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She lingered in the doorway, studying his innocent face. Why Coretta didn’t want a relationship with Roman was a mystery. Did she really think Lizzie was such a terrible mother? Even the idea of it made her heart ache. She walked slowly back into the kitchen. Should she bypass Coretta, who obviously had issues, and try and have a conversation with Ray?
Not for her own sake, but for Roman’s? Ray wasn’t a bad guy; he’d just not wanted to face the responsibility of being a father. She could hear Yvonne’s and Nancy’s voices in her head as clear as day reminding her that Ray was a bad father, period. There were a lot of divorced people who managed to co-parent their children by putting their own hurt aside. There were also a lot of parents who couldn’t hack it....
She also had no way of contacting Ray except through the TV station he worked for, which she guessed wouldn’t go down well . . . Hi, I’m just wondering if you want to see your son? Love Lizzie. P.S. Please RSVP!
Lizzie snorted and went to make herself a cup of hot chocolate. The private investigator guy’s car hadn’t been at Coretta’s when she’d picked up Roman. She hoped he’d kept his word and left town. What would Coretta do with the information he’d gathered for her? Try again with CPS? Do something worse?
Lizzie didn’t even want to think about it. The threat to her and her son felt way too real to ignore, but she couldn’t fight if she didn’t know her opponent’s next move. She sat back on the couch, sipping her drink, and scrolling through the books on her tablet. She needed something fun to read that would take her out of herself for an hour before she went to bed.
Her cell buzzed and she checked the message, which was from Adam.
Any news?
She found herself smiling like an idiot.
Nope. All quiet here. How did the visit go?
Good.
No fights?
No, it was weird. I felt kind of sorry for her.
Why?
She obviously found it hard to come back and she let slip a few details I’d forgotten about how often Dad went off to compete in the rodeo and left her with all of us kids and the ranch to run.
Lizzie winced. It was hard enough being a single parent to one kid let alone six. She typed her reply.
I can sympathize.
Daisy thinks I’ve gone to the dark side. I’m not sure I believe there are clear-cut lines anymore, you know?
Recalling her earlier thoughts about Ray, Lizzie could only agree.
She’s here for two weeks, right? Maybe you’ll get a chance to talk some of this through with her.
Yeah, maybe.
Lizzie held her breath as Adam continued typing.
Shouldn’t you be in bed?
She smiled foolishly at the phone.
I’m already in my pj’s and I’ll be off to bed soon. Why are you still up?
Just thinking things through and trying to sort out the payroll.
I could help you with that.
The thinking or the payroll?
The thinking is on you, but I do bookkeeping for some of the ranches and businesses around here. I’m slowly working toward my accounting degree.
Cool. I might come back to you on that.
Lizzie waited, aware that her hot chocolate was cooling rapidly, but unwilling to miss anything Adam had to say.
What kind of pj’s?
She looked down at her crossed legs. Pink cupcakes and kitties, and just a cami on top.
Bra?
Lizzie fought a laugh. Adam Miller, are you sexting me?
Might be if I knew what that meant.:)
No bra. No panties either. She held her breath and awaited his reply, aware that her body was waking up as well. Shame you aren’t here.
He took a while to reply. Yeah.
Fair’s fair, what are you wearing? Lizzie asked.
T-shirt, and jeans that are now too tight, thanks to you.
She’d forgotten his dry sense of humor and reveled in it now. Sorry.
No need to be. I’ll take a cold shower and I’ll be fine.
She imagined him undressing and then lathering soap all over his big powerful body and almost whimpered with lust. There was no longer any point in denying it. She wanted to see Adam naked.
You okay?
She must have taken too long to reply, which was mainly because she was panting with desire. They were supposed to be friends. That was it. Her fingers typed out a reply anyway.
