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"Knock this shit off. Don’t you dare claim I don’t look after Grace. As for us, I’ve met someone else."
The look on her face was one of shock when she realized what I said. I wasn’t sure if she was going to be angry or break down and cry. She stood there looking at me, and then she screamed.
"OOOOWWWWWW. You hurt me, you bastard."She pulled out of my grasp and held onto her arm.
I wanted to curl up and die as people watched. She always was good at these outbursts, at making people believe she was a victim here when, in fact, it was the other way around.
As I glanced around, taking notice of exactly who was watching, I caught LuAnn Billings on her porch looking at me. She just shook her head as she watched, likely taking in everything.
"Listen to me and listen well, Valerie. I'm going inside and I'm calling the police. Then I'm calling my lawyer. You can stay out here and throw your fit or you can get in your car and head back to wherever you are living and wait for the restraining order to be delivered, or I can have them come here and give it to you. Either way, it is up to you."
I turned around, waved over to LuAnn, and then climbed the steps of the front porch and headed to the phone.
Iris
It was a beautiful Sunday, not too hot, but nice and sunny. I was busy getting things ready for lunch while the boys and Grace were down at the water’s edge digging in a small sand pit, playing games.
"I've got the food, blanket, and the pop-up shelter," Zach said, coming toward me while I watched the three kids.
"Wonderful."
I got up from my seat and helped him lay out the checkered blanket, and then we quickly assembled two of the portable pop-up shelters. Once they were set up, I began pulling things out of the picnic basket, while Zach made his way back to the truck to grab the cooler with drinks inside.
"Come on, kids, it’s lunchtime," I called.
The three of them all ran over toward us, taking a seat and reaching for a sandwich each, while Zach handed out sodas to everyone before sitting down. We all took our time eating, and once the kids were done, they all took off back to the sandpit and began playing again, leaving Zach and me alone.
“You doing okay after Friday night?”
Zach had given me some space yesterday, which I’d been thankful for.
I nodded. “I am, thank you.” I smiled as he slid his hand into mine.
“I have something I want to ask you.”
“Okay.”
"After I left the other night, I began worrying that maybe you were having regrets about things that have transpired between us since that weekend away. Especially with all the talk about how you were forgetting Lucas."
I felt my cheeks heat at his question. "I’m embarrassed to say this, but I’m not. Are you?"
He didn’t answer me. Instead, he leaned over and brought his lips to mine. Instantly, I felt my body heat, and my mind wandered to each time we’d slept together. As his lips moved over mine, I wished we weren’t sitting in a field with the kids only a few feet away.
"Zach..."
I pulled away almost instantly at the sound of Noah's voice. I looked over to where they all were. Then Noah let out another yell.
Zach chuckled. "Saved by the child." He winked and got up, adjusting himself quickly. "What is it?"he yelled across the field.
"Can you help me put a worm on the hook?" Noah yelled over, now looking in our direction.
“Worms call.”
I smiled as I watched Zach head on over to where all the kids were. He took hold of Noah's fishing rod and sat down on a rock and began helping him. Dylan joined them, leaving Gracie alone in the sand.
I began picking up the garbage from lunch and was just about finished when I heard a faint voice behind me ask for a drink. I smiled up at Grace. "Sure thing, sweetie. What would you like? Water or juice?"
She came over and poked her head into the cooler, then reached in and grabbed another can of pop.
