“Peg, seriously, think about it. You wanted more.”

“Trent wanted it,” she hissed.

“Trent is the guy who knocked up his girlfriend. That’s it. Even with the minimal effort he put into winning his son, all of it at your demand, so all of it really for you, he’s always just been the guy who knocked up his girlfriend.”

“That’s not true,” she snapped.

“He’s the guy who knocked up his girlfriend,” I repeated quietly. “He’s only been playing at being a father because it made you happy.” I glanced swiftly at her kids. “And I think that hasn’t changed.”

She lifted her chin and reiterated, “That’s not true.”

I looked at her with her kids in my yard and saw bravado.

She was giving it her all.

But she couldn’t hide it.

Her husband, a recovering addict, had disappeared. She had a part-time job and two young kids.

She was terrified.

I knew that feeling.

Something moved over her face.

I braced.

“He emptied our bank account.”

Oh shit.

“Peg—” I began.

She tossed her hair again and spoke over me. “He was angry about the last visit we had here. We fought. He told me I was pushing too hard with Ethan and with him, whatever that means. How can you push a father too hard to be a father?”

It sucked that in that moment, I cared that it sucked for Peggy she was getting this wake-up call.

“He told me I needed to cool it because you were dating a police officer,” she kept going. “Then he became distant. Then he was just…” She threw out a hand. “Gone.”

I drew in breath.

Before I could speak, Merry did.

“It’s Ethan’s party. Your husband isn’t here. I completely understand how his recent behavior and him not coming home is concerning you, but as unkind as you might think this is, it’s Ethan’s day and we need to focus on Ethan. We’re all sorry that you’re going through this, but it’s highly unlikely your husband will show up here or contact Cher or Ethan. However, if he does, the only thing we can give you is our promise we’ll notify you. Other than that, your problems are yours, Mrs. Schott. You need to take them elsewhere.”

I thought that was kind of harsh, though it was all true and someone had to say it. And it was cool that Merry made it so it wasn’t me who had to be the bitch to get her gone so we could get back to my kid.

But as he said it, Peggy stared up at Merry. The instant he was done talking, she looked to me.

The bravado was gone.

The fear was everywhere, all over her face, in the line of her body, even shimmering in the air.

Her little boy felt it and started fretting.

“He might be using,” she whispered to me.

“Addicts do that,” I said carefully. “They mess up. But he’s been clean a long time, Peg. Maybe if you find him, you can get him back on the right road.”

“People at church are helping me. We’ve been trying. Looking everywhere. Where he used to go. Where they know people go. Talking to people who know where people are. We can’t find him,” she shared.

“I—” I began.

“Mrs. Schott,” Merry cut me off. “We got an eleven-year-old’s birthday party happening in that house. I’m sorry, but we need to get back to Ethan and you need to be on your way.”

She looked up at Merry, bouncing her boy up on her hip. He was about to lose it and start bawling, I could tell.

“But my husband has left me,” she told Merry.

“Do you have family? Friends?” Colt asked.

She looked to Colt. “Of course.”

“Then go home and call them.”

She looked beyond Colt to my house. “I was sure he’d be here.”

It was sad—those two kids of hers—tragic, even.

But she’d been married to him for years and she didn’t know Trent at all, which meant Merry was right.

Her problems were hers.

“I gotta get back to Ethan, Peg, but I’ll help you get the kids in the car before I do. Okay?” I offered.

Her eyes drifted to me.

They were brimming with tears.

Shit.

“We got her. You get in there.”

I turned my head and saw Dusty and Rocky moving our way.

Cal was in the yard not too far from Merry and Colt. Mom, Tanner, and Mike were standing on the stoop. Ryker was also in the yard, arms crossed on his chest, looking grouchy. Ryan wasn’t too far away, looking like he was trying to keep some distance from Ryker but also be close to me should I need him.

Rocky went right to Peg’s son on her hip.

Dusty went after the stroller.

And I took that moment to glory in another boon. Not one Merry gave me. One I’d earned myself.

I had really fucking awesome friends.

(Yes, even Ryker.)

“Now, let’s get you in your van,” Rocky urged.

“Go,” Dusty ordered me, commandeering the stroller and turning it down the walk. “Get on in there. Light up the candles. We’ll have our cake when we get back. But save opening the presents. That’s always the best part.”

I nodded, the movement feeling weird, wooden. At first, I didn’t know why.

Watching Rocky bounce Trent’s possibly now fatherless son on her hip while she guided a lost Peggy to her van, following Dusty, I figured it out.

I knew her fear.

And I wasn’t Peg’s biggest fan, but I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.

I looked up at Merry and opened my mouth.

He got in my face.

“Do not go soft on me,” he ordered low.

I closed my mouth.

Just a look. That was all it took.

Jeez, when did he get to know me so well?

“Her bed she made,” he stated.

“But—”

“Monday, I’ll make some calls, do some searches, ask around. If I hear anything, I’ll tell you and you can tell her. I don’t hear anything, I’ll talk to some buds. They’ll keep their eyes peeled. Anyone sees him, they’ll tell me, I’ll tell you, and you can tell her. That’s what I’ll do for Ethan. He’s gonna worry. And since I’m doin’ that for Ethan, I’ll be doin’ it for her. But that’s all I’m gonna do, Cher.”

“I’ll take it,” I replied immediately.

He nodded and muttered, “Let’s get your kid some cake.”

“Yeah,” Ryker boomed. “It’s time for fuckin’ cake.” Then he uncrossed his arms and stalked through Mike and Tanner on my stoop, into my house.

I took one last look toward Dusty, Rocky, and Peggy.

With so many people at my party, the van was down a ways. Rocky and Dusty were strapping in her kids. Peggy was standing on the sidewalk like she didn’t know where she was.

Merry’s arm went around my neck.

He turned me and guided me toward the house, repeating, “Don’t go soft.”

I looked up at him. “You think she can get home?”

“She’s a mom. When she gets behind the wheel, that’ll kick in.”

I knew that was likely true.

Time to focus not on Peggy but on my kid.

“Super stoked you didn’t let me talk you out of the Colts tickets, babe,” I declared. “After this shit, Ethan’s gonna need something awesome to turn his mind.”

This did not make Merry feel any better. I could tell by his jaw going hard, his cheek ticking, and his angry gaze slicing to Colt, who was walking back to the house with us.

Colt also didn’t seem to feel relief that scene was over.

Then again, Colt was a new(ish) dad and Merry was a very new dad-like figure.

I’d been a mother for eleven years and three days.

If something threatened to turn my son’s day to shit, that day was important or not…

No problem.

I had this.

(But the Colts tickets were gonna help.)

(Huge.)

* * * * *

“I wanna talk about it now,” Ethan demanded.

The partygoers were in the living room save me, Mom, Merry, Colt, Feb, Cal, Vi, and Ethan’s seemingly now ever-extending family through Merry—Tanner, Rocky, Dave, Mike, and Dusty.

Little Jack was in the living room with big Jack and Jackie.

Cal had a hold of his daughter, Angela; Mimi had Vi and Cal’s son, Sam, in the other room.