Chapter 22

Kya

Addie was so full of energy after lunch with Leo and enjoying her day with Aunt Sadie so much that she had apparently forgotten she was supposed to be sick. As we arrived at our house, with Sadie a minute behind, she climbed out of her booster before I could even kill the car.

“I like Leo, Mama. Is he coming over too?”

“No, but I’m glad you like him. I’ve known him since I was your age almost.” I opened the car door and climbed out, but instead of letting me open her door, she climbed over my seat, and I helped her to the ground safely.

“Were you little kids?”

“Of course, we were, no bigger than you once, and we lived next door to one another.” I remembered those times and smiled. It seemed so odd to me that even though we went through high school together, those younger years were the ones I cherished. But then, Leo had become such an introvert, locking himself in his room and playing Zombie games until most everyone in our class forgot about him. Except for me. I never did. I just wondered what I did for him to not want to hang out with me anymore.

Even though I could have told her about him all day and never tire, she forgot all about me and Leonard as soon as Sadie got out of her car. She ran over and attacked Sadie’s legs. “Aunt Sadie! Will you paint my fingernails again?”

Sadie looked up at me for approval, and when I nodded, she turned back to her. “Sure, sweetie. What color this time?”

“Blue! I want to be a mermaid again!” She took off to the door and waited while I got my bag from the car and locked the doors.

A car passed slowly by, and a man stuck a camera lens out the window and started to snap photos.

“Shit, keep your head down, Addie. Sadie, let’s get in the house.” After a tense moment, we hurried inside.

I dropped my bag on the kitchen counter while Sadie plopped down on the sofa and raised her chin to peek out the window across the room. “I can’t believe those vultures are already starting.”

“Yeah, it’s a bit early for that.” The man’s camera was as scary as a gun being pointed at us. I preferred to keep my life private off stage, especially where my daughter was concerned.

She shook her head. “He’s still out there.”

“Yeah. I think he followed us from the restaurant. He’ll go away.” He wasn’t the first asshole to try and take our pictures without permission, and the sad thing was being used to it.

She turned her attention back to me. “That meal was amazing, Kya, and Leo was nice to treat us, but we need to talk.”

I walked around to join her as Addie went to her room. “What do you mean?”

“I thought we were meeting with him to discuss hiring him, but it seems he’s already hired.”

“No. I told you he was taking the case.”

“You said we were meeting with him about him taking the case. He’s one of the best in the city, and I’m not sure we can afford him, especially since he’s going to try and get half of what we’re asking for.”

I suddenly realized we didn’t see eye to eye on the case. “Do you want this to go to trial? To be long and drawn out? I know we’ve talked, and you said otherwise.”

She turned and glanced down the hall. “Have you told him?”

“Told him what?” I shrugged not sure which of the hundred things the case involved that I might have failed to mention. “He knows everything we told Susan. He’s prepared for this better than anyone, and he even has a look at the other side. We can’t lose.”

Sadie looked at me like I was daft. “You know damned good and well that’s not what I mean, Kya. Did you tell him about Addie?” She lowered her voice and glanced over her shoulder again. “You know, that she’s his daughter? Cause it sure seems like you didn’t.”

I knew she was right, but I still felt like baby steps were the way to go. He’d been out of sorts just finding out I had a child. He’d flip out knowing he had one too. “I’ll tell him. It’s just never the right time.”

“And what happens when he finds out you lied? It could backfire big time, Kya. Especially if you want to pursue something with him. He needs to know now.”

“Okay. I’ll tell him. I thought you wanted to come over and discuss the case and the next YouTube video, not what I should do about Leo.”

Sadie shrugged and moved to the edge of her seat. “Fine, I think he should go for more than half. I want Whit to pay, and Leo’s idea just feels like a slap. Besides, the asshole needs to do time.”

“I agree, but I don’t want my daughter or our careers, for that matter, to suffer a drawn-out court case in the public eye. You know how the press can be brutal. And look,” I gestured to the window where out in the street, the man was parked waiting for us to go out again. “That is only going to get worse.”

“You could have asked me about hiring him, and how are we paying?”

I got up and went to the kitchen to fix a drink. “He’s doing it for free, so stop worrying about that. Do you want something to drink?”

Sadie ignored my offer as she got up and followed me. “Free, huh? Let’s just hope he doesn’t take it out of your heart this time.”

“It’s different this time. We both realize our past mistakes and what a waste of time they were.” I poured her a glass of lemonade anyway, and she took it leaning against the counter with me where we stood to finish our conversation.

“Which is all the more reason to tell him about Addison before it’s too late. You’re lying to him, Kya. Every single day you don’t tell him is only going to add to the pain when he learns the truth.”

The truth hurt, and I took a long pull from my glass and closed my eyes. “I know you’re right, okay. I’ll look for the right time next time I see him, and I’ll tell him.” The thought of doing so scared me to death. I didn’t want to lose him again.

Sadie let out a long sigh. “I thought we’d covered the dos and don’ts of contour and highlighting. Someone’s got to tell these girls that putting a big glowing dot on the tips of their noses is only going to make them cross-eyed in a few years.”

“I’m with you, and thanks for keeping me straight too. I’ve just been so nervous with him back in my life. I mean, what if it’s just for a little while? I guess a part of me is afraid that if things don’t work out, it might not just be me with the broken heart.”

Addie walked through the door with three colors of blue nail polish she’d gotten from our bathroom. “Mama, will you let me paint each finger a different color?”

“Yes. But take that to the table before you drop it. I don’t want to clean up busted bottles from this tile.”

She headed to the table, and Sadie followed, picking a bottle from the collection. “Hey, I remember this one.” She held up a bottle of blue metallic that I’d bought on the road in Columbus, Ohio.

“That was a great show. I’d bought a metallic blue dress that matched, remember?”

“Yes, how could I forget spending an hour cutting slits in it to show off the fishnet body stocking you had on beneath it.” She laughed so hard, she snorted.

“It looked great. That’s before I had my baby body.” I slapped my hips and then rubbed Addie’s head.

She turned her head, glancing up at me with a smile.

Addie separated the bottles into groups. “I want to do these three.”

“I’ll do mine too,” said Sadie, “and if we’re lucky, we’ll get your mom to do hers. Then we’ll all match.”

“Can we go and show Leo our nails?” asked Addie bouncing in her seat.

“He’s probably working, sweet pea. We’ll have to wait and see if we see him again. Besides, you should probably take it easy since you’re not feeling well, remember?” Sadie and I exchanged a smile.

Sadie brushed the polish onto Addie’s tiny nail. “Do you like Leo?”

“He’s nice. He cut my chicken faster and smaller than Mama, and he’s handsome.” A little giggle chimed from her throat. “Do you think he likes me too?”

“I’m sure he loved you, kiddo.”

“Can I make him some cookies?”

Sadie frowned and looked up from her hand. “Hey, as long as you remember your Aunt Sadie’s sweet tooth, I’m good with that.”

“Maybe tomorrow. It’s Saturday.”

Addie’s eyes widened. “No school tomorrow too?”

“That’s right, you little faker, no school tomorrow too.” I gave her a wink, and the three of us laughed as Sadie finished painting her nails.

As I watched, I wondered if Addison had made as big an impression on Leo as he had on her.