Total pages in book: 227
Estimated words: 220940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1105(@200wpm)___ 884(@250wpm)___ 736(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 220940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1105(@200wpm)___ 884(@250wpm)___ 736(@300wpm)
“Give her here,” Esther says, holding out grabby hands. “Come to Grandma.” She takes her and wanders off up the café, hushing her.
“Colic?” Beau asks, and I shrug, feeling a bit defeated by the whole situation. Feeling like I’m doing something wrong. I need to talk to Doc again.
“This here is Pearl,” Zinnea goes on. “There’s Anya, and over there we have Rose’s son Daniel, and that’s Tank.”
Quinton looks at Tank, wide eyed, and Tank smiles, trying to look friendly. I laugh, lowering to my chair. “Do you want a drink, Quinton?”
“I’d kill for a chai tea latte.”
“No need to kill, darling,” Zinnea quips, laughing lightly, flashing us all round eyes. “We’re all friendly around here.”
I press my lips together and look at Beau, who is equally amused.
“So,” I say, relaxing back. “When are you introducing Quinton to the men?”
Pearl snorts, Anya chuckles, Beau knocks her coffee cup on the plate, and Zinnea laughs harder.
* * *
It was so lovely to drink coffee, chat, just . . . be. I almost forgot how tired I am. As Tank loads the stroller into the car, I watch Daniel, my heart becoming heavier. His despondency. His missing sparkle. God damn it, I can fix this. Or try my hardest. I look at my cell. School’s out in an hour. I dial Lennox, walking a few meters away from Tank, but not so far he’ll give me earache for it.
“Hi, Rose.”
“Hi.” We haven’t spoken since he told me he knew exactly who my husband is. In fact, I’m surprised he’s taken my call. “I wondered if you’d mind Daniel coming over to see Barney.” I’m certain Danny won’t approve, but I can’t stand by and watch my kid be miserable.
Lennox is silent for a few, uncomfortable seconds. “We’d love that. We’ve missed him.”
I sag. “Thank you. I’m going to the school to see if I can appeal to Principal Tucker’s reasonable side.” And perhaps to gently remind him—as Daniel reminded me—that Danny’s funded a hell of a lot of projects in the short time Daniel’s been a student there.
“As you should,” Lennox says. “And I’ll happily vouch for your family, Rose.”
“You would?” I ask, stunned.
“Of course I would. Daniel’s an asset to that school. He said something silly in the heat of the moment.”
Fucking hell. My lip wobbles, and I suddenly feel so terrible for coming down so hard on him. He’s right. Daniel is a credit to them. “Thanks, Lennox. It means a lot.”
“No sweat. Do you want me to come with you to the school?”
I look back to the car. “We have to drop everyone home, then I’ll get Tank to bring us over, but I can’t leave Daniel without Tank. Plus, Danny will go spare if he finds out I went anywhere without one of the Vikings.” Damn it, where’s Fury?
“Well, I have my own Viking now.”
“What?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Oh?” I say warily.
“It’s nothing like that. No men out to kill me.” He laughs, awkward as hell. “Barney’s mother’s been in touch. I don’t trust that woman as far as I can throw her, so I’ve hired Sid.”
“Sid?”
“Yeah, Sid. Former CIA. Scary fucker.”
That feels extreme. “You think she’d take Barney?”
“I don’t know. We’ve not heard from her since she went to Sri Lanka with her new man. She’s showed no interest in Barney, and now all of a sudden she wants custody. It doesn’t make any sense to me. I’m just being cautious.”
Very cautious. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s fine. Anyway, my point is, Tank can watch the kids, we can take Sid. Or vice versa, whichever you’re comfortable with.”
“I think I want to meet Sid before I make that decision.”
Lennox laughs. “Fair enough. See you soon.”
I opted to leave Tank with the boys. Yes, Sid is a scary fucker, as per Lennox’s words, but Tank knows the boys, and Tank’s a scary fucker too. I’m just used to him, so the impact has worn off. I can still appreciate it, though.
Pearl and Anya asked if they could stay at the café to hang out, so Tank called Fury in, who was kicking his heels around the boatyard after being relieved by Brad when James and Danny picked him up. Naturally, my mind wonders what they’re doing. Who they’re killing. Threatening. Paying. Supplying. It’s actually been so . . . unusual. The quiet of the last six months. Well, five if you include the last month of loud thanks to Miss Maggie’s entrance into the world. But I’ve enjoyed the quieter side of Danny. The less secretive, less . . . volatile side. And I never thought I’d think that.
After dropping everyone home, leaving Maggie with Esther, expressing to relieve my chest—again—and leaving a few extra bottles, Tank and I went to Lennox’s.
I hopped into Lennox’s four-wheeled drive Volvo and made small talk from the back while figuring out how to approach this in between the brief silences on the journey.