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“Mom, did you see that? They have horses down there! Bunches of them,” Theo says, grinning up at me. His small hand wriggles in mine, pulling back as I haul him back into the house. “Let’s go down and say hi. One of them even waved to me.”
“The horse waved at you?” I tease, hoping to get his mind focused on something else. The horses I’ve glimpsed since getting here are stunning, and it seems like my son may have an affinity for them—just like his mama. Just looking at them has me thinking about my dream of becoming a trainer. A dream I let go of years ago. Another lifetime that’s best left in the past.
The door to the cottage thunks against the frame, snapping shut behind us as we enter. When my uncle said he found us a cabin to rent at a good price, I hadn’t expected anything as nice as this one. The two-bedroom, two-bath home looks rustic on the outside, but the interior is clean and modern, with every convenience a girl could ask for. Dark wood floors and bright white walls make the space seem enormous, and it’s even furnished—complete with plush couches and a solid oak kitchen table.
“Moooooooooooom, are you even listening to me?” my almost seven-year-old whines, snapping me out of my observations.
“Well, we only got here a little while ago, Buddy. I’ll talk to Uncle Ricky’s friend and see if we can say hi to the horses another time, but right now we need to go grocery shopping,” I explain. But just the mention of going down to the main part of the ranch fills me with dread. While Mr. Lyons, the owner, seems nice enough, I don’t want to bother him or invade their space. We came here to blend in—hide—remain unnoticed. And down the hill, there are way too many eyes.
“I want to go talk to the cowboy,” he says, jutting out his little chin and narrowing his sweet blue eyes. The look on his face is so similar to his father’s that apprehension whispers down my spine. Mutiny is on the horizon.
“Unfortunately, Bud, we need some food, or we’re going to starve,” I begin, trying to remind him of how much he loves snacks while I grab my wallet off the shiny white countertops. Opening it, I quickly count the cash to see how much I have, sighing with relief when I see there is more than enough to get him whatever he wants. “Plus, if you have a good attitude, I’ll let you pick ten items that I can’t say no to when we’re at the store.”
Theo wrinkles his nose, trying not to show how excited he is about that many ‘yes’ items, and fails miserably as a huge grin rips across his face. He tries to cover it with his hand, but I beam back at him anyway.
“Okayyyyyy. I guess we can do that since we definitely need food,” he says contemplatively, rubbing a finger over his chin. “But I know a bribe when I see one. And you’re going to get me so many donuts.”
“Deal,” I agree, practically dancing down the hallway to gather our shoes. Being able to get him things that make him happy fills me with elation; like I’m floating on a cloud of hope. It’s been a while since we had this kind of freedom, and although I have no idea what the future holds, I’m going to let us revel in the here and now.
“These are so good,” Theo moans, eating powdered donuts directly from the box as we walk out of the grocery store with our full cart. White sugar coats his face while he chows down, and I can’t help but giggle at the image he makes; carefree the way his childhood should have always been.
I sigh in relief, unworried about anyone judging me or getting angry about a little mess. Hand in hand, we stroll through the quiet parking lot, heading directly for our little grey sedan. About the only thing I miss from our previous life is my fancy SUV, but this junker will have to do for now.
Pulling the key out of my pocket, I glance around to scan the area and make sure nothing seems out of place. A few cars move slowly down the street, and a light breeze ruffles the leaves on the trees that line the beautiful main street of this small town. There are some people out and about walking in the sunshine and fresh air, stopping to chat. It’s quaint, tranquil and a piece of my soul settles, feeling a sense of rightness that is so foreign it takes my breath away.
My gaze snags on the police station down at the other end of the street. A shiver works through me. I need to go in there and provide them with the restraining order against Frank. My gut churns, but the taste of copper in my mouth from where I bit my lip snaps me back to the moment. I can do that another day. The key in my hand is warm when I slide it into the trunk and pop it open, realizing that Theo has gone completely silent and still beside me.
“What’s up, Buddy?” I question, noting his ramrod-straight posture and following his eyeline while dumping grocery bags into the trunk. Whirling to face me, Theo points emphatically at the school across the street.
“I want to go back to school, Mom. No more of this online shit,” he demands.
“Theo, language,” I automatically admonish as the reality of what he’s requesting sinks in.
“Sorry.” A blush stains his cheeks, but he crosses his arms emphatically. “But I mean it.”
Placing the last bag in, I close the trunk with a loud bang and pull him in for a hug. Right there in the parking lot, I crouch down until we are eye to eye, cup his cheeks in my palms, and rub our noses together like I did when he was just a little tyke.
“I hear you. And I will look into seeing if we can find a safe way to make that happen,” I promise, my eyes filling suddenly with tears that I refuse to shed. He’s been through so much, and pride fills me at his bravery. Being able to ask for something without fear is huge, and I want more than anything to give it to him. Hugging him hard, I sling an arm over his shoulder. We push the now empty cart back to the front of the store, laughing as it squeaks when we leave it with the others.
Holding hands, we cross the parking lot once more when an enormous floppy-eared dog lopes toward us. His paws are huge, his teeth even bigger, and I yank Theo behind me to protect him.
Using my body as a shield, I step forward, facing off with the hulking beast. What did that show say to do?
Rolling my shoulders back, I stand firm, puffing my chest out to seem bigger. “No. Get. Back,” I shout at it, keeping Theo plastered to my back, moving slowly forward and meeting the dog’s eyes to show my dominance.
“Mom, I want to go pet the dog,” he whines behind me.
“Absolutely not. As soon as we get to the car, I want you to jump inside to safety,” I tell him, inching forward, keeping my body between this giant stray and my precious baby. The dog seems frozen in place, but I don’t trust it. Anything can attack, even if it looks docile, and I’ve come too far to let some stupid dog trick me.
“Are you serious? Safety from what? The friendly dog wagging his tail?” Theo snorts in derision as we finally reach the car. My heart continues to thump in my ears, adrenaline spiking through me as I unlock the door.
Quicker than lightning, my naughty child darts around me, rushing straight at the monster just lying in wait to maul him. My hand reaches out, trying to snag him, but he’s so damn fast.
“Hi!” he cries, hurling himself at the dog who looks at me with a goofy grin and head tilt, practically laughing, ‘Hey, chill lady’. The second Theo reaches him, the dog unfreezes and my pulse jumps as his mouth opens. The animal is so tall that his head is at my son’s shoulder; it would take nothing to bite him right in the face or… jugular. Gulp.
His long pink tongue darts out, licking right up Theo’s cheek, and my boy lets out the most beautiful giggle. He hugs the dog’s neck tightly, petting his body as the pup wiggles in excitement. Yet it’s easy to see how careful the canine is being to avoid knocking my son over.
“So, this is where you got off to, Blue,” a deep, husky voice says. The melodious sound speaks right to my baser instincts, reminding me of silk sheets slipping over my skin. His voice is the sound of dirty sex and sin. Holy hell, is it hot out here?
