I hit send and tuck my phone back into my pocket.

“I have to go.”

Right before I turn on my heel, he grabs my shoulder. “I noticed in meetings when you’re not paying attention to Gia, she looks at you like you hang the moon in her world. Ask her out, Gunz.”

Darien has always been a family man, wanting a wife and kids. He’s been a lot happier since he divorced his druggie ex-wife and married Alana a year ago.

“Darien?”

“What?”

“Shut the fuck up.” I smile.

* * *

I’m getting my ass handed to me by a twelve-year-old in a game of Mortal Kombat. I decided to take Cora to Dave and Buster’s instead of home. I called Rylee multiple times, but she hasn’t picked up. It isn’t the first time she forgot about Cora. Last month, she left Cora at her school until five and I had to pick her up. When I confronted Rylee about it, she had some bullshit excuse that she lost track of time.

“Ha, in your face like toothpaste.” Her auburn ponytail sways back and forth as she fist-pumps the air. The brightly colored bracelets dangle around her wrist.

“For a twelve-year-old, you do talk a lot of sh—crap,” I say as we walk through the sea of people. This place is the adult version of Chuck E. Cheese. They have an arcade for kids, but they also cater to adults, having a bar and pool tables. I want to drink but refrain from it with Cora around.

“You’re just mad because you got your hiney beat.” She tugs on my arm toward a game where you throw balls at a clown. We’ve been here pretty much all day, and I’m ready to go to my condo so I can have a drink and catch up on some work I missed from last week.

“Tuxedo, are you okay?” She slides the power point card through the holder, then tucks it in her pocket. The clowns pop up on the shelves and she grabs a ball, throws it, and misses a clown.

“Yeah.” I rub the back of my neck.

“We can go after this game.”

“No. I’m fine.” I grab a white ball and toss it at the clown.

“Are you ashamed of me?” she asks out of the blue. Sadness colors her face. The game is over, and she grabs her tickets and stuffs them in a large empty cup from the table. “Because Momma said that you are, and that’s why you won’t take me to meet Alana.”