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“What?”
“I’m not gonna take him,” he said, staring at the fogged-up windshield. “I’d never do that.”
“It was a poor choice of words,” I replied quietly. “I know you won’t.”
“I know he’s not ready to just be with me, especially overnight,” he continued. “You’re his mama. He doesn’t wanna be without ya.”
“Thanks,” I said with a sigh, leaning my head back against the seat. “I’m sorry I freaked out.”
“I’m sorry my reaction to you freakin’ out was to bang you against the side of your car,” he muttered.
I barked out a surprised laugh as he scrubbed his hands over his face.
“I was a willing participant,” I said ruefully. “Not my most intelligent decision.”
“It was a really fuckin’ dumb move,” Mick said, wrapping his hands tightly around the steering wheel.
I agreed with him one hundred percent, but the words still stung. I crossed my arms over my chest, feeling even colder than I’d been before.
“We’ve got a lot of shit to figure out,” he continued. “Sex’ll just confuse things.”
“You’re right.”
“I am?”
“Did you think I was going to argue?” I asked with a hollow laugh. “We haven’t seen each other since the summer after high school, and we have a son. I don’t even have a job or a place to live.” I shook my head.
“You can stay with me as long as you need to,” he replied immediately. “Don’t worry about that.”
“I have to get things figured out,” I countered. “I’ve worked really hard to stand on my own two feet.”
Michael was quiet for a little while before he spoke again. “Do you know what kind of job you wanna get?” he asked, turning to look at me. “Where did you work before?”
It took everything inside of me not to show any reaction to the question as memories of the night I’d quit my job flashed through my mind. I shivered.
There wasn’t any reason for Michael to ever know about that part of my life. It meant nothing now. Less than nothing.
“I was a waitress for a while,” I said, keeping my voice even. “So I could probably do that. Or a receptionist somewhere? Maybe retail or a coffee shop? I don’t know. I’ll take anything, really.”
“You ever think about going back to school?” he asked quietly.
I smiled wistfully. “I don’t think that’s in the cards, not until Rhett is older at least.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Because I have to work,” I replied with a chuckle. “Between working and spending time with Rhett, my days will be completely full. I know that sounds dramatic, but it’s true.”
“What if you didn’t have to work?” Michael asked.
Before I could answer, I screeched in surprise as the outline of a person appeared outside Michael’s window.
Chapter 6
Michael
When Emilia’s eyeswidened, her gaze pointed over my shoulder, I immediately reached toward my lower back. By the time she yelled, I was already turning, drawing the pistol from the holster there. I paused, my hand still behind me when I realized who was outside the car.
“Fuck,” I muttered, holstering the pistol again as I rolled down the window.
