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“Thanks.”
She stepped between my sprawled knees and ran a gentle hand over my head. “How are you doing with all this? Do you want to talk about it?”
I leaned into her touch. “I don’t even know. She seems so different from the woman who sold me out to the vultures, but I’m wary about trusting her. What if this is just a tactic to get back into my life and sell me and Zoe out again?”
“You gotta protect your family the best you can. Did she sign an NDA?”
“Adam will bring them over tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
I wrapped my arms around her and burrowed my face in her soft belly. “I’m so sorry that I’m putting so much of this on your shoulders. You didn’t sign up for this.”
“It’s what you do for the people you care about.” Her fingers that’d been softly caressing the top of my head froze. Her ringcaught on my hair as she jerked them away. “I, uh, it’s getting late. I’m gonna head to bed. ‘Night!”
She ducked out of my arms and ran out of the room.
I wanted to go after her, promise her that I understood what she’d actually meant. We were casual, and nothing had changed.
But I wasn’t so sure that was true anymore. At least for me.
And apparently for her, too.
Chapter Eighteen
Briar
I woke up the next morning to a text from Kingston.
Kingston: Adam will be over with the NDAs. Don’t go downstairs until he gives you the all clear.
To say the rest of my morning was awkward would be an understatement.
Zoe and I hung out upstairs which was fun for her—at first. We had a pajama party, watched tv in bed, and ate some of the snack food King kept in his mini fridge. Life with a toddler meant their favorite snacks were always within reach.
But eventually it wasn’t enough to distract her.
“Want Play Doh.” Zoe pouted, crossing her little arms over her chest.
We didn’t have any Play Doh on this floor, and we weren’t supposed to go downstairs. “How about we play dress up? Want to pretend to be a teacher?”
“No! Play Doh!” Zoe screeched.
I sighed. “Sorry, Zoe. We can’t right now.”
Huge tears rolled down her face. “Want. Play. Doh.”
“Sorry, peanut. We can’t. Not right now.”
She collapsed on the floor in a flail of arms and legs.
I felt so bad, but we couldn’t play with Play Doh. After the way Kingston had freaked out last night, we couldn’t go downstairs until Adam said it was okay. And Zoe had to learn the word no applied to her, too. So I left the room to let her cry it out.
Zoe’s screams were still audible in the hallway, but the sound of conversation floating up from downstairs drew my attention.
“…and just one more signature here,” Adam said.
“Does this one need to be in blood, or is ink okay?” Phoenix asked caustically.
