Page 46 of Whiskey and Regret

“Fine,” I gritted out, pushing against him as much as I could. I knew my one hundred and six-pound body couldn’t budge his. A smirk popped to life in his eyes but it never reached his lips.

Ding dong!

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Kitchen.” He let me move and I threw a mental tantrum on my way back.

“Everything okay?” Frankie quizzed, taking in my fuming expression and tightly drawn features. “Mom didn’t say something to you, did she?”

“No, everything is fine,” I assured her, sitting at the island. She watched me for a few more seconds before nodding and setting a breakfast plate at the table for her mother.

“Francesca!” Alexis smiled and held out her arms for Frankie. “Why aren’t you ready to go? Where is your stuff?”

“Mom, look. I made you some breakfast. Come on, sit down for a minute.”

“Please, sit, Alexis. You did say you’d talk with all three of us.” Evander walked into the kitchen buttoning his shirt up. I didn’t miss the way Alexis’s hungry brown eyes ate him up.

Hewasa damn snack though.

“You can’t cover yourself while Frankie’s here?” She barked at him. Her demeanor turned from warm and open to ice and closed off.

“I’m fully clothed,” he answered.

“Sure you are. What did you just get finished doing, Van?”

“Eating breakfast.”

Alexis shot daggers at Evander while Frankie stood with a plate in her hand, waiting for her mother to stop railing into her father.

“Looks like you just got finished fucking the nanny. She’s dressed for the part. You let all your employees wear shit like that?”

“Mom, can you not?” Frankie almost whispered, holding her head down. The only thing that stopped me from firing back at Alexis was the embarrassed look on Frankie’s face. I didn’t want to add insult to injury, so I forced a tight grin on my face.

“What?” Alexis turned to face her daughter. “I don’t want her around you when she’s dressed like a bum off the street.”

“You know damn well I’m not dressed like a bum off the street,” I scoffed. “I mean seriously. A bum could never.”

“Can you please eat breakfast and just talk?” Frankie begged her mother.

“Have a seat, Alexis. You’re not going to come in here and ruin everything. I’m not letting you get out of this conversation.” I didn’t notice Evander had the forms from Frankie’s school until he sat them on the island.

“I don’t have as much time as I thought. We gotta go. Come on baby, put that food down.” She glanced at the plate and frowned, “I’m not eating that. It looks like the incompetent nanny made that shit.” Shock swept Alexis’s face when Frankie set the plate down and rushed upstairs in tears.

“Alexis, so help me god… If you don’t sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up we’re going to have problems your lawyer can’t get you out of.” Evander’s voice was low and angry. I wasn’t used to hearing him lose his cool like that.

“What…what happened? Did I miss something?” Alexis stammered.

“I said sit down! I’m tired of dealing with your childish ass. Now I have to go play peacemaker and try to fix the damage you’ve done to our child.”

“Hey, I’ll go,” I said softly, placing my hand between Evander’s shoulder blades. His body relaxed beneath my touch and it made my chest squeeze. I had that effect on him. As much as I annoyed him, he relaxed when I touched him.

“You sure?” His eyes turned kind when he stared at me.

“Yeah. You stay here and talk.” My eyes darted to Alexis. She was fuming.

I didn’t have time to swipe at her the way I wanted. Instead, I went upstairs to Frankie’s room. I walked over and leaned against the closet doorway, watching while she tossed things in a bag to go over her mother’s house.

“You taking some new stuff over there?” I asked.