Page 5 of Bleeding Hearts

“Yes.” Shutting the door with a bump, I lean against it, Mollie still in my arms. “I was with her the entire time at the scene. She was alert, giving me the business like always. I’m confident she’ll make a full recovery. It’s just going to take her some time.”

Relief washes over Kellie’s face as she tosses her skateboard and does that thing skateboarders do to hop on. “Good. I like her.”

Before I can say more, she’s zooming down the street, her skateboard flipping and spinning beneath her feet. She’s wearing a helmet, a requirement we don’t skip, so when she takes a spill that looks like it hurt before jumping back up, I don’t flinch—maybe a little. After brushing her hands off onher shorts, she’s on her board and tries again, this time landing perfectly.

Chuckling, I watch as she waves and playfully shake my head. “Show off.”

“Can we have a cookout tonight? Roast hotdogs?” Mollie rests her head on my shoulder. “Please?”

“I don’t see why not.” I kiss her forehead before setting her back on her feet. “We’ll go to the store later, after I take care of a few things. Now go play.”

Giggling, she runs back to the sandbox next to the garage where her little friend from next door is waiting. Once she sits down, they quickly resume where they left off before she got distracted.

Cora approaches, her bag slung across her shoulder. “Hate to leave like this, but I’ve got an appointment this afternoon with the wedding planner. I need to get home, grab a few things, before texting Troy to see if he can meet me there. Um,” she hesitates, “You okay?”

Opening the passenger door, I reach inside and grab my bag. “I will be. It was bad. I wasn’t sure what I’d find when we arrived on the scene. As soon as I realized it was Bethany, I took over because I needed to be the one with her. My team understood. Allowed me to do what I needed to. I expect to get called in to the captain’s office for a talk, but since it’s my call to assign jobs to the TRT team, and there were no hiccups, I don’t suspect more than a slap on the hand.”

Rising to her tiptoes, Cora places a kiss on my cheek. “That’s good. I’m sure they understand. We all do.”

Ignoring her, I do what I always do when returning home. “Anything I need to know?”

“She’s been unusually quiet since the deadbeat dropped her off.”

Both of us watch Kellie speed down the street, spinning her skateboard and sticking another landing. It’s hard to know how she’ll be after a required visit with her biological father. He’s not a bad guy, but their relationship is far from perfect.

Stephanie and Gary had Kellie when they were just kids themselves. High school sweethearts—of sorts—who kept the baby they made. They remained together for only a year after Kellie was born, and according to my wife, their relationship was far from a fairytale. As soon as he graduated, he joined his father on his boat and became a fisherman, following the fish up and down the coast. Which meant he was gone more than he was around. Absent in his daughter’s life, only seeing her when the guilt ate at him.

When Stephanie died, I wasn’t sure I’d get to keep Kellie. I am only the stepdad, even though I never once saw myself in that role. I’m more of a father to her than Gary has ever been. She is my daughter. That’s how I’ve always thought of her and feared she was about to be taken from me.

Gary’s her father, and had every right to be the father his daughter needed. I’m not sure why I was shocked when he pulled me aside at the funeral and handed over signed documents naming me as her legal guardian. He didn’t want our arrangement to change. He wanted Kellie to live with me. When he could, he’d visit like always.

His exact words pissed me off and had me seeing red.“Being a full-time father doesn’t interest me. I hope you’re okay with keeping things like they’ve been. If not, I’ll reach out to my sisters. See if either of them can keep her for me. Otherwise, I’ll have her placed in foster care.”

How could he be so cold?

Fuck that.

After having my lawyer look them over, I signed the papers. Added a few clauses of my own that said he couldn’t change hismind later. That once Kellie was a teenager, she’d get a say in how things between them worked. And if he ever wanted to walk away, he’d sign his parental rights away so I could adopt her and give her my name. As far as I was concerned, she was mine. Had been since I first met her at three years, four months, and seven days old.

Gary never kept her overnight. His visits with her when he was in town were short, only a few hours. When he called for a this time, Kellie was fed up with his games and explicitly stated she didn’t want to go. I urged her to go this one time to let him know she was done. My plan was to follow up with him after I learned how things went.

“Did he say anything?” My fist clenches tightly around my bag, the tension coursing through my fingers.

“He told me he’d call you later.” Cora sounds just as angry about it as me. “He mentioned an upcoming trip to Alaska, so perhaps it was for the best. Said he has a buddy who invited him up. Sounded like he planned to talk to her about it. I’m not sure who told who first. How can he walk away from that kid? I don’t get it.”

“Me either.” It’s not something I could do. I’d been prepared to fight for her. Take him to court if he expressed an interest in resuming custody. If I’d lost, then I’d have requested visitation, so Mollie and Kellie stayed close.

“She’s lucky to have you.” Cora shakes her head, her long, dark hair swaying with the motion. “Call if you need anything. My shift isn’t until tomorrow morning, so I’m free to stop by and help with Mollie if you two need space to talk.”

I nod. “Will do. I think we’ll be fine. I have a few things I need to do over at Bethany’s. She can help me, giving us a chance to talk while we work. Maybe Cindy can watch Mollie while she and Bailey play.”

Our attention shifts to where my neighbor Cindy sits, staring at me with hearts in her eyes.

Cora snickers as she turns to leave. “I bet if you take off your shirt, she’ll agree. Maybe even offer to bring you dinner and her special dessert.”

“Fuck off,” I grumble after her. “I’m not interested in anything Cindy has to offer.”

And I’m not.

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