Page 170

“So you’d just keep somebody else’s money?”

“I didn’t say I’d keep it; I said I’d wait impatiently for them to come get it.”

“Willow, you do know that is theft, right? And a felony.”

“Only if I spend it. I wouldn’t go splurging within an hour of it being in my possession. Nah, I’m not that desperate or greedy. I’d babysit it for a few days. Now, if nobody calls within seven to ten business days, that money has officially been abandoned.”

I stared at her. “According to who?”

“Me. Possession is nine-tenths of the law. I’m pretty sure patience is the other tenth.”

I chuckled lightly.

Kaidence hopped off his stool, brushing pancake crumbs off his shirt. “Mommy, I’m done eating. Can I go upstairs?”

“Yeah, baby. Take your plate to the sink first.”

He grabbed his plate, hurried over to the sink to set it down, and then took off at full speed toward the stairs.

“Walking!” I called after him automatically.

His footsteps immediately slowed to a heavy, obedient march.

I returned my attention to my phone screen.

There had to be some kind of explanation—a reasonable, earthly one. I just needed to figure out what it was and who to call.

Suddenly, a loud, ear-piercing scream came echoing from upstairs.

“Mommy!”

My head snapped toward the staircase in pure panic. “Kaidence”

“Mommy, come here!”

I was off the stool before he even finished yelling his sentence.

Granny straightened up with concern in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know! Stay right here, Granny.”

Willow was already hot on my heels. “Well, I’m coming!”

We took the stairs two at a time, rushing down the second-floor hallway. “Kaidence!”

“In my room!”

I reached his open doorway and stopped so abruptly that Willow ran straight into my back.

I gasped. “W-What is this?”

My son’s bedroom had completely and utterly transformed. The plain, cream-colored walls were gone, replaced by a magnificent black, blue, and red Spider-Man theme that looked like somebody had hired an elite interior designer from Architectural Digest, handed them an unlimited budget, and told them not to hold back.

And I would know.

I had seen some incredibly expensive rooms in my lifetime.

His full-size bed was now covered in plush, luxury Spider-Man bedding, and a massive sixty-five-inch flat-screen television hung perfectly centered on the opposite wall. Mounted neatly beneath it sat a brand-new gaming system with multiple controllers. There was an ergonomic leather gaming chair, floating shelves filled with high-end action figures, dynamic LED strip lights tucked along the crown molding, and a stunning hand-painted Spider-Man mural stretching across the entire main wall.