Page 26 of Cursed to Be Mine
“Oh?” I glance at her, an eyebrow cocked, hoping I look intrigued rather than shocked anyone would give her the time of day. “What’s his name?”
“Daniel.”
“How’d you meet?”
“He’s in my psychology class.”
My smile falters a bit, but I don’t let it retreat far. There has to be dozens of Daniels taking a psychology class at Flagler College. Derek’s son is only one of them. And he never mentioned knowing my daughter.
“So what’s the issue?” I ask, glancing in the mirror. The asshole is still riding my bumper. If I wasn’t in a hurry, I’d slow down just to piss him off.
“I don’t know. He just started ghosting me.”
My eyes slide to her rolls.I can guess why.“Sorry, Gen.”
She shrugs.
“You know what? This weekend, let’s go to the spa. We’ll get a total makeover. Then go to the park and hire a professional photographer. You post the picturesup on MySpace –”
“MySpace, Ma?”
“What? Facebook?”
She laughs with a small shake of her head.
“People still use MySpace, you know,” I tease.
“Old people,” she mumbles.
“Benjamin has a page for his music.”
“Exactly.Oldpeople.” It’s a rib at me, I know, but I ‘fall’ for it anyway.
“What are you saying, Gen?” I pull my hand away from hers to poke her in the side. “He’s decades younger than me.”
She giggles but doesn’t verbalize her insult. Smart girl.
I pull right onto Island Landing Dr., finally losing the asshole with the empty car seat.
“So where are we going?” Scarlett asks.
“To meet up with some friends of mine.”
I turn right again, pulling onto Detective Howard’s drive, just off a cul-de-sac. No one knows where Derek lives. His car is here though, and I glance at my daughter as we stop beside it, crammed in with six others. No sign of recognition in her eyes. I relax a little.It’s not the same Daniel.
“Come on,” I say, unbuckling. As we approach the door, I wave to the security camera mounted above it. The door swings open with no one there to greet us, Howard liking his toys. The whole place is rigged with gadgets he’s made himself. Voices carry from the stairs, and I lead Scarlett up the wooden steps to the second floor.
Sprawled out across the living room are two dozen men and women all geared up for war.
Scarlett freezes beside me as several heads turn inour direction. A few people wave but more nod, their hands occupied with guns and knives. Seeing Daniel off to the side, his back to us as he talks to Detective Howard, I push Scarlett towards the kitchen. “Nicole?” I call out as we maneuver around the stairs and step into the bright lights of the modern kitchen. “This is my daughter. It’s her first visit. Can you watch her for a second while I speak to Derek?”
I don’t wait for the slim dark-haired woman to pause from watching the oven. Pushing Scarlett at her, ignoring my daughter’s protests, I turn back to the living room, making a beeline to Daniel.
Detective Howard stops talking to greet me, but I wave him off. “Sorry, Howard. I need to talk to Daniel. Alone.”
Grabbing Derek’s son by the arm, I glance over at the kitchen. Not seeing Scarlett watching me, I pull Daniel out onto the screened porch, then close the glass door firmly behind me.
“Want to get started already?” he asks, ducking his head to my neck.
