Born to Be Badger (Honey Badger Chronicles #5)(104)
“I promised her, and she doesn’t want you doing it.”
“I’m her father.”
“It’s embarrassing!”
*
It took a while to locate the stairs that led to the finished basement. There they found a bowling alley, a movie room with a massive screen, and, off the hallway, a large laundry room that looked like a damn new age laundromat.
“This is amazing,” Tock said, clearly marveling at the rows of brand-new or nearly new machines in a variety of bright colors.
“I know. How much laundry could they possibly do here?”
“It’s a big pack. With a lot of pups.”
“None of which will play with my kid.”
Tock picked a washing machine and put Dani’s clothes in it, along with detergent and some softener.
“Your daughter doesn’t want to play with those kids anyway.”
“How do you know?”
She closed the door and punched a few buttons, setting the machine to wash.
When she faced him, she replied simply, “She’s an introvert.”
“No, she isn’t.”
“She punched that kid today because he wouldn’t stop bothering her while she was working. He definitely needs to learn the rules of consent, but most extroverts would have just gotten up and gone to play with other kids. Your daughter punched him because she just wanted to be left alone to work. That’s an introvert who is completely fine being alone with herself. She’s just like you.”
“What? I’m not an introvert. I like being around people.”
“Yeah, but you’re just as happy being on your own. And I get it. I’m an introvert. Mads is an introvert. Max and Streep are not introverts. And we don’t know what the hell Nelle is. She keeps her own counsel.” She tapped her watch. “You have to call Dani’s mother.”
“Oh. Right.”
Tock left as he dialed up Dani’s mom. While his ex warned him that she’d take his skin off “if anything happens to my baby,” Shay was shocked to see Tock come back with a notebook and a pencil case. She hopped onto a dryer, took out a pencil, sharpened it, and got to work.
Baffled, Shay muted his phone and said, “I thought you were going to bed.”
“I’m not tired. And I promised I’d get her clothes done tonight.”
“I can finish.”
“I promised.”
He didn’t know how to respond to that, and Dani’s mom was asking, “Are you even listening to me?” So he refocused his attention and took the phone off mute.
“I’m listening. She’ll be fine. But you and the boys should be careful, too. Until this . . . is over.”
His ex paused before asking. “Shay, are you okay?”
“Yeah. It’s just . . .”
“Dani’s going to be fine. There’s no one I trust more with my little girl than you and your brothers.”
“But I don’t want her in therapy for the next twenty years because Daddy was in a firefight.”
“Give the kid some credit. Our baby is kickass. As long as you and your brothers are protecting her, she’ll be just fine.” She laughed a little. “She does seem a little disappointed about math camp, though.”
“She is. But don’t worry. I’ve got friends keeping her busy with math problems. We’ll make sure she’s entertained.”
“Friends, huh? Would that be the impressive Tock?”
“Uh . . . what?” He glanced over and Tock was still writing in the notebook, so he moved a little farther away.
“You don’t know? Our kid is really impressed with her. She teaches Dani math, doesn’t like football either, and is apparently very cool.”
“It’s not what you think.”
“I am surprised to hear she’s a honey badger. You’d think they’d be too small for you.”
“It’s not what you think,” he repeated.
“Is it serious?”
“There’s nothing to be serious about.”
“It better be serious if you’re involving my kid. I don’t want her getting attached to your whores.”
“I don’t have that in my life.”
“You better not,” she said, almost singing the words. “Or I’m going to be pi-i-ssed.”
“You’re not going to be pissed because there’s nothing going on.”
“Dani says you like like her.”
“I’m hanging up now.”
“But, seriously, do you like like—”
Shay disconnected the call before the mother of his child could finish such a stupid statement.
“You okay?” Tock asked.
“I’m surrounded by crazy cats.”
“Also called family, but yeah.” She nodded. “You totally are.”
*
“So what do you think?”
Tock looked up from the math work she was creating for Dani. “What do I think about what?”
“About all of this.”
“Are you asking if I think we will now live in a world of misery and despair, forced never to see the sun again as we live by our wits and eat human flesh for sustenance? If that’s what you’re asking, then yes . . . that’s what I think will happen.”