Page 58 of Enemy Daddy Next Door

“Um…” I begin, looking to Hunter.

“Well, Jessica, it’s a bit more complicated than –”

The doorbell rings. Saved by the bell, literally. I immediately jump to my feet. “I’ll get it!”

If Hunter asks me to wait, I don’t hear him. I need to get out of the room.

Jessica’s question terrified me. It’s not that I don’t feel capable of being her mother. If the connection between Hunter and me continues to grow the way it has, I don’t see any reason I wouldn’t be able to step into the role full-heartedly.

That’s what actually scares me. That I’m not afraid of it.

That I want it.

I shake the thoughts away once I reach the front door, readjust my robe, and pull open the door.

I’m greeted by a tall, gaunt woman with dark hair and piercing green eyes. The moment she sees me, her neutral expression falters into a sneer. “Who are you?”

“I’m –” Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be asking her?

The woman takes a step forward over the threshold, propelling me back into the foyer. “What are you doing in my home?”

“I don’t u-understand. This isn’t –” I’ve never seen this woman in my life. Is this one of the girls Hunter used to putz around with? Feeling scorned and needing to confront him?

“Veronica.”

I turn to look at Hunter. He’s standing in the doorway of the kitchen, filling up the whole frame with his stature. Jessica tries to hide behind his leg, peeking out delicately.

“What…what are you doing here?”

Veronica beams and pushes past me. “Oh, Hunter, don’t you recognize your wife?”

My world shatters in an instant.

16

HUNTER

“You’ve got some fucking balls, Veronica,” I say tersely as I pace in front of my ex-wife as she sits on the couch.

She has made herself quite at home, leaning back into the pillows as if she owns the place. “Listen, how was I supposed to know she was your neighbor? I just thought some little girl came to answer your door and needed to be put in her place.”

I pinch my nose bridge. It was close to impossible explaining the situation to Amy. Mostly because I couldn’t even make sense of it myself. Veronica, my ex-wife, paying us a house call out of the blue, decides to play the territorial card when she sees I’m not here alone. She doesn’t want to be married to me but she also can’t stand me moving on. Classic narcissist. “She’s not a little girl.”

Veronica raises an inky eyebrow. “Compared to me, she is.”

“Well, maybe that’s a good thing,” I say.

“Could you stop walking back and forth? This is like Wimbledon.”

I plant my feet and cross my arms over my chest. “Okay. Talk.”

Veronica half-laughs. “What do you want me to say?”

“Well, for starters, what the hell are you doing here showing up without warning? How the hell am I going to explain all this to –“ I stop short and ball my hands into fists. I was lucky that Jessica listened when I sent her out into the yard only moments after Veronica arrived. But she’s not dumb. She knows something is up. Hopefully, she’s well distracted over at the Solace house with Amy. Even though I could see the hurt on Amy’s face, after hearing my quick explanation, she rushed outside to take care of Jessica.

I don’t deserve that woman. I really don’t.

Veronica admires her nails. They’re crisply done. They didn’t use to be that way. Not at the end. I admit, she looks good compared to the last time I saw her. Not in a way that I’m attracted to her. Just in a way I’m not afraid for her life anymore. “Fine. I’ll just come out with it point blank.” She claps her hands and folds them into her lap. “I want you back, H.”

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