Bucking Bear (Pounding Hearts 3)

“Mommy!” Hope calls out and tries to yank out of his grip.

His eyes flick towards me and then he smiles at the teacher, nodding goodbye to her before he leads Hope down the steps.

“Grace,” he smiles at me but it’s a cold smile, all for show.

“What are you doing here?” I ask as he just leads Hope past me.

“Not here,” he says simply and I follow closely on his heels, not sure if I should make a scene and demand he hand her over or not. It’s not his day, he has no right to take her.

Thankfully he leads Hope to my car.

He pulls on the handle and then looks at me expectantly when it doesn’t open.

“Mommy,” Hope whines and I hit my clicker, unlocking the door for him.

“It’s okay, honey,” I smile at Hope. “I’m going to talk to your father and then we’re going to go to the park, okay?”

Hope looks unsure, torn between frowning at her father and my offer of the park. Carson is oblivious though, he pulls open the door and ushers her inside. He doesn’t even help her with her seatbelt before shutting the door.

“What the hell, Carson?” I hiss under my breath low enough she can’t hear. Through the window I can see her wiggling into her seat and doing up her seatbelt herself.

He turns towards me but ignores my question. Looking off at the school building, his lips twist with distaste. “Couldn’t you do a little better, Grace?”

I cross my arms over my chest defensively. “What do you mean?”

He waves his hand dismissively at the school. “This place is a dump.”

I know the outside of the building is a little worn down, and some of the classroom stuff is a bit old, but, “It’s actually a very nice school, the best I can afford. They focus on building self-confidence and use positive reinforcement.”

“I observed the class, Grace. There was no focus on academics. The children were allowed to roam as they pleased. All they did was have story time and play. Oh, and one little boy ate paint.”

I let out a long sigh. “They learn through play, they’re only four…”

“And they should be teaching them to sit still, not letting them run around as they please,” he snaps. “Hope is constantly bouncing around. It’s irritating.”

I bite my lip. He just doesn’t get it.

Then he tells me, “I want to enroll her in Lakeside Country Day.”

Ugh, I’ve looked into that place. It’s a ritzy private academy that costs like eight grand a year. But it’s not even the cost that bothers me. They’re very focused on academics and discipline. They train the children to sit behind desks and the school work is very rigid.

I shake my head.

“If it’s the cost you’re worried about, I’m willing to pay for it.”

“It’s not the cost…”

“Then what is it?” he asks impatiently.

I narrow my eyes at him. “It’s not what I want for her.”

“Don’t you want the best for her?”

Where does he get off? I really don’t want to start a fight with him here in the parking lot, in front of the other parents, but I have to say it. “You haven’t been around at all, until the past couple of months, and now you’re finally taking an interest in her education?”

We have a stare off.

“Mommy,” Hope whines from inside the car.