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“Just give me a few hours.”
“At least tell me where you’re going?” His eyes are bulging out of his head.
“To find another goddamn bunny.”
Chapter Sixteen
“The karaoke machine is going down a treat.” Amy appears at my side. I’m not sure how long I’ve been standing at the door of the music room, just watching the kids have fun, but it’s long enough that my feet are almost numb.
I nod. “They love it.”
“They’ve all signed up for music lessons, you know?”
My heart swells.
I thought some might be interested, but everyone is giving it a go. I’ve even seen some of the mother’s come in for lessons with Amy.
“It’s amazing.”
She presses her shoulder against mine. “You okay, sis? You look exhausted.”
I used the kids as a distraction, but the nausea is back. At least I got the same bunny for Hannah. It took an extra flutter of my eyelashes to get it stitched on such short notice, but if she was aware it wasn’t the same one, she didn’t say. Her smile was enough to ease the anxious weight I’ve carried around since this morning.
“Long day,” I murmur, not wanting to cause her to worry. Not yet.
Her eyes tighten, and I know she doesn’t believe a word of it, but she doesn’t question me.
Kissing her cheek, I pat her back. “You can clear them out. I’m going to finish some paperwork.”
***
“Knock, knock.” The light tap on my office door takes me out of my work-induced trance. Looking up, I’m greeted by Sam’s frown.
I hold out my hands. “See. I’m still alive.” I smile, sitting back in my chair and stretching my stiff neck.
He doesn’t smile back.
Party pooper.
But my chest is tight, and my eyes have been stinging with unshed tears all day.
He leans against the door frame and crosses his legs at the ankle, his thumb hooked in his belt loop like always.
“Any update?”
I feel his frustration when he shakes his head. He offers one of his lopsided grins, but it does little to relieve the tension in this office. “Believe me. I’m trying.”
Nothing makes Sam nervous, so why is he suddenly shuffling on his feet?
“Do you want to tell me why you’re standing in my office looking like you’ve kicked a puppy?”
He taps his knuckles against the door again.
Once. Twice. Three times.
“I’m going to give it to you straight.” He blows out a long breath, and I have a sneaking suspicion I’m not going to like where he’s going with this. “He’s the scum of the earth. He’ll do anything to get his family back. Anything to take back what he sees as his. It will eat him up knowing Jake is involved. Their history is too volatile. Too emotional.”
Shifting in my seat, the leather becomes sticky and uncomfortable beneath me, and a violent chill runs down my spine.
