Page 58 of Absinthe Minded

Chloe pressed her fingers against the messy bun and nodded. “It’s good. Thank you.”

“Remember I told you we would do a private recital?”

She gave me a pirate’s smile. “Uh huh.”

“Would you like to dance at Grandma Evelyn and Papa Joe’s Mardi Gras party?”

Her mouth fell open. “The masked ball? Like Cinderella? Really? Can I stay and dance with the grown-ups after?”

“Anything you want, except a pumpkin carriage. I don’t think I can pull that off.”

The little girl smirked. “Duh. Only princesses have fairy godmothers.”

Peals of laughter filled the kitchen. The damned dog had pinned Ryan down and was licking the syrup from his face.

“No, Cocoa. Bad dog.” Chloe grabbed the mutt by her collar and pulled her off the boy.

I picked Ryan off the floor and washed his face and hands with a clean dish cloth. “Chloe, eat your waffles before they get cold.”

Ella started to fuss in her carrier, and the house phone rang in the midst of the chaos. I snatched it from the wall. Holding the handset to my ear with my shoulder, I grabbed the baby formula out of the pantry. “Hello.”

“You’re engaged?” Chantal’s voice drilled into my eardrum.

“Hang on.” I motioned for Chloe to eat, put a pacifier in the baby’s mouth, waited to make sure she didn’t spit it out, and walked toward the garage.

“Maggie Guthrie? Keeping it in the family, Gabe?”

How the hell did she find out?I whispered through gritted teeth, “How did you get this number?”

“Is this why you refuse to give me the money your family owes me?”

“Sign the papers, Chantal.”

“Screw that. I’m coming to getmydaughter.”

I sucked in a breath and counted to five. My lawyer had warned me not to argue with her until the judge approved the custody request. Then again, he’d also suggested I have her eliminated.I’m going to kill one, why not kill two? Hell. Why not put a bullet in anyone who pissed me off? My father would be proud.“Think about what’s best for the baby.”

“You love her?” Chantal’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Of course, I love her. How can I not love my daughter?”

“Not the baby. Do you loveher?”

“Yes, I do, and she’s good with Ella. Please, sign the papers.”

Chantal laughed and disconnected.

I walked back into the kitchen.

Chloe frowned and set her dishes in the sink. “Who were you yelling at?”

“I didn’t yell.”

She shrugged. “Sounded like it to me.”

I checked the time. “When does the bus come?”

“Seven-thirty.” Standing at the end of the hall, Maggie looked from Ryan, to the syrupy plate, and finally at me. “Who called?”

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