Caught by You by Jennifer Bernard

when it came to getting what she wanted.
    â€œDonna.” Mike caught up with her with a hand on her shoulder. Mike Solo, the cause of her current disaster. She rounded on him.
    â€œThis is all your fault. You took a vow !”
    He drew back, frowning. “And I kept it. We kissed, that’s all. What’s going on here, Donna? I feel like I’m missing a piece of the puzzle.”
    â€œI knew I should stay away from you.”
    He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking miserable. “I’m sorry. Really. I didn’t mean to cause a problem for you.”
    And still he lingered, as if afraid to leave her alone. He glanced around the neighborhood, which she suddenly saw through his eyes. Broken glass scattered on the uneven concrete beneath a lamppost, a wrecked car resting on rusted rims, still parked at the curb. No one cared enough to tow it away. “You can leave, Solo. I know my way around my own town.”
    â€œSorry, babe. I’m not leaving you like this. If you don’t know that much about me by now, you haven’t been paying attention.”
    She knew that. Of course she knew that. He’d stood up to the Wades for her. No one had ever done something like that for her before. Suddenly all her fire evaporated. Who was she kidding? Mike had done nothing wrong. She’d teased him, going on about the closet, taking things in the flirtation direction. She’d wanted to kiss him; she had kissed him. She’d wanted more, much more.
    She buried her head in her hands, incredulous that she’d screwed things up this much, this quickly. “It’s my fault, completely my fault. Bonita was right. I’m impulsive and irresponsible. I’ll always be the fuckup. And I wouldn’t even mind, because it’s kind of fun being the fuckup, but Zack . . .” Her throat closed up with fear. If she lost Zack because she couldn’t keep her hands off Mike Solo, she’d hate herself forever.
    â€œZack what? What does this have to do with Zack?”
    â€œEverything.”

 
    Chapter 8
    A T FIRST M IKE couldn’t completely make sense of the story Donna told. Zack, Harvey, Bonita, the judge, the Wades; it all blended together. Finally he settled her into his Land Rover and told her to stay put while he retrieved his laundry. Then he drove her to the Smoke Pit BBQ. Her blood sugar needed some help, he figured. A giant platter of ribs, fries, and coleslaw ought to do it.
    â€œSo you’re trying to convince the judge that you’ve changed and are ready to take custody of Zack?”
    â€œSort of. I never signed away my parental rights. It was an informal agreement and I’ve been a consistent part of Zack’s life all along, unlike Harvey. So I should be able to take Zack now. That’s why Bonita has to do underhanded things like catch me necking with a Catfish. If she can prove that I’m not fit, then she and Harvey could get custody.”
    â€œWhat about the Hannigans? Where do they stand?”
    â€œThey’re staying out of it, mostly. They’re ready to let someone else raise Zack. If I’d just gotten my shit together earlier, before Harvey met Bonita . . .” She shook her head angrily, pushing ribs around on the platter. “Bonita’s the one pushing for full custody. Harvey wouldn’t mind split custody, or even visitation. He’s an easy-­come, easy-­go sort of guy. If Zack wasn’t around for a while, he might wonder what the kid was up to. That’s about as far as it goes with Harvey.”
    Mike could already tell he didn’t like Harvey, and he hadn’t even met him yet. “Okay, I think I get the picture. But do you really think a kiss is going to make you look unfit?”
    â€œMaybe not. I don’t know.” Looking wretched, she took a long sip of her iced tea. “It’s the Wades, you see,” she explained. “Bonita is a second cousin or