Page 112 of Strictly the Worst

“Of course it’s my business. Anybody who spends time around Zoe is my business. Who is this guy? How do I know he’s suitable to have around my child?”

“I don’t remember you worrying about that when you and Melissa were spending nights in hotel rooms all over town.”

It’s his turn to redden. “That’s got nothing to do with this.”

“So it’s okay for you to have an affair, while we were married, but it’s not okay for me to date somebody when I’m free?” The gall of this man. I hate the way he manages to rile me up every time.

“Everything okay here?” Angela asks, putting her head around the doorway. Her eyes search for mine, as though she’s trying to see if I need help. I give her the slightest shake of my head.

“Can’t we have a conversation without her getting involved?” Jared shoots Angela a dirty look.

“No, you can’t. Not when you’re being an asshole.” Angela rolls her eyes at him. “And by the way, she’s right and you know it. You don’t have a leg to stand on. Not when you and Melissa were fucking like rabbits without a thought for Tessa, let alone Zoe.”

“Angela…” I shoot her a pleading look. I know she means the best, but it’s not helping.

“Maybe if I’d been fulfilled in my marriage I wouldn’t have had to look elsewhere,” Jared counters.

“Maybe if you didn’t have such a tiny dick, you would’ve had better luck,” Angela shoots back.

Ouch.

I’m half inclined to leave and let these two go at it. But the only person who matters in all of this is Zoe.

“Can you both be quiet?” I ask. “Jared, do not come into my house and start shouting. Angela, thank you for trying to stand up for me, but I’ve got this.”

She lets out a growl but says nothing.

And this is why I love her.

“Honey?” I say to her. “Can you go make those coffees?”

“I guess.” She glares at Jared. “But I’m around if you need me.”

“I know you are.” I smile at her. This girl always has my back. As soon as she’s stomped out of the room – again – I turn to look at Jared.

“What I do in my life has nothing to do with you,” I say, my voice low.

He opens his mouth to respond, but I put up my hand.

“But I agree. What happens in Zoe’s life is both of our concerns. She will always be my first priority.” I look at him pointedly. “She always has been. So she won’t be spending nights anywhere else unless there’s an emergency. Which there was.”

“Good.”

Oh he’s so smug. I hate it.

“But as for me,” I tell him. “What I do in the privacy of my own time is up to me. So don’t you ever come into my house and accuse me of the exact things you were doing, except when you were doing them, you were wrecking a marriage.”

“That’s not fair…”

But I’m not finished. I’ve spent years trying to keep the peace with this man. “I’ll date whoever I want to date. And when I’m ready to introduce them to Zoe as my boyfriend, then I’ll do so. But unlike you, I’ll do you the courtesy of letting you know first.”

He inhales sharply, his dark eyes on me.

“What if I don’t like him?”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass,” I tell him. “You don’t have to like him. You just have to trust my judgment that I know he’s a safe person to spend time with Zoe.”

And the stupid thing is, I know Linc’s safe. He’s kind. He’s funny. He genuinely likes my kid.

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