“I’m going up to the nursery. Gunner is probably just waking up.”
“I’ll start breakfast,” Meggie said.
“After the food is prepared, I’ll call my boys. Mark JB is watching Cove for me, since he was still asleep when I headed here.”
Meggie nodded. “Call them. The more, the merrier,” she said as a text alert chimed. Snatching her phone from the pocket of her robe, she quickly opened the message.
Kendall: Can Mattie spend the day with you and Rebel? I need to be in court by 8.
“Outlaw?” Bunny asked with hope.
“No.” Meggie tried, and failed, to hide her disappointment and worry. “Kendall.”
Meggie: Of course, love. See you in a few.
“Do you want to go to the clubhouse and wait for them?”
“Maybe,” Meggie said dully.
“You won’t have to wait until they come home. You’ll be there when they arrive.”
“After we feed the kids and get Mattie settled, we can head over.”
Bunny nodded and walked out.
Meggie resumed her pacing, all types of scenarios running through her head. Five minutes later, when Kaia led Jana Reynolds into the kitchen, Meggie was still pacing. But themoment she saw the girl, she halted and gaped at her gray eyes and blonde hair, shocked at her resemblance to Logan, despite how pretty she was. That wasn’t to say she didn’t see Johnnie in Jana, too. His looks were never in question, though. Only his common sense.
“H-hi,” Jana said timidly and glanced over her shoulder at Kaia.
He smiled in encouragement.
Jana shifted her weight and looked at Meggie. “Are you putting me out?”
“Of course not.” Meggie squinted, trying to figure out why Jana looked so afraid and uneasy. “The day I spoke to you on the phone, I wasn’t in the best mood. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine,” Jana mumbled. “You were really nice to me. Axel is, too. He let me cook.”
Meggie lifted her brows. “My ten-year-old sonletyou cook?”
“I-I mean—”
“Axel said Jana needed to cook so she’d feel like this was her house,” Kaia explained.
Obviously, that hadn’t worked.
Yawning, Jana rubbed her eyes.
“Were you asleep?” Meggie asked.
Jana nodded. “I hope that’s okay. D-Diesel…” Her face crumpled and she glanced over her shoulder.Again. “I shouldn’t say his name. Rebel might hear.”
What was Meggie missing? Jana was jumpy, frightened, and something else. “You’ve met Rebel?”
Eyes widening, Jana took a step back. “I was nice to her,” she blurted, then began fidgeting. “She was upset but then she was talking to me about how I should treat Diesel. I could neverdo what she said. He’d send me away probably. Please don’t beat me or make Kaia hurt me.”
Meggie felt as appalled as Kaia looked. “Does Diesel beat you?”
“Never! Diesel protects me,” Jana said fiercely. “He doesn’t let anyone hurt me. Not even Tabitha when she’s high.”
