Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 175

"What about basketball?" she asks.

"Huh?"

"Basketball," She says flatly. She does the dribbling motion.

He grimaces. "Oh." He sits up a little straighter. "Well about that... my brothers actually prefer that one so..."

"Well, as you can see we are black people, so..." She bats her eyes.

Silence. And Michael called me the brat.

"Walmart boy!" Charlie cheers without warning, somehow at the perfect time.

Carson's spirits return again. "Oh yeah." He smiles. "That's where we met, right?"

Charlie nods.

"How have you been, little buddy?" Carson reaches over to give him a high five.

"Awesome!" Charlie cheers, high fiving him back. "How are you?"

Uh oh, I know where this is going. I try to warn Carson, but it's too late.

"Good. Thanks for asking," he says, leading to his doom.

"Legos?" Charlie asks with big, cheerful eyes.

Carson's happiness turns to confusion. "I'm... I'm sorry?"

Charlie's face falls. "You came from Walmart..." His eyes narrow. "You don't have legos?"

Carson looks at me quickly, then back at Charlie, then back at me. "You didn't say I needed to bring legos." He stares at me wide-eyed.

"You don't," I say. Michael gives me an, 'Are you sure?' expression.

Like clockwork, "Mia," Charlie cries, dropping out of his seat and running to my side. He reaches for me to pick him up.

I sigh and do as he wants, pulling him into my arms. "Charmander, he didn't know you wanted legos. Give him a break."

"I'll bring them next time." Carson smiles uneasily.

"There won't be a next time." Charlie glares over my shoulder. "Liars get their footsies hurt with legos, Carson."

"Charlie." I think we all gasp at that one, especially Carson.

Mom gives Charlie a look. "What did I tell you about threatening people's footsies with legos?"

That sends Charlie into more hysterics. "Make him go away," he cries in my arms. "He has nothing to offer us!"

"You don't make orders," Charlie says, but he's partially hiding behind Megan. I'm once again reminded of how tall Carson is. He's towering over them. But without having to tell him, it's like he gets that. He bends down as best as he can and looks Charlie in the eyes. "You're right. Can we play with them here, so that we can all still be together while we're playing?"

Charlie glares at him and reluctantly nods. "Okay, but I won't pay you."

Carson chuckles. "Alright. Pay me with kindness."

"He said he's not paying you," Megan grumbles.

Carson gives me a look, but stands up all the same to help them. I go to follow, but Mom stops him immediately.

"Kids, you go get the legos." She looks at me. "Stay here. Michael will help them."

Uh oh.

Michael nods and leads the kids away quickly. Carson and I are the only ones left. I expect her to say something immediately, but she just stirs the pot for a while. Slowly. Very showly.

"Mrs. Jones," Carson starts.

Oh lord. I resist the urge to cover his mouth. What more could he have to say? What more could go wrong? It's not even his fault, that's the sad part.

"I'm under the impression that you don't like me for some reason," he says.

"Oh, that." She wipes her hands off on her apron before turning towards him. "That's just cause, word on the street is," she tries to do a thug walk horribly.