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Britta giggled and I was thrown by how much the sound uplifted me. As I pulled away from the curb, a strange feeling shifted into my system. I’d had enough issues with various enemies to have a sixth sense about when I was being followed.
I glanced into the rearview mirror, noticing another truck had pulled out as soon as I had. While that shouldn’t mean a single thing with the number of people in line to pick up their kid, I wanted to keep an eye out.
A few seconds later, I could tell Britta was staring at me.
“It’s not polite to stare, my darling girl.” Jessie’s voice held a vibe of teasing.
“He doesn’t look like your regular friends, Mama.”
“You have me curious. What do they look like?” I asked.
“Boring. Ugly. You’re cute.”
Jessie burst into a fit of giggles before pressing her hand across her mouth.
“Oh, really? I take that as a serious compliment,” I told her, lifting my gaze toward Jessie. She was doing her best to hold in additional laughter.
I pulled out of the parking lot onto the main road, once again checking the rearview mirror. Within seconds, the truck pulled out, headed in the same direction. I said nothing because I had a feeling it would startle Jessie. Why did I sense that whatever she was hiding had recently come crashing down on her?
And it had nothing to do with Walter’s death.
“How was the field trip?” Jessie asked.
As Britta started to explain, jabbering on as kids enjoyed doing, I constantly watched the truck behind us. It made several of the same turns, enough that I was certain my instinct was right. As we neared the turn off for the ranch, I was about ready to pull over and find out who the asshole was when it kept going down the main road. I took a deep breath, slowing and watching until the truck faded out of sight before making the left.
That’s the moment Jessie tipped her head, studying me intently before looking out the passenger window in the direction of where the truck had gone.
“Is something wrong?” she asked a few seconds later.
“Not a thing.” I realized my grip on the steering wheel was firm, my instinct remaining locked down.
While she accepted my answer, she remained tense, even wrapping her arm around Britta protectively.
The sun had already drifted below the mountains, leaving barely a warm glow in the sky. By the time I made it to the caretaker’s house, I could tell it wouldn’t be long until full twilight settled in. A part of me wanted to invite myself in but had a feeling Jessie wouldn’t go for it.
“Mama. Can I show Bastian my room?”
Jessie sucked in her breath.
“I would love to see your room,” I told both of them.
“Yay! Mama. Can he? Can he please?”
“I owe you a drink anyway for taking me to get Britta. Sure, honey. You can show Sebastian your room.”
Her reluctance was understandable but that only pushed the dominating man inside of me into a corner, craving to peel away her protective layers.
After cutting the engine, I climbed out, listening to ensure no one had followed us. I trailed behind them onto the porch, remaining quiet as Jessie unlocked the door. There was such hesitation when inviting me inside, but as soon as she did, turning on a light, Britta grabbed my hand.
“Let me have your coat,” Jessie said before tugging on the shoulders of Britta’s jacket.
“Come on, Bastian.” The way she responded to me obviously irritated Jessie, but she said nothing, merely watching as Britta led me toward the short hallway.
I allowed the little girl to guide me into the room, the spitting image of Jessie taking her time to turn on the light near her bed then folding her arms across her chest as she spun around to face me.
Just like I’d seen her mother do more than once.
“So. Are you Mama’s new boyfriend?”
