Hazel’s voice was hard as diamonds. At least the sobbing had stopped. When Zoey first walked into the kitchen an hour ago, her daughter was purple faced with fury and soaked in tears. She’d railed at the top of her lungs against her mother, and Mike, and anyone else she could think of. Now she was settling into a quiet, cold rage. Zoey wasn’t sure which was worse.

She’d poured herself a mug of coffee, resisting the temptation to drink it straight from the pot. She let Hazel get everything off her chest, nodding and making small sounds of sympathy and regret. Talking would have been pointless while Hazel was raging. Besides, Zoey was still in shock from the whiplash of laughing with Mike one moment, proclaiming her love for him...and then seeing Hazel’s face when she opened the door. Mike had been swinging his shorts over his head like a cowboy swinging a lasso, stark naked in the middle of the morning. While she cheered him on, naked in bed. She dropped her head into her hands, muttering her words through her fingers.

“Your dad is on his honeymoon this week, so you’re stuck with me.”

She didn’t even want to think about that conversation. Chris would be angry, which was understandable. She shuddered...would he use it to try to change the custody arrangement? He’d never been that kind of guy, but with Hazel so determined to live with him, he could take advantage. Hopefully things would cool down by the time he got back.

“I’ll go to Sienna’s then.” Hazel’s voice was firm. “I am not staying here.”

Zoey raised her head, taking in Hazel’s defiant stance, her arms folded tightly, chin high, eyes puffy and red. Hazel was trying to assert some control into the situation. Zoey understood, but she had to be the mom. Maybe a bad one, but she was still the mom.

“You are staying here. This is your home.”

“Won’t I be in the way of all your naked games with Mike? No wonder you defended Sienna’s mom so much—you were doing the same exact thing, sneaking around without telling me. You probably have more fun when I’m not around anyway, so why—”

“Stop it!” Zoey stood, waving her forefinger. “Don’t you ever think I don’t want you here. I love you. You’re angry. I deserve it. I screwed up. But what happened with Mike and me has nothing to do with my love for you, and does not change the fact that this is your home. I promise you that.”

“Yeah, right. Just like this is my year. You promised me that, too, remember?” Her voice was mocking. “And the whole time, you and Mike McKinnon were slinking around and humping each other...” Her face screwed up in disgust. “So gross. Why should I ever believe you again?”