Page 75 of Against All Odds

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Okay.”

“Thank you.”

And her favorite. “Whatever!”

I watched Juno from the couch as she sat across from me in the armchair, her legs curled up under her. She was scrolling on her phone, completely engrossed as if this wasn’t about to be the hardest conversation I’d had withher since I’d told her that her mother and I were getting divorced.

“Juno,” I started.

She glanced up, raising an eyebrow. “Yes?”

I took a deep breath, running a hand through my hair. “I need to apologize.”

Her phone went dark as she set it down on the arm of the chair, giving me her full attention. “Whatever!”

“Come on, Junebug, give your old man a chance, will you?”

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

I assumed thiswhateverwas her way of saying, “Fine, talk.”

“I want to start by saying that the way I treated Sable was wrong. I should’ve talked to her privately.” It was humbling to find that I, who prided myself in being fair, had fucked up so badly with the woman I’d realized too late I was in love withandmy daughter, who was more important to me than my own life.

She straightened and waited.

“I should’ve also gotten all the details before I went off on her,” I admitted. “I screwed up.”

She didn’t say anything; she just tilted her head as if she knew I had more to say.

“I willnotcriticize your mother in front of you because that puts you in a bad place and?—”

“Saying someone is wrong when they’re wrong is the sign of a healthy relationship,” she cut me off. “I already know what Mama did was wrong. You pretending it wasn’t makes me trust you less.”

Ah, fuck! This kid.

“Okay,” I agreed. “Your mother was wrong and has been wrong in going after Sable and her tavern because we were dating.”

“That’s on you, too, Daddy.” Juno wasn’t ready to give an inch. “You had your head in the sand.”

“I know. Sable told me that Alexa was?—”

“Not aboutthat, about how Mama wanted to get back with you. I told you. Mama told you. Aunt Natasha told you. Grandpa and Grandma told you. Instead of talking to her and telling hernever gonna happen, you just went about beingfriends. I mean, you two got along so well, even I, who witnessed all the yelling and screaming while you were married, sometimes forgot why you got divorced.”

“How old are you?” I marveled at her maturity.

Juno’s lips twisted into a small smile. “I know why you did that. I know you wanted me to have parents who got along—and that’s something I want, but I also don’t want you both to…I don’t know, do shit like this where you’re…crushing me in between.”

My heart clenched at her words.

For all my efforts, I’d ended up bringing Juno in between her mother and me. And I’d done the same to Sable.

“How can I make this right with you?”

She shrugged sadly. “I don’t know.” Now, she sounded like a child. “I’m just so tired of being angry with you and Mama.”

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