“What’d he do?”
“He gave him a very large sum of money.”
My mouth dropped open.
My father vanished from my life because Cosmo gave him money?
“He, Cosmo, Dad…” I stuttered, composed myself and then went on, “Cosmo made it so my father didn’t even send me a birthday card, a graduation gift, a –?”
“Cosmo made no stipulations about you girls. Only Lydia. Your father chose to disappear from your life.”
This rocked me and my eyes moved to stare unseeing over his shoulder.
What a schmuck!
Of course, I already knew this but to have it confirmed totally stunk!
Lucien’s arms gave me a gentle squeeze.
“Leah?”
“What a schmuck,” I whispered.
“Leah.”
My gaze returned to him and I declared, “Men suck.”
His lips turned up at the ends. “Not all men.”
I wrinkled my nose and then stated, “No, you’re right. Avery seems relatively nice.”
His arms gave me an affectionate squeeze this time but I didn’t feel in the mood for affection.
“Do you know everything about me?” I asked snottily.
“Not everything, no. But most things, yes.”
“That’s not fair,” I declared.
His small grin got bigger. “Why’s that, pet?”
“I don’t know hardly anything about you.”
His hand twisted in my hair then started playing like we had all night and my aunties and Avery weren’t in the other room and Edwina wasn’t blustering around in the kitchen in a dither at how to feed twice as many people as expected.
“What would you like to know?” Lucien asked.
I looked over my shoulder at the door mumbling, “The aunties –”
Another arm squeeze and I looked back at him.
“What would you like to know?”
I had a million questions. No, a billion. Enough where the aunties would have to find ways to amuse themselves and breakdancing would no doubt commence.
“Lucien, we have company.”
“Two questions,” he returned.