“I gathered as much. When we came to pick up Amelia, it took some”—Ms. Bridges shot the teen a side-eyed look—“convincingto get her to tell us who her father was.”
Amelia scoffed as she reached for a cookie. “More like a threat.”
“It was a choice, Amelia. Let us investigate your father, or go to a group home.”
Amelia sort of looked like she wished she’d chosen the home. Whyhadshe chosen him? Linc frowned. “How did you know who I was?”
“Mom talked about you off and on.” Amelia lifted her chin, eyes back to challenge mode. “I didn’t know much. But I knew you didn’t ever want to be a dad.”
He jerked, heat rushing to his head. His temples throbbed. “That’s not?—”
Zoey cleared her throat, caught his eye. Shook her head as she nibbled the edge of a cookie.
He released the hot sigh building in his chest, counted to three as he leaned back against the wall. So Amelia knew about him—knew lies about him, at least—but he never knew about her. A few choice words fluttered through his mind about Kirsten. What was this, her last-ditch revenge? Make him the bad guy and then bail after thirteen years of lies?
Ms. Bridges reached for a cookie, then seemed to think better of it. “I know there’s a lot to process here, but the immediate point is you’re Amelia’s next—and only—kin that we’re aware of.”
“So tag? I’m it, just like that?” What was this, some kind of sick relay race? He couldn’t take care of a teenager.
But he also couldn’t abandon his kid like his father had abandoned him.
“Reuniting with family is usually the best course of action.” Ms. Bridges glanced at Amelia, who seemed like she only half-agreed. “Especially when compared to the state options.”
Hiskid, in a state home? This was all hitting much too close. He released another breath. “What are we talking about here? Watching her for a few weeks?” Linc’s throat tightened. He didn’t mean to sound harsh. But stringing words together had become a challenge.
“Watching me?” Amelia swung her legs around the chair, sat upright with a frown. “I’m not a television.”
He frowned back. “You prefer iPod?”
She blinked. “What the heck is an iPod?”
Aye. He shook his head. “You know what I mean. I’m just trying to wrap my mind around this.”
Ms. Bridges set her cup on the tray. “We’re not certain of Ms. West’s plan at this point. Like I said, she’s been unreachable, and there—” Her gaze darted to Amelia, then back to Linc. “—there are some unknowns right now.” She licked her lips, as if she wanted to say more but couldn’t. “But as far as you’re concerned, there’d be paperwork to complete. And we’ll need a court hearing if this goes on indefinitely. But your background check obviously cleared, and she?—”
Linc didn’t even hear the rest of the woman’s rambling sentence. He was stuck on that one word she casually dropped in her monologue.
Indefinitely.
Amelia’s backpack seemed to double in size from its perch on the floor. Indefinitely was an option? Would Kirsten do that? He didn’t know. Didn’t know her anymore.
Apparently never really had.
Zoey suddenly stood, grabbed the half-empty pitcher of water, and gestured to Amelia. “Want to help me in the kitchen? We can refill this—and maybe find some edible snacks.” She wrinkled her nose. “My bad on the cookies. They’re a work in progress.”
Amelia stood, brushed crumbs off her lap. “I know you’re just trying to get me out of the room, but I’m game if you have Doritos.”
“Probably won’t find any artificial dyes in this house.” Zoey widened her eyes knowingly at Linc, and he momentarily debated between expressing gratitude for her well-timed intervention or annoyance at her lack of health awareness. “But let’s check.”
“Good luck,” he called as they disappeared around the corner to the kitchen. He quickly moved to the recliner Amelia had vacated and leaned forward, bracing his arms on his knees. “What’s the part you’re not saying?”
Ms. Bridges brushed her hair out of her eyes and sighed. “Ms. West has been in some trouble lately, including jail time.”
Linc gripped his knees. “Jail?”
“She was released before anyone knew Amelia was home alone. There’s also been a history of drug and alcohol abuse. Amelia has been passed around to stay at various friends’ houses over the years, but since their recent move to Lafayette, she apparently hasn’t found anyone to pass Amelia off on for her…” Ms. Bridges cleared her throat. “Adventures.”
And he’d thought Kirsten was bad off when they broke up. “And Amelia knows all that?”
