Page 101 of Roughing the Player
“Kaylee.” Frowning, Ellie twists to face our daughter, who’s looking pretty satisfied in the back seat.
“Why would you do such a thing?” I bark out.
With both parents pissed off at her, she should be sorry. But she’s not. In a show of teen defiance, she crosses her arms against her chest and sticks out her chin. “Because they kept insinuating you guys are splitting up, and I’m sick of hearing it. Now they have proof you’re together. So they can stop talking about us.” Puffing out her lower lip, she stares out the window. And that’s that as far as she’s concerned.
Unfortunately, she’s wrong. If anything, those photos will start up the rumor mill again. Damn it. Just when they were winding down too. But what’s done is done. Except. “You didn’t contact anybody else, did you?”
“No.The Charleston Timeswas it.”
“Good.” I put the car in gear and point the car toward the exit.
Everyone remains deep in their own thoughts until I merge unto the highway.
“How far is your house?” Ellie asks. Not our home, or even your home, but your house.
“About twenty minutes away.”
“Do you like it?”
I should be grateful she has questions. But I’m not. She’s only asking to be polite.
“It’s the home I’ve always wanted. Six bedrooms, a wraparound porch, huge kitchen.” You would love it, if you would just give us a chance.
She swipes moisture from her upper lip. “Can you turn up the AC? It’s quite warm.”
“Sure.” I gaze at her. “You gained some weight, I see. Looks good on you.”
She tenses. “Thanks.”
Fuck. Shouldn’t have said anything. Women hate any mention of their weight, even when it’s a compliment.
Evening traffic’s a breeze so it takes us no time to get home. When we step into the kitchen from the garage, Ellie takes some time to glance around, “The house looks great.”
“Thanks.” With all the boxes gone, you can actually see the beauty of the place. “Kaylee has been working hard on setting things up.”
“Yeah, Mom. Dad finally let me help him unpack.”
Ellie swivels toward Kaylee. “Dad?”
“Yeah. Seemed stupid to keep calling him Brock. He’s my father after all.” Her words light a warm glow within me. I’m glad Kaylee came to Charleston if only because it got her to call me Dad.
Ellie strolls up to Kaylee and hugs her. “So what have you been doing, sweetheart?” Her casual question doesn’t set off Kaylee’s radar. Little does she realize what Ellie really wants to know. Has Kaylee been fooling around?
“Helping Dad with the unpacking, messing around with—”
“What?” Ellie steps back and hard stares at Kaylee.
“—computers.”
“Is that all you were messing around with?”
Now she’s gone and done it. Kaylee is not going to miss that. Not as bright as she is.
For a second, Kaylee’s brows knit as if she’s trying to work out a puzzle, and then it clears up. “You’re worried about Mitch, aren’t you?”
“Well, he is a boy, and you are growing up.”
Kaylee throws her arms around her mom and kisses her cheek. “Mom, that’s so sweet of you. But you got nothing to worry about. Mitch’s not boyfriend material. He’s more interested in computers than girls.”
