“How much will it take for you to tell me how we know each other?”he asks, and begins to pat down his jeans.His eyebrows scrunch together, and for a moment, he loses his attention on me.“Where the fuck is my wallet?I know I had it.I dropped a twenty in the tip jar for the cook on my way in.”
“Maybe you left it in there,” Liza guesses.
Movement near the back steps to the bed and breakfast catches my eye, and I fight back a laugh when I see Milly handing over a wallet to Paisley.
I glance back at Reid.“My, my, my...Guess you forget about a lot of things.”
“What?”he grumbles distractedly.
“Hey, Reid, you lost something?”Paisley asks, holding up the wallet in triumph.
His shoulders relax.“I left it in the kitchen, didn’t I?”he asks, taking it from her.He pulls it open, his lips tightening.“Someone has stolen my money.”
Paisley laughs, holding up a wad of cash.“I hope you don’t mind, but I took back the money you owe me, plus interest.”
“There was more in there than that.I haven’t had chance to deposit it yet,” he grits out.
She places her hand on Milly’s head.“Oh, but my accomplice needed paying.You understand,” she tells him sweetly, then walks away, fanning herself with the money she took.
I laugh, only stopping when he glares my way for a second, then down at Milly.“Kid, give me my money back.”
Her lower lip trembles.“B-but...but I really wanted to buy an outfit for my doll.My mummy and daddy got it for me before they died.It was the last thing they ever bought me.”
He rubs the back of his neck, his eyes widening.“Fuck!”
“Reid,” Liza hisses once more, slapping his arm.
“Sorry.Sorry, kid.I, um...You can keep it.I have more,” he states, then glances around at the group of us women glaring at him.“I, um...I’m going to go.”
“I’m so sorry about my son,” Liza grumbles.“I’ll let you soak in peace.”
Water sloshes over the side as Malia moves over to the edge to where Milly waits.“You don’t play with dolls.And I’m pretty sure the last thing Mum and Dad bought you was a family bucket from KFC.”
Milly shrugs.“It got him to back off.Plus, now I can renew my Disney subscription.”
“How old are you again?”Freya asks, laughing her head off.
Milly puffs out her chest.“Six.I’m the best six-year-old ever.”
A yawn slips past her lips.“A tired one too,” Malia notes.
“No, I’m not,” Milly protests.
“Yes, you are,” Malia argues.
“I’m tired of you,” Milly sasses.
“I don’t need your attitude right now,” Malia sighs.
“Then let me know when you need it,” Milly orders before another yawn escapes.
I place my hand on Malia’s arm when she goes to get up.“I’ll take her back.I’m not feeling the energy now.”
“Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you two?He looked like a lost puppy,” Freya teases as I step out of the hot tub.
“Whose side are you on?”I question with a glare, before grabbing a dressing gown from the hook and wrapping it around me.
Her lips twitch as she throws her hands up.“Yours.Always yours.”
