Page 64 of Daddies' Little Troublemaker

She makes one of those sounds now. “He won’t be able to take his eyes off of you.”

Until someone else sinks her claws into him, I think to myself.

Mom gives me a sharp elbow to the side, almost as if she can read my mind. “Doesn’t your sister look gorgeous, Evelyn?”

I subtly make a tally mark next to the letter g in the notepad and say, “Yes, absolutely,” with all the enthusiasm I can manage to feign.

Which is quite a lot. Whenever I start feeling dismal about this shopping trip, I let my mind wander to last night. Caleb tied me up and put me on my hands and knees on my bed, then alternated spanking me and fucking me until I screamed out an orgasm, calling him “Daddy.”

It had been fucked up. Filthy. Marvelous.

Mom gives me an approving smile. She obviously can’t read my mind, or she would be freaking out right now.

Chloe needs a break because apparently being the center of attention is exhausting. So we wander through other areas of the bridal shop and Chloe ecstatically points out every item they have in stock. I start to notice a theme among the goods. Bride and groom, bride and bride, groom and groom. Happy couple. Everything is geared for two people.

Not three.

It shouldn’t bother me. It shouldn’t even be on my radar. But if Caleb and Lincoln like to share, and if, say, I fell for them, what would that mean? That kind of relationship isn’t really done around here. Hillside is an older community and I just don’t think a throuple would be accepted. Not just here, but all over—it isn’t really done.

Add in the age gap, and I think whatever I have with Caleb and what I could’ve had with Lincoln is over before it’s begun.

Chloe gets a second wind and we go to another bridal store for more dresses. While Mom’s head of red hair and Chloe’s head of brown bob up and down among the different displays, I wander off to the side. I see couples-related items everywhere. All the framed wedding photos on the walls are selling the same marriage story: two people fall in love and commit to one another.

Mom takes us out to lunch, and she must be in a good mood because she doesn’t even make a comment about how I should watch my figure when I opt for mashed potatoes instead of salad to go with my salmon.

When lunch is over, I get out my phone to order a ride home.

“What are you doing?” Mom asks.

“Ordering a car.” I hold up my phone, showing her the app.

“Nonsense,” she says. “We’ll drop you off.”

I’d really rather she didn’t, but I wouldn’t mind saving my money, and the excursion has been okay so far. No drama. I’ve kept my mouth shut whenever Mom waxed poetic about how great Troy and Chloe are together. Remembering everything Caleb did to me last night helped immensely.

When we get to Dad’s house, Chloe says, “Hey, I gotta pee and I really can’t wait.”

I barely manage to keep from sighing. I need to put space between them and me, the sooner the better.

“Come on in,” I say, resigned. I know they won’t stay long because Chloe went on and on about some concert Troy is taking her to, and she wants lots of time to get ready.

While Chloe uses the bathroom, Mom looks around the living room again, frowning.

“He always did have poor taste,” she says, eyeing the Japanese woodblock prints on the far wall. “I was so glad to see all of these paintings go, after the divorce. I can’t believe he still likes this garbage.”

Irritation flares in my chest. She comes here and insults him, like she still has that right? “Mom, you can’t talk badly about Dad here, in his own house.”

Mom sniffs. “He’s not here.”

“I don’t care. This is still his place, and what’s more, he’s a good guy. I don’t want to hear about this from you. Vent to someone else. I’m your daughter, but I’m also his daughter.”

“Well.” She stops herself, puts on a brittle smile. “Move back home, honey. We miss you. We’ll be a family again.”

“Not happening. Please don’t keep asking me this. I went on the big wedding gown shopping trip, and I’m helping plan the wedding. Isn’t that enough?”

“It’s just?—”

At that moment, Lincoln’s rental car rumbles up the driveway. He has to maneuver around Mom’s car to get into the garage, but he manages.

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