or later anyway.”

I nod slowly. “Okay.”

He drags a hand through his hair, pacing once like he needs the movement to get the words out.

“She’s not… a bad person,” he says, and I hear the effort in that. The careful choice. “That’s the thing. If she were, this would be easier.”

“What is she like?” I ask gently.

He huffs out a quiet breath. “Depends on the day.”

That says enough.

“She can be…” He searches for the word. “Incredible. When she’s on, she’s really on. Funny, warm. The kind of person everyone gravitates toward. Lily used to adore her.”

“That’s the version most people see,” he adds. “That’s the version she shows when it matters.”

“And the other version?” I ask.

His jaw tightens. “Unpredictable.”

I stay quiet, letting him continue.

“She cancels on Lily. Last minute. Or she shows up late, like it’s no big deal. Makes plans she doesn’t follow through on.” His voice stays controlled, but there’s something underneath it now. Frustration.

“One day she’s the perfect mom. The next she’s… distracted. Short-tempered. Gone in her own head.” He pauses, something harder settling into his expression. “She’s even lashed out at Lily a few times. There’s no excuse for that.”

My chest tightens.

“I don’t want to take her mom away from her,” he goes on, quieter now. “But I want sole custody until she’s in a better place. And I’m fighting for that.”

“Okay, but if she’s that unreliable, shouldn’t it be easier to get sole custody?”

He exhales slowly. “Like I said, the courts don’t like giving sole custody to a single dad. Also…”