The Guy on the Left (The Underdogs, #2)(23)

Dante’s still hysterical when Clarissa pops her head in, her hair wet from her shower. The smell of coconut permeates the room. My dick jolts to attention as she joins us on Dante’s small mattress, all curves in tight-fitting jeans and a loose T-shirt. She looks between us, a clear face without a stitch of makeup, and I almost forget myself and push a loose strand of hair from her forehead. “What in the world is going on?”

Dante’s eyes are trained on the frog who remains mute while in the presence of others before bursting into song once he’s alone with his keeper. And then Dante’s laughing again, his whole body shaking as Clarissa looks on, incredulous.

“I’ve never, ever, heard him laugh like this,” she tells me over his shaking frame. He’s hysterical.

“I told him not to count out Looney Tunes. I guess this is his first time seeing them?”

“Guess so,” she says, beaming brightly as our son starts to choke. I pat Dante on the back, and he dodges my touch, so he doesn’t miss any of the cartoon.

“Wow,” I mouth, widening my eyes at Clarissa.

“This is definitely something.”

The frog begins to sing again, and Dante’s laugh echoes out of his bedroom, as tears pour down his face. “Oh, my God, Mommy,” he exclaims, wiping his tears away. “That’s the funniest thing I ever saw.”

“Baby, what in the world?” Clarissa laughs with him in confusion, looking to me for answers. I’m just as clueless as he ignores us both, zeroing in on his new hero.





“You must be Parker.” I stand, clad in a pointy hat that Dante insisted we all wear. I’ve seen her numerous times going in and out of Clarissa’s apartment, but never up close. The woman is strikingly beautiful and full of piss and vinegar as she sizes me up. I can feel my balls shrinking under her withering glare.

“Does Clarissa know you’re answering her door?”

I nod. “She asked me to get it.” I glance back at Clarissa, who’s doing shit to hide her sly smile. “And I have a good idea why.”

“Uh huh. So, you’re Troy.”

“Yeah.” She opens her mouth to spew, what I’m sure, is years’ worth of pent up insults, and I raise my hands, defenseless. “And before you read me the riot act, I just want to thank you, profusely, for all you’ve done for him. I know how much you love him. So,” I whisper low, “before you declare me nothing but a piece of shit sperm donor and unworthy father, just know that I’ve wanted for a long time to meet the other Dad in his life and I’m all ears for any tips you want to give me.”

My rehearsed door speech goes over well, and I can see her eyes soften ever so slightly.

“How did you know about me?”

Confused, I look back to Clarissa who darts her eyes away before opening a box a candles for the cake.

“I’ve seen you around.”

Parker guffaws. “Funny, I can only recall seeing you once when—”

“Auntie Parker!” Dante yells before he comes running into her arms. She scoops him up, the smile on her face genuine.

“Hey, Duckie, Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you,” he squeaks as she keeps him close while he struggles to get out of her arms.

“Just five more seconds,” she snuggles him as he wiggles in an attempt to escape. She sighs, letting him go entirely.

“I got so many presents on the table,” Dante exclaims proudly. “But Mommy didn’t get my boats and hoes cake like I wanted.”

“Because it’s highly inappropriate,” Clarissa chimes from the table. “And you are not to watch that movie ever again.”

“I agree,” Parker says, taking her ball-melting gaze from me and giving Dante her undivided attention. “So, with all those presents, I guess you don’t need what I have in the trunk.”

“No, I do! I do, I swear!”

“Okay then.” Lifting her keys, she clicks the fob for her SUV, and the trunk opens. I stand back stupefied before damn near gasping like a girl at the number of wrapped packages, feeling my balls shrink to the size of raisins.

“Parker!” Clarissa scolds, walking past me as Dante hauls ass down the porch, his eyes wide.

“It’s not much,” Parker says guiltily.

Clarissa openly gapes at the truck along with me.

“Okay,” Parker says, looking between the two of us, “confession, I may have taken an Ambien, and accidentally one-clicked everything on his wish list. I might have also gotten everything on mine,” she brings her tone down so only we can hear, “which included six lifelike vibrators and two Womanizers,” she elbows Clarissa, “and I brought one for you. I swear to God, it’s the best thing ever invented.”

Dante is practically screaming as he unpacks the SUV, and I feel my enthusiasm take a nose-dive. It took me weeks to save up for the present waiting on the table. Clarissa shakes her head and pulls Parker into a hug. “I can’t even be mad,” she nods toward Dante, who is unknowingly dropping gifts on the lawn behind him as he brings an armful up the steps, his face lit up like Christmas. “Come in, babe.”

As they hug, Parker bats her lashes my way, and I narrow my eyes and mouth, ‘game on.’ She mouths back, ‘bring it.’