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But it was all the ignorant, vapid lies that had convinced her of that untruth. Anger pulled against my ribs, wanting to break out and beat down anyone who’d ever put my bestie down for not being a fucking size 6.
“So how about some honesty on your part,” she continued. “What’s actually going on in that pretty little head of yours? Because the Paisley I know would tell that guy to go fuck himself.”
I didn’t even realize she’d stolen another fry until she made a circle around my face with it.
“Hey,” I whined. I was going to starve at this rate.
She snatched my plate and dragged it across the counter. “None for you until you fess it up.”
“There’s nothing to fess up. I really like the little girl, and she needed someone to babysit her for a couple days, plus I could def use the money. Simple as that.”
Oh, simple it was not.
I could still feel his breath on my cheek, his fingers in my hair, the need that had whirled around me like a stupid drug I hadn’t known I should resist. The way I felt compelled to lean into him. Dip my fingers beneath the stony surface.
With the way my pussy had clenched when he’d had me backed against the door.
Clearly, I was in need of a good lay. Maybe I should go after Nate. He seemed like he wouldn’t mind getting his cowboy on with me. Too bad missing was the lusty flare one Mr. Greyson lit in me.
“You know, he looked like he wanted to rip that Nate guy’s jugular out just for having the audacity to dance with you on Friday night.”
She said it as if she’d known exactly what I’d been thinking.
I reached over to snatch the plate back from her. “Well, are you surprised? He seems to jump on every opportunity to be an asshole.”
“Or maybe he just wants to jump on you.”
“Haha. Hardly.”
Too bad an errant flame licked up my insides.
“We know what was hard.” Playful suggestion widened her eyes.
I swatted at her. “Don’t you dare put that visual in my head. Not when I’m trying to eat dinner. I might gag.”
“I bet you’d gag.”
“I hate you,” I pouted.
“I prefer honesty, remember?” The tease danced through her features, her full lips quirking as she tried to hold back her laughter.
I poked my tongue out at her, but then she was totally ignoring me because her mother walked through the door, her sweet boy hooked on his grandma’s hip. Kayden’s little arm flew out, his pointer finger going right toward his mom. “Momma!”
Joy burst in Dakota, her devotion and loyalty so thick I could taste it, the magnitude of it radiating toward him as if she could touch him from where she stood. “Hey, you.”
“I see you,” he spluttered through his tiny voice.
Kayden was all dark hair and big brown eyes like his momma’s, a roly-poly, dimple-faced, angel boy who giggled and laughed and shined his joy into this world. He was also kind of a stinker. Getting into things left and right. He kept Dakota and her mom, Pat, on their toes, that was for sure.
“I see you, too,” she sang as she moved that way. She took him from Pat, hoisting him up high then bringing him down to smother his face in kisses. He giggled and kicked and tried to kiss her back.
“How was he today?” Dakota asked her mom.
Pat watched Kayden during the days, which was a huge relief to Dakota, knowing he was safe and cared for, plus she brought him in often so she could get quick snuggles.
“A handful,” Pat said, though it was pure affection as she ran a loving hand down the little boy’s back.
“I a good boy,” Kayden proclaimed, dipping his head in two deep nods, like just saying it and smiling that way could erase every bit of trouble he’d gotten himself into during the day.
Laughing, Dakota hugged him tighter. “You are, aren’t you? Are you hungry?”
“Pancakes?” he asked, clapping his hands.
“I think that can be arranged.”
“Playing favorites again, I see,” I said, giving her crap since they stopped serving breakfast at eleven thirty.
She sent me a smirk. “Do you need me to have them whip you up some pancakes, too?”
I popped the last fry into my mouth then grinned. “Nah. I’ll just take another order of these fries.”
EIGHTEEN
CALEB
Darkness fell in a hazy sheet where I waited in the side alley of the six-story building. The first floor was a coffee shop and an electronics store, and the upper levels were apartments.
I leaned against the dingy bricks, my hands stuffed in my pockets. The sounds of the city shouted, ambulances screaming and voices carrying. Engines whirred as cars sped up the inclined streets.
The air was cool, the city held in those few coveted weeks that offered Seattle fair weather in the summer.
