“You guys don’t understand.” She grabbed her purse from the bar and stomped away, flip-flops flapping as she walked away.
Holden stared after her. Then he looked between Shiloh and I. “I guess I’ll go after her, seeing as I am the least likely to piss her off.”
He had a point. When Shiloh fell pregnant and refused to disclose who the father was, Maggie stood by her every step ofthe way. Not that Shiloh wouldn’t stand by her, but she wouldn’t be nice to Fred Ripper either. As for me? I sometimes let my feelings for her get in the way of being what she needed.
The regret flowed through my veins like oil. No matter what I did, something I would never get over is not telling her how I felt.
Shiloh leaned on the bar next to me. “So, how are you really doing?”
“What do you mean?” Surely, she couldn’t tell how much Maggie’s pregnancy got to me. I had been pretty good about hiding how I felt.
She lifted her gaze to mine. “Your dad just died, Theo. I know he wasn’t the best father, but it’s still okay to be sad.”
“I don’t miss him.” Quite the opposite. When they pronounced him dead at the hospital, my body was instantly lighter. A huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. “But I am sad that he won’t get to see me defying him.”
Movement to my right had me looking up. Nick Salinger was coming toward us. He wasn’t alone. Another man was with him. Probably around my age. Nick was the owner of Salinger Security. Nearly twenty years older than me, former Delta Force, and one of my heroes.
They stopped in front of us and Nick looked directly over at Shiloh. “Sweetheart, do you mind if I talk to Theo alone?”
“Sure.” She picked up her shoes. “I need to check on Maggie anyway.”
Only once she was out of sight and hearing distance did Nick look over at me. He gestured to the man next him. “This is Hunter Spence. Former Delta Force operator. And about to be the Head of Security at Snow Enterprises.”
I frowned at them. “Why are you telling me this?”
“I think you need to take over from your father.”
Everything in me rebelled against Nick’s statement, but I had to admit I was curious. “Why?”
Nick smiled and grabbed my shoulder. “Your father made one hell of a mess, but you have the opportunity to make it better.”
CHAPTER 1
MAGGIE - PRESENT DAY
After school snackswere my jam. Cheese soldiers and cut up fruit. Juice boxes and a small candy bar. Just enough to get three children through to dinner time. I set a plate in front of each of the three children in the kitchen.
Jaycee, my four-year-old, picked at the fruit and the candy. “Fank you, Mama.”
“It’s only my pleasure, baby girl.” I loved her sweet little voice and the fact that she still called me mama.
Both boys mumbled their thanks as they ate and unpacked their homework at the same time. My son Hayden was seven and in second grade. He also took school far too seriously. Ethan, his ten-year-old cousin, was far more laid back.
As I placed a juicebox and a bottle of water in front of the boys, I smiled, knowing I was about to make their day. “If you finish your homework quickly enough, we can spend some time at the pool until Ethan’s dad says he’s ready for us.”
“My dad is really excited to propose to my mom.” Ethan smiled from ear to ear. “He said marrying my mom will be the best thing in the world besides being my dad.”
Yeah, the kid really got what he needed from Ryder. I was so happy for him and for my sister.
“It's good your dad is going to be around. Mine isn’t around for anything.” Hayden turned his gaze to his cousin. “Mom says he’s in a time out for grown ups.” Then he drops his voice. “That means jail.”
The innocent honesty of his remark hit me like a punch to the gut. I had always tried to be as honest as I could with my children, while at the same time, I needed to protect their purity. Of course, the situation was beyond what Jaycee could absorb. But Hayden understood more than I was willing to admit. I hadn’t mentioned their dad was possibly up for parole. Mostly, because I wanted to forget that they shared half of his DNA. If he was granted parole I would speak to them. But until then, I wouldn’t do anything to confuse them more.
“I don’t know my dad.” Jaycee still didn’t understand how it all worked.
Her brother was quick to correct her though. “We have the same dad, silly.”
“I don’t know your dad, also.” She blinked her eyes at him as if stating the obvious.
