Page 38 of Lucky Mother Pucker

“What about your dad?” I ask, even though I know I have no right to. It’s not my business. But I can’t help my curiosity. Does she have anyone in her life to help her?

She looks down at her lap, that pained look etched deeper into her face. “He died too,” she says softly. “From cancer when I was in high school.”

I sit there, staring at her, my mouth hanging open.

“My mom was devastated when she lost him. She couldn’t get out of bed for weeks. It took months for her to start to live like normal again. And then she met my stepdad. He was nice at first. But that was before she realized he had a drinking problem.”

Dread and anger crash through me.

“Did he put his hands on you and your mom?”

She shakes her head. “He would mostly just yell at us and threaten us.”

I grit my teeth. This guy sounds like a fucking psycho.

“She was getting ready to leave him, but then she died.” Lucy looks down at her empty plate. “And because my stepdad was legally her spouse, he ended up with everything. Her house, her car, her belongings. All of my dad’s stuff too that we saved after he died.” She swallows hard. “After she passed away, he got rid of Wally and kicked me out. I’ve been on my own ever since.”

She pokes at the eggs on her plate with her fork. “I was able to couch surf with friends at first, but they all kind of moved on from me.”

That angry feeling burns hotter. “Some friends they are,” I mutter.

She shrugs. “I kind of get it. A lot of them went off to college or moved in with their boyfriends. They didn’t have space for me anymore, so I started living in my car.”

For a long moment, I can’t speak. I can’t believe what she’s been through—what she’s survived.

“Do you have siblings?”

She shakes her head, still looking down at her plate. Like she’s ashamed. She has no reason to be. None of this is her fault.

“I’m an only child. I don’t come from a very big family. My grandparents have passed away. I have some aunts and uncles and cousins, but they live out of the country, in Scotland and Canada.”

This is so fucked. This girl has no one in her corner.

“It’s just Wally and me now. He’s all I’ve got.”

A million emotions collide inside of me. Rage at her stepdad for being such a piece of shit. Sadness for the unimaginable loss she’s endured. Awe at how she’s survived.

I think about my own life—how easy I’d had it compared to her.

Yeah, my dad’s an asshole. He wasn’t loving or patient or kind, but he always provided for my sister and me. So did my mom. They gave us everything we needed growing up. More than what we needed. We’re not billionaires, but my dad was a professional hockey player for fifteen years. He was a multi-millionaire, and we never, ever had to worry about money, not once.

My grandparents had money too. My grandpa ran a sporting goods business that supplied equipment to professional teams. He made tons of money. I got a big inheritance from him and my grandma when they passed away. I’ve never had to deal with financial instability, ever. I’ve never had to worry about a fraction of the stuff Lucy has had to deal with.

And even though my dad sucks, I have the best mom I could ask for. She’s supportive and loving. My sister Zoey is awesome too. Yeah, we fight sometimes, but that’s normal for siblings. We have each other’s backs, no matter what. And I have my teammates, who feel more like brothers to me.

If I somehow lost everything tomorrow, I’d at least have my sister and my mom. I’d have Nick, Travis, and Blake. They’d never ditch me. I know they’d support me forever, no matter what. And I’d do the same for them, without question.

But Lucy doesn’t have any of that. She lost her support system. She lost the people she loves most in the world.

An ache tears through my chest. She shouldn’t have to do all this alone. I’m not going to let her.

I stand up. “Get dressed.”

“Why?”

“So we can get your dog back.”

Chapter 15