“Where are you going?” he asked, seeing Zoey about to go to Creed’s house instead of theirs.
“I need to talk to him that he has the wrong idea. It’s not a date. He’s meeting Kristen.”
Stump, picking Hannibal back up, lagged behind her long enough to leave a small gift on Creed’s lawn before going inside the house. Then he barred the door with his body only to see Zoey already had her phone out. Reaching for the phone, he barely managed to snatch it away before she could call Creed.
“Let that asshole find out for himself.” He held Hannibal up to keep her from fighting for her phone.
Taking the dog from him, she sat Hannibal down on the ground, giving him his favorite bone to play with before wiggling her fingers in front of his face. “You owe me twenty dollars.”
“What happened to ten?”
“You’re not learning. Obviously, it’s going to have to hurt to make you change your bad habits. And go wash your hands before you pay me.”
Going to the bathroom to make her happy, he washed up. When he was done, he came out reaching for his wallet and placed a twenty on the palm of her hand. “If Penni hadn’t hired me full-time, I wouldn’t be able to afford you.”
Zoey tucked the twenty into her wristband before plastering herself against him. “If you run out of cash, I’m willing to take payment out in trade.”
Stump lifted her off her feet to meet his amused gaze as he carried her toward the bedroom. “I can think of a few things to further your education.”
“Like what?”
“I’m pretty good at fixing plumbing.”
“Patrick replaced all the plumbing before I rented the house from him.”
“I can teach you how to build a computer.”
“I prefer to buy mine already put together.” She giggled when he dropped her onto the bed.
Placing his hands on either side of her head, he gave her a lingering kiss before standing up to open the closet, furiously waving his hand to show her that no one was inside. Then he smiled when she giggled again, sitting up on an elbow as she watched him go to the bedroom door.
“I can teach you anything you want to know about sex,” he said, reaching for the doorknob.
“That could be interesting, and something I could use.” Zoey suggestively patted the bed.
“I’m ecstatic we can find something that will benefit us both. I didn’t want to say anything, but you’ve developed quite a few bad habits yourself.”
“I have?” Zoey’s eyes went slumberous.
“You have,” he mocked, swinging the door closed. “Don’t worry; this isn’t going to hurt… too much.”
Epilogue
Dear Mom,
I don’t know how to start this letter. It seems like I’ve been writing to you forever and waiting for a reply that never came. I hope this letter reaches the right person this time.
Every time I start to write this letter, I have to start over because I don’t know how to begin. I decided to begin by introducing myself.
My name is Zoey, and I think I’m your daughter.
My husband and I sent a DNA test off, and it came back with these results that I’m placing in the envelope with my letter. I didn’t really expect to find you. I had given up hope a long time ago, and truthfully, I was afraid you wouldn’t want me or that you were dead. What I didn’t expect to find was that I have been missing since I was two years old. That I had been taken when you left me with a friend who was babysitting for you.
You were a single mother, working two jobs to keep a roof over our heads, and when you came back to pick me up, I was gone with your friend.
Stump, my husband, thinks the babysitter was killed by the man I believed to be my father. He raised me to think that you didn’t want me, and sadly, I didn’t know better.
He’s no longer alive, so he won’t be held responsible for his crimes. I do believe justice will be served on him, though. Karma is a witch, and he hurt enough women, so he has several years of bad Karma to atone for.
I would like to meet you, but if you don’t want to meet me, I understand. I know you’re married to my real father and have other children. I’m glad something good came out of my disappearance, and that it drew you and my father back together again.
Stump is sending this box to you with this letter and the others I have written to you. He’s sending it return receipt requested, this way, I’ll know as soon as it’s delivered.
I noticed a park across the street from you when we arrived in Carolina Beach, so I’ll be waiting there if you want to meet me. I’ll be waiting….”