I look at the ceiling and sigh.
Mom has made her point, and she knows it. None of us wants to be here, in the position of needing someone to stay withKennedy. Not me, not Kennedy, not Mom, and apparently not Megan. Yethere we are.
If I ask Gavin and Luke to help with my daughter, Mom will stay home. She loves my brothers, but she also knows her sons would let Kennedy get away with much more than she deserves. Mom would cancel her vacation with my sister, and she needs to see Kate. And Kate needs her. It’s been too long.
Mom hasn’t had a real getaway since Child Protective Services called ten years ago to tell me I was a single dad.
Shit.
I look at Megan, my resolve waning. “Did you call the rental company about your car this morning?”
She blinks slowly.
“I told you it wasn’t safe to drive around,” I say, frustrated with her lack of concern for her safety.
“Well, I had an appointment this morning. You know, to have brunch with a family I would be staying with to help them out of a pinch.”
The intensity flowing from one to the other makes my heart pound. I have no idea what I’ll do with her or how to handle this situation, but I better get a grip on it and do it fast.
“I’ll tell you what,” Mom says, picking up her cell phone off the table. “I’m going to step outside and call Kate to book the massages we discussed last night. God knows I’m going to need one. And, while I do that, the two of you will work this out. Understood?”
Megan and I stare at each other, the energy between us crackling.
“You have ten minutes,” Mom says, heading for the door.
Ten minutes to work this out.
Like that will be possible.
CHAPTER 6
Megan
The door shuts with a boom.
Point taken, Maggie.
Chase works his jaw back and forth, watching me like I’m the enemy. I roll my eyes at his ridiculousness, hoping it irritates him as much as his behavior irritates me.
His gaze narrows.
I smile.Fucker.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” I say, jumping into the thick of the matter. “I’m not begging to be here. As a matter of fact,I don’t even want to be here. So don’t act like you’re doing me a huge favor by letting me watch your daughter.”
He takes a breath and grabs the back of a chair in front of him. The severity of his features eases. A wariness, a cautious curiosity settles in its place.
“Tucker does basic mechanic work,” Chase says. “Have him look at your car today.”
I lift a brow. “That’s what you want to spend the next ten minutes talking about?”
He releases the chair and then paces the kitchen.
Frustration drips through my veins as I watch him blatantlynot talk. Not look at me. Refrain from giving any indication that he wants to have this conversation.
If that’s the way he wants it, fine. I’ll go back to Dallas and get on with my life.
“Your point is taken,” I say. “When your mom comes back, I’ll let her know this isn’t going to work for me.”
