Page 70 of Broken Daddy

We’re just two people who fuck occasionally.

Unwilling to concede, I move to the doorway and take one look back over my shoulder.

“I’ll let you know when I hear from them. And when I’m leaving.”

And with that, I leave Nathan fuming in his work barn. The place he hideshisdreams while I’m trying to chase mine.

Chapter28

Nathan

The last thing I expect to see first thing Monday morning is a beast of a creature coming through my front door.

It’s huge—the size of a small human—dark tan, a black muzzle, and eyes locked right on me where I freeze on the stairs.

Chris follows gingerly behind the beast, a leash in hand.

“What the hell is this.”

If I said these words in the office, flat and cold, everyone around me would become paralyzed.

But my brother only bends down, unhooks the leash, and lets this animal wander farther into the living room. I can hear the sniffing—it’s a bigwhoofingsnuffle as jowls drag over the couch and coffee table.

“You got a dog?”

Chris grins at me sheepishly, running a hand through his hair. “Well, kind of. Actually…youhave a dog.”

“Oh my God!” The squeal from the kitchen is one of shock and terror. I march in that direction, already fuming at Chris.

The dog has Gen backed up against the counter. His tail is wagging gently as he sniffs her thighs, probably because there’s pumpkin pancake mix on her apron.

“Um, Nate?”

“Just stand still. I’ll take care of this.”

“Puppy!”

Eva launches herself into the kitchen from the patio where she was reading a chapter book. A surge of fear goes through me at the sight of my daughter reaching for thisthing.

“That isnota puppy,” Gen deadpans as the dog turns its attention to Eva, sniffing her outstretched hands as she holds them palms up. At least she got her excitement under control enough tonottouch a strange dog.

“What is this?” I ask, turning to face Chris, who stands in the doorway. He has a half-hopeful, half-guilty look on his face.

“Well, remember when we were talking about the whole situation with…” He glances at Eva, gestures at Gen. I nod sharply. “And I mentioned you should get a dog. This—” he walks over and pats the dog’s sizable rump, which almost reaches my hips “—is Brutus.”

“Brutus.”

“Yes.”

“Hi, Brutus!” Eva is on her knees now that the dog has sniffed her, giggling as he snuffles around her face. It takes everything in me to suppress the paternal instinct to step between them. But Brutus—whatever he is—is actually being gentle. He turns his attention back to Gen’s apron as she’s removing it.

“You can’t just get someone a dog, Chris.”

“Yes, well…you guys are on an adoption trial!”

He exclaims it brightly, as if I should be excited.

“Okay. You better spill everything. Right now.”

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