Chapter 2The Terms and Conditions

Leo left, reluctantly.

At dinner that night, Zoe was sighing dramatically. I put a spoonful of broccoli on her plate, which only made her face scrunch up more.

"Mom, why weren't you more careful when you were picking out a dad for me?" she grumbled, poking at her food. "Did you only care about his face?"

"I was young and wasn't thinking clearly," I said, reflecting on my past choices.

"Is he going to keep bothering me?"

"Hard to say," I mused. "He definitely didn't want a kid back then, but people change when they get older."

"He just doesn't seem very bright. I'm worried my friends at school will see us together and ask who he is."

I thought her concern was a bit misplaced. Kids are way more focused on looks than adults. Leo was still as handsome as ever. With that face, he could be a complete moron and some kind-hearted first-grader would still think he was the coolest.

"But how did you even run into him? And how was he so sure you were his daughter?" That was the part I couldn't figure out. Our social circles didn't overlap at all. If we passed on the street, I doubted he'd even recognize me.

"After school today, I saw him talking to our principal," Zoe said, not looking up. "I guess they know each other?"

I thought about it but couldn't connect the dots. Oh well. It wasn't important.