“Are you staying or going?” the waitress demanded.
Shotgun spun around and pointed a finger. “Watch your mouth, Charlene. Dead fuckin’ easy to get this place blacklisted.” Charlene flinched and backed away as I headed for the door.
Darcy wound between my legs and held her arms up to Shotgun as we stepped outside. “Tire.”
“Tired?” Shotgun asked as he picked her up. Not to be outdone, Wade sat on the pavement, and his bottom lip wobbled. Shotgun chuckled and bent to scoop him up, too. Darcy took offence and swiped at Wade.
“Hey, if you start fighting, you’ll walk and no pancakes,” I warned.
“Ungry,” Darcy said, and I shook my head.
“And toast is as filling!”
Darcy looked outraged and glanced at Shotgun for reassurance; this was a crime against her toddler rights. “Mom’s correct, kid, if you aren’t nice, you don’t get the good shit.”
Thoroughly put out, Darcy lapsed into sulking and stuck her tongue out at me.
“Right, toast it is!” I said.
“You’re really going to give Darcy toast?” Shotgun murmured as he headed towards the second diner.
“Yes, Darcy didn’t behave. She pouted and tried to act out. If I give Darcy pancakes, then I’m encouraging that behaviour and making a rod for my own back. I might have handled it differently in the past, but this is who I am now,” I replied defensively.
“Allegra, I wasn’t criticising. Sweetheart, I just wanted to make sure I didn’t step on your toes and order Darcy something shewasn’t allowed. If Darcy is going to act like a brat, then I agree she doesn’t get.”
I stared at Shotgun as we stopped outside a diner, and he held the door. Damn, it was hard to read him.
“Okay,” I muttered and walked inside. Luckily, some tables were open, and we took a booth at the rear. Within seconds of sitting down, the waitress hurried over and asked for drink orders.
Shotgun and I got coffee, and I ordered the kids glasses of milk. Darcy demanded a milkshake and lashed out in temper, and I changed her order to water. Shotgun snorted as the waitress smiled and rushed off.
“Milk!” Darcy yelled, smacking her hand loudly on the table. She shoved the cutlery away and kicked her heels against the chair.
Oh, I wasn’t standing for that! Calmly, I turned and held Darcy’s eyes.
“No. You’re being a brat, and I don’t like that. If you wish to be naughty and bad-mannered, then you don’t get nice things.”
Two women at the booth near us glanced over and took a double look at Shotgun. He didn’t pay them any attention as he was focused on me. It felt good because they were beautiful women.
“Milk.”
“No. And if you continue, then you’ll have bread and butter and no toast!” I warned. Darcy’s eyes opened wide in shock.
Shotgun just choked back a chuckle.
“Mean.”
“Yes, I am. Now, you’ve lost the milk because you were being rude and ill-mannered; are you going to lose the toast as well?”
Darcy glowered and folded her arms, and I ignored her.
Shotgun looked amused. “Don’t get how she’s Rain’s. That’s my attitude head to toe.”
“I’ll take your word for that,” I replied, and Shotgun laughed. He reached out and touched my hand before pulling back when he noticed me shift uncomfortably.
“So, how are things?” he asked.
I began to laugh and shook my head. “That’s so lame. We saw each other a couple of days ago. I’m still the same, unfortunately.”
