Page 94 of Hey, Daddy

“What?” She looked confused.

“Now Grams and Gramps are gonna get all kissy kissy,” Desi said. “And you know, it’s weird enough when your dad does it. When your grandparents do it, it’s like something shriveled up inside you and died.”

“Hey!” Mom said in affront.

Dad chuckled, then held out his hand to Nastya.

“Nice to meet you,” he said. “I’m Cade.”

“Nastya,” she said. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

“Would y’all like to come to eat with us for dinner? We’re meeting the kids—Caroline, Kingston, Benedict, and Kendall. I think they’re going in on a babysitter, so it’ll only be the adults.”

I looked at Desi. “That means you can’t go.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m going.”

“It’s over twenty-one,” Mom said unapologetically. “But I’ll offer you two hundred dollars to watch the kids so Ben and Caroline don’t have to get a babysitter.”

“Deal,” she said, narrowing her eyes at me. “Take me there now, Hopkins.”

“Why now?” I asked. “Dinner’s not for at least three more hours.”

“Because I have to prepare,” she said. “And I also left my laptop at Ben’s.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re nuts.”

“What’s nuts is that you haven’t told me how today went,” she countered. “That’s the first thing you should’ve told me when I got in the car. I’ve given you hours. Please tell me.”

I sighed. “It went about as expected. Your mother threw a fit. I tried to remain calm. I won custody since you wrote the letter saying you want to live with me. But she still gets you on the weekends, and it’s been discussed that the asshole will have his kid out of the house until you’re gone.”

“Mom probably loved that.” She narrowed her eyes. “Did you get Finn?”

“Your mom is going to give Finn back after you come this weekend,” I admitted.

“Damn,” she said. “She’s holding the dog hostage.”

I wanted to reply with “it’s your mother, what do you expect?” but chose to keep my mouth shut.

I was sure she heard enough of that from her mother.

Adding my gripes onto her already heavy shoulders didn’t seem like a good thing to do.

“She is,” I agreed. “But you’ll get him back in two days. I do plan on going over there to make sure the douchebag is gone, though.”

“Thanks.” She shivered. “Maybe I can conceal carry, just in case.”

“And maybe you can not mention doing something highly illegal around me so I have plausible deniability,” I suggested.

“On that note.” She turned to the other three adults that were standing and pointed at her grandmother. “You, I’ll forgive since there is a legitimate reason that you won’t let me come. You.” She pointed at my dad. “I won’t forgive until you take me horseback riding.” She turned to Nastya. “I’m going to go to Ben’s place and write my reviews!”

Nastya smiled. “I’m happy you are helping. I’ve become inundated with requests and it’s overwhelming.”

“Do you want to stay here and finish up, or would you like to come with me?”

“Do you mind coming back?” she asked.

“Of course not.”

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