I locked up on my way out, leaving no trace of our being here. It was possible someone had seen us arriving or leaving through the back alley behind the building. But after the day I’d had, it was hard to care.
On the street, Grayden headed toward his truck, while I jogged off toward the park.
I tried not to look back.Tried.
When I did, Grayden had turned around on the sidewalk, watching me go.
It was a short walk to the park. Traces of snow crunched under my boots as I marched between pine trees to reach the picnic area. A common meeting place for Danny and me when he used to live in Silver Ridge.
Of course, the jerk was exactly five minutes late. Not enough for me to complain, but a clearscrew you.
Just trying to prove who was in control here. Danny did love his mind games.
“Mom!” Ollie shouted, waving.
Taking a deep breath to settle my nerves, I smiled. Ollie was the reason I put up with Danny.
Ollie was my reason foreverything.
I would do whatever I had to, even somehow dealing with my ex, for my son’s sake.
“Look, Dad bought me a model car kit at the gift shop!” Ollie pulled a cardboard box from a shopping bag.
“Amazing, Ollie-bear. That’ll be a lot of fun.”
Danny hung back a few feet. “We had a great time, didn’t we, champ?”
Ollie nodded, admiring his model kit.
“Did you say thanks?” I asked.
“Yeah, thanks Dad!”
Instead of responding to our son, Danny eyed me. “How was the rest of your afternoon, Piper? Anything exciting?”
Anxiety rose in my throat.
Was that his usual asshole smirk, or did Danny know exactly what had happened earlier? The police showing up at Grayden’s place. The planted drugs.
Guess what, Danny? My afternoon was even more exciting than you could imagine. Had a cozy meal by the fireplace and then rode Grayden’s thigh all the way to paradise.
“I stayed busy,” I said.
Danny’s smirk got sharper. More vicious.
“How much longer are you staying in Silver Ridge?” I asked.
“Hoping I take off? What happened to begging me to take a more active role in Ollie’s life?”
I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. “I just need to know what to expect. That’s all.”
Our son was looking at the model kit, but I felt his attention on us. Those small ears were perked all the way up.
“I’m still deciding,” Danny said. “As I told Ollie over dinner, I’m thinking hard about moving back to Silver Ridge for good.”
The frozen grass was solid under my feet. Yet it felt like a pit had just opened beneath me.
“Oh? What about your dental practice? I thought you were just getting some momentum in the new location.”
