Thorns & Roses

Marcus spent the rest of the day in a state of restless energy that had nothing to do with caffeine and everything to do with the memory of Zara's hand on his face, the heat in her eyes when she'd said "then have me."

He threw himself into unpacking boxes, assembling furniture, anything to keep his hands busy and his mind off the way she'd looked at him like he was something worth wanting. But every time he passed a window that faced the garden, he found himself pausing, remembering.

"You're being weird," Lily announced over dinner—takeout pizza because he still hadn't figured out Mae's ancient stove.

"I'm not being weird."

"You are. You keep staring out the window and you burned the coffee this morning. Twice."

Marcus took a bite of pizza to avoid answering. His twelve-year-old daughter was far too observant for his comfort.

"Is it because of that woman? The one who was here this morning?"

"Zara was helping me with the garden."

"Uh-huh." Lily's tone was skeptical. "Is she going to be here again tomorrow?"

"Probably."

"Good. Maybe she can teach you how to make actual food instead of ordering pizza every night."

Before Marcus could respond to that, his phone rang. Sarah's name flashed on the screen, and his good mood evaporated instantly.

"I should take this," he told Lily, stepping into the next room.

"Marcus." His ex-wife's voice was crisp, professional. The same tone she'd used during their divorce proceedings.

"Sarah. What's up?"

"I wanted to check on how Lily's settling in. She sounded upset when I talked to her yesterday."

Marcus felt his jaw tighten. "She's adjusting. It takes time."

"I'm sure it does. Moving to the middle of nowhere can't be easy for a child her age." There was a pause. "I've been thinking, Marcus. Maybe this wasn't the best decision."

"What wasn't?"

"This move. Taking her so far from everything she knows. From me."

The familiar guilt twisted in his stomach. "We discussed this, Sarah. You agreed—"

"I agreed because I thought you needed space to figure things out. But now I'm wondering if you're ready to be a full-time parent."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're living in a run-down house in a town where Lily doesn't know anyone. Where you don't know anyone. How is that better for her than staying here where she has friends, activities, stability?"

Marcus gripped the phone tighter. "She'll make friends. She'll find activities. And the house isn't run-down, it just needs work."

"Work you don't know how to do."

"I'm learning."

"Are you? Or are you too busy playing in the dirt with some local woman to pay attention to what your daughter needs?"

The words hit like a physical blow. "How did you—"

"Lily mentioned her. Said you've been spending a lot of time in the garden with someone named Zara." Sarah's voice turned calculating. "I'm sure she's very nice, Marcus, but Lily needs consistency right now. She needs to know she's your priority."

"She is my priority."

"Then prove it. Come home. Bring her back where she belongs."

The line went dead, leaving Marcus staring at his phone and feeling like he'd been sucker-punched. Through the doorway, he could see Lily picking at her pizza, her shoulders hunched in that way that meant she was upset about something.