Instant Daddy by Carol Voss Page A

And she’d played right into his hands.
    “See Papa?”
    “Yes, honey. Papa will make Mama feel better.” Too bad her problems had been too big for a very long time for her dad to chase them away with a pat on the head or a kiss on the cheek.
    Spotting him on the patio working, tears she’d been too angry to let fall spilled over and ran down her face.She swiped at them. Jake didn’t need to see her cry on top of everything else. She needed to bathe him and get him into bed before she let herself fall apart.
    Her dad looked up, his smile fading. “What’s wrong, Jess?”
    She pressed her fingers to her lips to stifle a sob.
    Jake lunged for his grandfather, spreading his arms to be held.
    He took him, his eyes still on Jessie.
    “Pedo bad.” Jake stuck out his bottom lip.
    Dad hugged Jake to him and frowned at Jessie. “What happened?”
    Stifling another sob, Jessie shook her head and pointed at Jake.
    “Jake, your toys have been waiting for you in the sandbox. Think you should tell them hello?”
    Jake’s little face brightened. “Down, Papa.”
    Jessie’s dad helped him slide to the ground.
    Jake ran across the yard to the sandbox, climbed in and plopped in the sand, jabbering to his toys.
    Her father stood and opened his arms.
    Stepping into them, Jessie blubbered against his shoulder as if her heart would break.
    He patted her back and let her cry.
    She glanced at Jake. Hopefully, he was too absorbed with his toys to notice her crying jag. When she was able to stop the tears, she reached to grab tissues from the box on the nearby table and set about mopping her face and blowing her nose.
    “What happened?” Dad asked. “Peter was in a good mood when I sent him to the lake to find you and Jake.”
    “I’ll just bet he was. He thought he had everything wrapped up in a neat little package.” Glancing at Jake,she lowered her voice even further. “I tried to give Peter the benefit of the doubt, and he thought he had me totally wrapped around his little finger. The man is insufferable, Dad. He even had the nerve to ask for my input on hiring a…a… nanny. ”
    A new surge of tears wound their way down her cheeks. She dabbed at them. “He bought a new condo. He’s been making plans to take Jake to live with him. As soon as we can transition him.” She shook her head. “ Transition him? Over my dead body. I’ve been naive and stupid to think he would do what was best for Jake.”
    “What did you tell him?”
    “That I’d never hand Jake over to him. Period.”
    Dad frowned. “Do you think he’ll take you to court?”
    “Court?” Fear clutched her. She’d been so angry and upset, she hadn’t considered Peter could fight for custody and probably win. How could she protect Jake then? She pressed her palm to her forehead. “I don’t know,” she whispered.
    “When you told him you wouldn’t hand Jake over, how did he react?”
    “She didn’t give me a chance to react.” Peter strode from the driveway as if he had a right to be here.
    How arrogant could the man be to show up after what he’d done? Jessie’s gaze darted to Jake.
    Jake looked up, obviously recognizing Peter’s voice.
    Poor little boy. He’d already had more emotional upheaval tonight than he should be expected to handle. She strode to the sandbox, picked him up and hurried into the house.
     
    “Jessie,” Peter hollered. How could he make her understand if she kept running away from him? He strode after her.
    “Let her go, Peter.” Jessie’s dad used an authoritative tone Peter hadn’t heard before.
    Stopping mid-stride, he turned to him. “I need to talk to her.”
    Max shook his head. “Jake doesn’t need to hear any more.”
    Peter blew out a breath. “You’re right.”
    “Jess is too upset to listen right now, anyway.”
    “But I need to make her understand.”
    Jessie’s dad gave him a grim look. “You’ve made arrangements to take Jake to live with you?”
    “Part of the time.”
    Max scowled. “Do