apter 0027
quickly sent a message to Owen. “Bad uncle tnade Mom ad again today! I don’t want a daddy who makes Mommy mad!”
He messaged me back right away.
“He’s moody today. It’s Sophia’s fault. She’s the bad mom Owen said. I could tell he was upset, too. But then he said something that made me stop. “Maybe if you met my dad, you’d think he’s not so bad. Maybe it would help him stop being mean to Doctor Ava. She likes him, I know it. You would too.”
I made a face. Meet up with bad daddy? The one who made Mommy cry? No way. But Owen kept texting me, saying maybe I’d change my mind if I saw him in person.
Maybe I could help. I didn’t want to meet him. I didn’t even want to think about him. But Owen wouldn’t stop, and after begging Daphine a whole bunch, I finally got her to say yes to me going out with a “good friend.” I didn’t tell her who, though. That was between me and Owen.
Turns out, Owen’s dad, Alexander, was happy to hear that Owen made a new friend. He said it was good for Owen to meet people, and he agreed to take us both to the amusement park for Owen’s birthday. I didn’t want to meet bad daddy. But if I had to, I’d do it for Mommy. Maybe, just maybe, I’d figure out a way to make him stop being bad.
“Come on, Owen!” 1 tugged his hand, pointing at a spinning ride. “Let’s go on that one!” “Too high,” he muttered, shaking his head.
I pouted. “Your daddy’s here. He won’t let anything bad happen!” But even as I said it, my stomach twisted. Not that he protected Mommy.
A tall shadow loomed over us–Alexander. He smiled, his dark eyes crinkling in a way that almost made I was supposed to hate him.
“Having fun?” he asked, his voice deep but gentle.
Owen shrugged, but I bounced. “More cotton candy!”
Alexander crouched, his smile softening. “How about a break from sugar? Anything else you’d like to try, Abigail?”
I hesitated, unsure if I should yell or stay quiet. Owen answered for me.
“She wants to go on the spinning ride.”
“Yeah, but someone’s a big baby,” I teased.
“I am not!” Owen crossed his arms.
forget
Alexander chuckled. “How about this: I’ll go with you, and Beta Miles can stay with Owen. If it’s scary, you can hold my hand.”
“I don’t need your hand!” I shot back.
His grin widened. “No hand–holding, then. Just me sitting next to you. Deal?”
Reluctantly, I nodded. “Fine.”
The ride was a blast. I screamed and laughed so much I could barely breathe. When it ended, I realized I was holding Alexander’s hand. His warm grip made me feel… safe. I hated that.
425 DONUS
You’ve got quite the lungs,” he said, grinning as we stepped off. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone laugh that loud.
My cheeks burned, but before I could respond, a voice called out. “Alexander!”
A woman with perfect red hair and too much perfume strode toward us, linking her arm with his like she owned. him. Her smile didn’t feel real–nothing like Mommy’s.
“And who’s this?” she asked, eyeing me with syrupy sweetness I didn’t like. “This is Abigail,” Alexander said carefully. “She’s Owen’s friend from class.”
Her smile tightened. “How sweet.”
1 stared at her, fists balling. This was the woman who made Owen’s dad mean? Who hurt Mommy? My chest. tightened. How could anyone choose her over Mommy?
“She’s the bad mom,” Owen whispered.
I nodded, my heart pounding. It didn’t make sense. Why her?
