First Meet, PT. 2, Jesse POV

“She’s a girl,” he growled. “We won’t have anything in common.”

Mom pulled into a stall and killed the engine before she turned to him, her expression unusually grave. She reached out and cupped his chin. “It’s been hard since dad died.” Her eyes watered, but she smiled anyway, pushing through as she always did. “That’s an understatement. Losing your father is the hardest thing that’s ever happened to us, and it’s been rough. Some days I wasn’t sure I could get out of bed, but you helped me pull through. You’ve been a rock for me.” A tear slid down her cheek. “You’re your father’s son, all right. Strong, brave, wise beyond your years. I’m not sure I would be intact without you, but…” She stroked his cheek. “I don’t want you to shoulder more adult responsibilities than you already have. You shouldn’t worry over things I need to take on. I want you to have a childhood and enjoy life, even though the world seems a little less bright without your dad in it.”

He swallowed hard as his eyes stung with tears.

“You and I need to let other people in and see if we can enhance each other’s lives.” She tipped her head to the side. “I think Isaac’s a good man and if you give him a chance, I think you’ll see that for yourself.” She smoothed back his hair with a half smile. “Isaac and I enjoy each other, and we want to see how you and Violet feel about it all. If it doesn’t work…” She shrugged. “Then it isn’t meant to be. But please be open-minded. As for Violet, she may surprise you. From the stories Isaac’s told me, his daughter isn’t like the girls you’re used to.”

He frowned as he rubbed at his eyes. “What does that mean?”

“You’ll have to see for yourself.” Mom scanned the park and then lit up. “There they are.”

He followed her gaze and saw a tall, burly man kicking a soccer ball across the grass to a girl who looked tiny from this distance.

“Ready?” Mom asked.

“Sure,” he said with a shrug, and pushed open his door.

He put his hands in his pockets as they approached the pair. The girl darted forward with a speed that made him blink. He was impressed with her control of the ball. When she tried to kick the ball past her father, Isaac’s foot shot out to stop it. The girl charged her father, who was quite nimble for such a large man. When Isaac tried to pass her to score a goal, Violet let out a warrior’s cry and launched herself at him, causing him to stagger. Isaac’s laughter rung out as he battled his daughter who fought like her life depended on it.

“Oh, my,” Mom murmured, clearly taken aback by what they were witnessing.

Isaac picked up his daughter and kicked the ball to score. Violet’s angry bellow made several people who had been watching their antics chuckle.

“You cheated, daddy!”

“So did you.”

“I’m allowed because you’re ten times bigger than me,” Violet snapped.

Isaac opened his mouth, but when he caught sight of them, he abruptly strode over, toting Violet under one arm like she weighed no more than a toddler.

“Lynne,” Isaac said with a smile and nodded at his mother before he extended his hand. “And you must be Jesse.”

He nodded and shook Isaac’s massive leathery hand.

“Dad!”

Violet’s impatient tone made Isaac smile before he set his daughter on her feet. She flung back a mane of tangled black hair. Her eyes were a striking hazel that gleamed with excitement. She had pale skin, rosy cheeks, and her lips were a deep red he would have suspected was lipstick if she wasn’t dressed like a boy in khaki shorts and a striped green shirt. The girls he knew wouldn’t be caught dead in such an outfit, but Violet didn’t seem to care about her appearance. He hadn’t decided what to make of her, but when she smiled, he found himself smiling back, his bad mood and the reason they were here in the first place, forgotten.

**This is a raw draft of the prequel for Corrupt Idol. Please do not share or distribute.

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