“I love my job. They treat me just fine.” She turned back to Zoe. “Its just not my dream. But I am not ready, yet. I need a little more time.”
I could tell that Theo wanted to say more, but I put a hand on his arm. “Leave it. She’ll sort herself out. Now take me home.”
Connor sat in the seat I’d had just stood from. “I’ll stay with her.”
“We will, too.” The words came from Cooper Wilson standing at the door. Next to him was Matty Salinger along with a few more of both Connor and Zoe’s Friends. “If that’s okay?”
Theo glared at Cooper, and I had to hand it to the teenager. He didn't so much as flinch. He’d been friends with Zoe since kindergarten, I had no doubt it was not the first time the boy had received that look.
Tiffany broke the tension as she stifled a smile. “That would be great. She could use the company. But please make sure she gets some rest.”
“Oh.” Cooper let out a chuckle. “We’ll be quiet and make sure she rests. We just want to make sure she’s not alone.”
The look on Cooper’s face was one I had seen a million times before. It was the way Harry looked at Tess, the way Ryder looked at Shiloh. And recently, it was the way Theo looked at me. And if I wasn’t mistaken, it was also the way Hunter looked at Tiff. But that was something those two would need to work out for themselves.
With a long round of goodbyes and Zoe promising she would rest, we left the hospital in much higher spirits than when we arrived.
As we pulled into the driveway at the mansion, we found Hunter in huddle with the security guards. I knew things would be returning to normal. It was just so surreal to know that for the first time in more than a week, there would be no armed guards at each entry point of the house.
“They were contractors, right?” I turned to Theo, as we stepped out of the car. I opened the door for Hayden while he got Jaycee from her seat. “I mean, they won’t have work tomorrow.”
He shook his head and narrowed his eyes. “They’re long term contractors, but they’ll have work. We’d pulled them from other jobs, offered overtime. Whatever it took. They knew this job was temporary. But they were not worried about job security.”
“Oh, that’s good.” I wondered about that for a second. “Actually, it's also kind of sad. Salinger Security has a pretty huge… fleet? Collection? There has to be a collective noun for a group of bodyguards or security. And the fact that they constantly have work tells me how many assholes are out there.”
“True.” He took my hand as we walked to the front door, leaving Hunter to the rest of the guards.
Theo placed his palm on the door, before entering the code. He pushed open the heavy door, allowing Hayden and I to walk ahead of him. As the door clicked shut behind us, something inside me settled. Before, that sound had represented a fortress sealing off. Guarding its inhabitants. Now that sound meant home, sanctuary, the one place in the word I could let my guard down.
Getting the kids to bed was a quiet affair. Jaycee had nearly fallen asleep while I had her in the bath. Her eyes were drooping while I tugged on her pajamas. “Mama, can you tell Unca Feo that I am very sorry, but I cannot do a story tonight.”
My lips twitched, it had become their little thing. Mostly because she could convince him to read more than one.
“I’ll be sure to let him know.” She was gone before I turned out the light.
Hayden was a different story. He tried to put on a brave face, but I saw the way he checked the window before climbing onto his bed.
Theo noticed it too. “Son, would you like to do a perimeter check with uncle Hunter and me?”
“Can I?” His eyes went wide with wonder.
Theo nodded. “Sure. We don’t need to do it every night. But we are doing one tonight just to make sure everything is running smoothly.”
Theo pulled his phone from his pocket, no doubt letting Hunter know about the change of plans.
That ten minute walk around the house made me fall even more in love with the man. He saw a frightened child who needed something and he didn’t hesitate to give it to him. When they walked back into the house, Hayden’s shoulders were visibly relaxed.
“Mom. The house is safe.” Hayden even had a trace of smile as he stepped through the kitchen door. “Uncle Theo—” Mylittle boy's forehead creased in a frown, then he looked at Theo. “Uncle Theo, that man, my dad, Fred. He said that you think that Jaycee and I are your children.”
Theo lifted Hayden onto the tall chair at the island and sat facing him directly. “He is not wrong. You and Jaycee are my children.”
That frown never left as my little boy tilted his head to the side. “Then if we’re your children, can we call you Dad?”
Tears threatened at the corners of my eyes. And I watched as Theo swallowed hard.
“Nothing would make me prouder, son.”
Hayden nodded. “Thanks Dad. I will make sure Jaycee knows in the morning.”
