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“Funny, she hasn’t tried to call me once”

But I wasn’t surprised she’d called Dad It was one of her favorite pasti him miserable She was a total bitch, and not even I could stand her for more than an hour at a time I didn’t have a lot to do with her, and I never let her keep Reid after the one time she’d babysat and I’d come home t

o find him with blisters on his bottom after she’d left him in a wet diaper all day

“She said she’s called you, but you don’t ever answer”

I stood, carrying my dirty dishes to the sink “Daddy, Mom hasn’t called me in weeks, maybe even months I don’t knohat she’s told you, but we aren’t close Please don’t give hter—”

“Joslyn” Dad’s gruff voice caught uard, and I turned to face him, concerned

He was still sitting at the table, his head in his hands, tears running down his face

I rushed back to hiht “Dad, what’s wrong?”

“I thought you were going to leave again,” he choked out “The way sheyour time and wouldn’t talk to her because you didn’t kno to letback to Oakland”

I kissed his cheek, giving him a smile to help ease his fears “Daddy, really? Why would I leave you again? Everything I’ve ever wanted is right here I never wanted to be anywhere else”

“Swear?” he forced out in a voice rough with emotion

I kissed his cheek again “I swear I would have happily stayed with you while I was growing up if anyone had dared ask what I wanted”

His ar fro hi I’d ever seen him do either “You and Reid are all I have now, Jos It was rippingto leave”

“There is no way in hell she’s going anywhere” Tanner’s voice boo me jump in surprise

I straightened,as I watched hi but a pair of sweat pants His hair was sticking up at all angles, but I liked it that way I reled in those dark locks while his head was betweenThank God Reid was such a sound sleeper, because I’d been unable to hold back my moans for the most part