Page 71 of Burning Embers
Her eyes widen, and she looks at Molly and back to Marcus. “She’s your daughter?” she asks Marcus, confused.
I cross my arms. “Please, tell me you didn’t say she was your niece again?”
The girl lets go of his arm. “He did, I’m so sorry,” she replies, looking uncomfortable.
“Sara, I’ll explain it later—don’t look like that,” he says, grabbing her around the waist.
“Marcus, tonight?” I seethe.
“Oh, yeah, sorry, something’s come up—work.”
“Olly, would you do me a favour and take Molly to get a drink?”
He eyes me for a beat then nods. “Come, Molly, let’s go get a milkshake.” He tickles her side, and she giggles, not even throwing a backwards glance towards her father.
“Marcus, you don’t just get to dump her whenever the mood takes you. She’s your daughter, for crying out loud.” How I manage to keep my voice to a respectable level is beyond me.
“I know, but it’s networking. Come on, Rach, I need to earn a living,” he says, holding up his palms.
“No, Marcus, it’s not.”
He rolls his eyes. “If we were together, you’d look after her anyway. There’s no difference.”
I let out a howl of laughter. Is he fucking kidding me right now? “I take care of her because that’s what a parentdoes. The way you think it’s acceptable to palm her off like you have no responsibilities isn’t acceptable.”
His eyes dart around. What, is he worried I’m drawing attention to us? I couldn’t give a shit. “Whatever, Rach. You never used to be such a bitch.”
I have to clench my fists to refrain from doing something I’ll regret.
“Now, I’m sure I must have misheard you,” says a familiar male voice from behind me. I turn my head as Charlie comes to stand beside me.
“Come on, let’s go,” Marcus says to Sara, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him.
“Wait, Marcus, I need her booster seat. Mine is in my car.”
He looks over his shoulder, and I’m expecting him to be difficult, but he nods.
“Thanks,” I say, turning to Charlie.
“I didn’t do anything,” he replies, smiling.
“You did enough. Where’s Soph?”
He points her out—standing beside Olly while Felicity and Nate make a fuss of Molly and Selene. “He sent you over, didn’t he?”
“Yeah, it was either that, or he was going to come back over himself.” I kick at the grass. “Is everything all right?” he asks, cupping my upper arm.
“Marcus is more difficult than usual.”
He nods and stares back in the direction of Olly. “Funny how that happens when your interest lay elsewhere, isn’t it?”
I smile and catch Olly’s attention. His eyes roam over my body, and I can’t hide the blush working its way into my cheeks.
“Just don’t let him come between you two—you’ve got a good thing going on. Don’t let him ruin it.” I tuck my arm in the crook of Charlie’s elbow and go to join our friends, annoyed that, yet again, Marcus has put his selfish needs before our daughter. And now I have to let down Olly and cancel any plans he had for tonight.
When we reach the group, Olly doesn’t hesitate in pulling me into his body. “Will you and Molly stay over?”
I look up, ready to say no, but the way his eyes hold mine makes it difficult for me to refuse. “We’d love to,” I reply going on tip-toes to kiss him on his lips.
