Page 116 of Peaks and Promises

“Oh, really? What did he say?”

“That when you start being Mom’s boyfriend, you’ll probably sleep in her room. That’s just how it works.”

“That’s all he said?”

He added another brick to the top of his spaceship. “Uh huh.”

“Why were you talking about that?”

“Um…” He clicked a few more pieces together. “He asked if I like our new house, and I said yes, but it doesn’t have enough bedrooms because you sleep on the couch.”

Summer came out, saving me from the need to answer the boyfriend question.

“Hi, buddy.” She walked over to give him a kiss on the top of his head. “What are you building?”

He held it up so she could see. “Spaceship.”

“It’s very cool.”

She glanced at me and our gazes met. Her big blue eyes pierced right through me, and I was hit with a mix of desire and guilt. Whatever was happening between us, I wanted it. I wanted her.

But I couldn’t be the man she needed. Not forever.

Axel

The tires on the car I’d stolen ate up the miles as I headed north. I preferred my bike, and it was irritating to be forced to drive some 1,500 miles in anything else. But the bike was a dead giveaway. And it would be easier to get the kid back to Mayhem in a car.

I hadn’t told anyone where I was going. Once I was back with the kid, no one would care that I’d taken off.

The sun had long since gone down, and the urge to sleep was getting harder to resist. I took the next exit, looking for a motel not far from the freeway. After a few hours of sleep and maybe a meal, I’d be on my way again.

I found a motel and fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. When I woke up, I checked my ETA. I’d be in Tilikum before nightfall.

After taking a quick shower, I wiped the steam from the mirror. My hair was shaggy, and I rubbed my chin, inspecting my facial hair. Maybe I could make things easier on myself. A haircut, a shave, different clothes. Summer would probably still recognize me. But if I didn’t look like a biker—didn’t look like myself—maybe the thug she was with wouldn’t.

Might help, couldn’t hurt.

I got dressed and found a barber. Paid for a haircut and a shave. Then I dropped into a Walmart on the edge of town and bought some plain clothes. A couple T-shirts, a zip-up hoodie, a pair of jeans. As a disguise, it would only be somewhat convincing. But if I didn’t look like myself, I could probably get closer without being noticed.

And that was all I needed. Once I had the kid, we’d disappear so fast, it would be like we’d fallen off the edge of the world.

CHAPTER 27

Summer

The Timberbeast buzzed with activity. I recognized a handful of the patrons—mostly locals who’d been into the Copper Kettle. A group of gray-haired men with varying degrees of baldness traded gossip over their beers, while a handful of twentysomethings played darts. The stools at the bar were all occupied, as were most of the tables.

I hoped Reese and his brothers would arrive soon. I’d grabbed a table, but people kept asking if I needed all six chairs. Nate was spending the night at Annika and Levi’s so he could hang out with Thomas, and Reese’s sister-in-law Melanie had suggested we meet for a drink. She and Luke were joining us, along with Theo and his fiancée, Penelope.

Which meant, yes, I did need all six chairs, thank you very much.

Other than that, I didn’t mind waiting. My feet were tired from working all day, so being able to sit was all I really needed.

My phone buzzed with a text from Reese, letting me know he’d be there in a few minutes. A smile stole over my face as I read his message, and my skin tingled.

That man. He couldn’t just kiss the life out of me. He’d done things to my body I’d never known a man could do.

Inviting him into the bedroom might have been a mistake, but one that was hard to regret. At least with the memory of what it felt like to have him inside me still so vivid.