Page 88 of The Single Dad Project

“And I don’t want to. She loves her mother—loves you so much. But she’s not a toy you can just take down off the shelf, play with, then drop and forget about it. Am I her mother? No,” Flo ground out, taking a step closer to Jennifer, invading her personal space and not giving one damn if it came off as aggressive. Hell, she burned withaggression. “But I know what it is to be motherless. To have the parent you adore, the rock that’s your port in a confusing and chaotic world, disappear. Your daughter has her father, but she needs you. There’s nothing like a mother’s hug. A mother telling you how pretty you are, how smart you are. There’s nothing like your mother’s lap to crawl up on and curl against her chest. There’s nothing like your mother’s scent that you will know even when she’s gone...”

Air heaved in and out of her lungs, and unexpected tears stung her eyes. Memories—both real and imagined—from her mother and Moe bombarded her, washed over her, but not dragging her under. Buoying her up. For too long she’d carried anger and loss when she thought of her biological mother. But she’d never stopped to think about what shegaveher.

She brought her to Rose Bend.

Gifted her with a family that welcomed her and eventually raised her.

Gifted her with parents who loved her as much as she did, as she would’ve if she’d lived.

Gifted her with a...father who gave her a community, a family, parents...

Her mother had never left her. She lived on through the beauty she’d brought to Flo’s life.

Flo inhaled a breath, and though it was fanciful and illogical, it felt like the first one she’d drawn in years. More years than she could count.

“Justine needs that. She deserves that. She deservesyou,” she finished, voice hoarse with newfound revelations and emotions rioting inside her.

Silence.

Then, “Are you okay?” Jennifer softly asked, the edge gone from her voice.

Flo shook her head and said, “Yes.”

A wry smile quirked Jennifer’s mouth. “You just shook your head no while saying yes. I believe Iyanla would call that leakage.”

Clearing her throat, Flo gave the other woman a small smile in return.

“You watch Iyanla Vazant? Don’t tell me we have something in common.”

“Girl, you have no idea how many times I’ve come close to calling and asking her toFix My Life.”

Flo snorted, then laughed. And miracle of miracles, Jennifer joined her, and the two of them just stood there on the side lawn of the Queen Anne...cackling together until they both gasped for breath. At some point the hilarity wasn’t about Iyanla’s intervention in their potential fucked-upness, but about release. Maybe even...healing.

When their howls of laughter finally waned to low, quiet chuckles and cautious but genuine smiles, Jennifer reached out, took Flo’s hand in hers.

“Flo, I’m sorry for your loss,” she murmured, squeezing her fingers before releasing her. Then she laughed again, this one holding a note of self-deprecation. “You must think I’m the worst mother ever.”

Flo frowned. “The worst? God, no. There’s Cersei Lannister. And then, y’know, the quokka. I mean, that animal throws its young at predators so it can escape.”

Jennifer blinked. Blinked again. Then her loud bark of hilarity echoed on the air.

“Oh my God.” She shook her head, still snickering. “You know, I came here to this town expecting to dislike you. I really hate that I don’t.”

Flo grinned. “Ditto.”

Jennifer’s gaze shifted to behind Flo, and her own smile grew, dark eyes gleaming.

“Uh-oh. Overprotective male at nine o’clock.”

Flo turned around to see Adam headed toward them from the back of the house. His long legs ate up the distance, and damn, he was a sight. Like some avenging angel swooping down on them. A really powerful, sexy avenging angel. And yes, that sounded just slightly blasphemous.

Jennifer held up her hand, palm out, as Adam neared them. Though his expression remained calm, composed, tension radiated from him in pulsing waves.

“Hold up there, T’Challa,” she drawled, and Flo coughed back a chuckle. Adam’s gaze flicked toward her before returning to his ex-wife. “No need to come bearing down on us. Your girl and I were just having a friendly chat. Right, Flo?”

“Absolutely.”

“It seems you’re not only a great father but a good judge of character, too. She’s a good one.” Jennifer arched an eyebrow. “Don’t fuck up and let her go.” Adam’s big frame slightly stiffened, and Flo decided to ignore the telltale sign. Jennifer wiggled her fingers at Flo and smiled. “See you later, Flo.”

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