First Meet, PT. 1 Jesse POV

“Please keep an open mind,” Mom pleaded.

Jesse stared out the car window without taking in the scenery. This was the fourth guy mom was serious enough about to introduce him to. The others hadn’t lasted, and he didn’t have high hopes for Isaac either. The men seemed nice enough, but no one could measure up to his dad. He knew it and so did mom, but that didn’t stop her from trying to find someone. She waited a year after dad died before she started dating. He thought it was too soon, but late at night he heard her sobbing and knew she hated being alone. That didn’t mean he had to like the men she was dating.

“Isaac’s a firefighter,” Mom said.

He glanced at her, his interest piqued despite himself. Firefighters were bad asses. Not as cool as his dad being in the Air Force, but at least Isaac’s job was more interesting than Tom, the store manager or Brian, who worked the front desk at a dentist's office. Mom briefly dated another teacher, Mr. Harding, who taught history, spoke in a monotone, and had awful coffee breath. They had all been duds.

“Isaac may be able to take you by the station and show you the firetrucks,” Mom said, reaching across the console to stroke his hair.

His lip curled, but mom didn’t see, since he’d turned back to the window. He wasn’t a kid. He wasn’t going to be bribed into liking this guy by a trip to the station… Though, it would be cool to sit in the driver’s seat of the firetruck or slide down a pole.

“How did his wife die?” he asked.

Mom hesitated long enough for him to glance at her.

“Mom?”

“She walked out.”

“Walked out?” he repeated, unsure what that meant.

“He woke up and she was gone. She packed a bag and left him with their two-year-old daughter. That was eleven years ago.”

He jerked against his seatbelt and shouted, “Daughter?”

Mom gave him an innocent look. “What’s wrong, son?”

“You can’t date a guy who has a daughter!”

Mom’s lips twitched. “Why not?”

“Girls are annoying! They’re always giggling, talking, crying…” He glared at mom when she snickered. “Find a guy with boys or no kids at all.”

“Sorry, honey, that’s not how this works.”

He muttered under his breath as he sat back with his arms crossed.

“A girl,” he said, utterly disgusted. So far, none of the men Mom dated had kids, so it hadn’t even occurred to him to consider a step sibling.

“Her name’s Violet.”

“What kind of name is that?”

“Violet’s a lovely name. It’s a beautiful color, flower, and a candy I’m quite fond of.”

“Have you met her?”

“No, we’re going to meet her for the first time together,” Mom said as she turned into the park. “I’m sure she’s sweet. You two are just a year apart. You should have a lot in common.”

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

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

Copyright © 2024 Mia Knight. All Rights Reserved.