Page 35 of Endless Southern Love

“Do you know what you want to be?” I reach for the potholder and slowly pull out the tray my mom put the pie on and set it on the trivets.

“I think I want to be a witch or a ghost or a princess.”

All three are characters she wanted to be last year, and she ended up being Olaf from Frozen.

“Okay, we’ll go shopping for a costume soon.”

“When can I have pie?”

“Let’s finish dinner, we’ll call Mommy, then after you take your shower, we’ll have pie.”

“Plan,” she says, giving me a fist bump.

When Goldie says she’s done, I hand her my phone and watch as she heads to the living room to call her mom. I like to give her some private time. I don’t have the need to be up in Goldie’s space all the time. She’s used to living with Ana, and while Goldie spent her summer and vacations here, she knows this is different.

After I get the dishes done, our lunches packed for tomorrow, and the leftovers put away, I head into the living room. Goldie’s on the couch, lying on her stomach while she video chats with her mom.

“Mom, Daddy is here. I gotta go shower. Don’t leave.” Goldie gets up and leaves Ana on the phone, upside down. I pick it up and sit down.

“Hey.”

“She made a friend?”

I nod and recap what Goldie told me over dinner and tell Ana I’ll put some cards in Goldie’s backpack to hand out if someone asks for her number.

“This is a good thing.”

“It is,” I say to Ana. “What’s new?”

“I filed for divorce today.”

I’m shocked, but surprised it happened so quickly. “Does he know?”

“Yeah, I called and told him. He’s sorry and wants a second chance, but I’m not willing to give it. I would never trust him again, especially around Goldie.”

“I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks.”

“So, I’ve been thinking. What do you think about me moving to Magnolia?”

I work hard to mask how I’m feeling. “I think that would be great.” And it would be great . . . for Goldie. For me, not so much.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me, Wade Jenkins. We may not be lovers, but we are best friends. I know everything there is to know about you. Spill.”

I sigh and rub my hand over my face. “I kissed Lemon today.”

Ana’s eyes widen and she covers her mouth. “You did not!”

I nod. “And then we argued. She thinks I cheated with you, and I can see why she thinks that because we disagree on the whole break up thing, but the worst part is . . .” I pause because how do you tell a mother that another woman is jealous of her child?

“But what?” Ana prods.

“Lemon’s jealous of Goldie.”

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