Page 29 of After You Returned

“You didn’t stay on Pirate’s Shortcut.”

I shrug. “I never said I would.”

“You’re a cheater. No wonder you haven’t found a man.”

I groan. “You haven’t found a woman either.”

“I am a man. I need to sowmy wild oats first.”

I already sowed my wild oats. I didn’t realize what I was doing at the time. I thought I had found the man of my dreams. The man I’d build a family with.

Miles proved me wrong.

Chapter 11

Step one. Convince Hazel she doesn’t hate me.

Miles

“Come on.” I try herding my family intoSmuggler’s Cove Restaurant.

“What’s your hurry?” Zane asks as he bounces Adele in his arms.

“It’s the Smuggler’s Reenactment Dinner. I want good seats.”

Sloane snorts. “Sure, good seats. You aren’t rushing us because Hazel’s working tonight.”

I haven’t seen Hazel since our last therapy session. I want to check on her. Make sure she’s okay.

Especially since I heard a rumor about her getting set up on a date with Warren. He was a bully in high school who thought it was funny to tease the girls when they were on their periods. He better not have upset my Blaze.

Kai smirks. “Excellent. We can spend the entire night watching Miles crash and burn.”

“There better not be any food burning,” Henry grumbles. “I’m starving.”

“Dad.” Harper wags her finger at him. “No unhealthy food for you.”

He throws his arms in the air. “What’s the point of living if I can’t eat unhealthy food?”

“The point is being alive.”

“Don’t push it, young lady. It’s bad enough I’m in this damn wheelchair.”

“But if you weren’t in the wheelchair, I couldn’t do this.” Kai races down the sidewalk while pushing Henry, who whoops with joy as Kai pops a wheelie.

Harper groans. “Now I have two people to care for.”

I scowl. This family is more difficult to control than a herd of sheep that discovered an opening in the fence leading to an apple orchard. Who knew sheep go crazy for apples?

Mom pats my arm. “Let’s go ahead, dear. They’ll follow.”

My step-dad, Stuart, opens the door for us and I escort Mom inside. Hazel looks up from her hostess station and smiles at us. The breath whooshes out of me. There’s nothing better than watching her pouty, pink mouth smile at me.

Mere weeks ago, she scowled whenever she saw me. But now, after a couple of therapy sessions during which we talked, she’s smiling at me.

“Uh oh. I was hoping the reservation for the Raider bunch was a mistake.” Hazel winks.

I wiggle my eyebrows. “Don’t think you can handle us?”