Page 29 of The Fear (The Hillers of Barratt County #7)

Brenton looked at Marie and made sure she was paying attention to what he had to say.

He adored this woman, and had from the moment he had met her.

He had long wondered what had gone wrong with Jessica that she hadn’t taken much after her mother, except physically.

“I don’t care what Jessica said—you are their grandmother, you will have a relationship with them.

Even if that means it’s just at my house.

I get a say in who they see, too. Jessica was just pis—angry—” he didn’t curse in front of his former mother-in-law.

It had always upset her. But sometimes he forgot.

“Jessica was just angry you called her out.”

“The stove was molded. I’ve seen dishes mold, but the entire front of the stove had mold growing on it. I don’t know what she’s thinking. She has time to clean it up. I just don’t know why she won’t.”

Because she was probably drunk all the time when she didn’t have the kids. Brenton knew how Jessica operated. A low buzz was her favorite resting place. She’d told him several times that alcohol took the edge off, made her forget the memories of her past traumas.

He called bullshit. He knew what her past was like—and had heard from several sources.

Jessica had no real past traumas, she just made things up at times.

Her parents were good parents—and Jessica’s older brother and younger sister had both turned out just fine.

They were good people he was glad to still call friends.

Other than the kids—Marie, Garth, Jackson and Janie were all the family Brenton had in this world.

Jessica was a spoiled bitch who hadn’t deserved the family she’d gotten.

She’d mistreated her younger sister for years as a teenager—always when her parents couldn’t see.

Janie was a phenomenal woman now, nothing like her sister at all.

She was just a little shy at times. Insecure, probably because of Jessica.

But, come hell or high water, Marie and Garth were damned fine grandparents. They adored Wynnie and BJ and Brenton hated how Jessica used that to manipulate her parents into giving her what she wanted. Especially money.

She’d had a nice childhood, she’d had a small college fund, and parents who were involved in her life. And she’d blown it all by partying like an idiot.

Brenton should have seen through her back then, but he’d been young and stupid and in love with the idea of having a family.

When they’d had Wynnie almost two years later, he’d thought they’d hit pay dirt.

But by the time BJ was born—he’d known he’d made a stupid ass mistake.

But he’d tried to tough it out for the kids.

To actually work on his marriage. Jessica had given him some pretty good lip service then—telling him how she really wanted to be the kind of wife and mother he wanted her to be.

Bullshit.

All he’d asked for was that they handled things fairly and that she put the kids’ needs in proper perspective. He’d tried to split chores evenly—especially for the kids—and made sure he did his part. And gave her time for herself every single time she asked.

Until Logan Curtis had shown up. As soon as her ex from high school had shown up, she’d dumped Brenton fast. Then Curtis had dumped her after some bullshit about her hitting on local guys every chance she had.

He’d been battling with her ever since. For his kids.

There was nothing Brenton wouldn’t do for his kids. Nothing at all.

“Listen, Marie, you and Garth come over tonight. I am only on half a shift. We’ll get hamburger patties and those cheesy hotdogs the kids like.

A guy at work gave me a bike for Wynnie today—I just need new training wheels to put on it.

And I still have her old one that will fit her brother.

We’ll teach them how to ride them together.

Maybe see if Jackson and Janie want to come over.

We’ll have a fun night for the kids. For the family. ”

The tension around her eyes eased. Jessica always used access to the kids as a weapon against her mother. Because she knew it was effective. Brenton would never do that to his kids, or their grandparents.

When would that woman’s games ever end?