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Damn, that seemed like forever ago. It was nearly four and a half months since she’d walked into the store, frazzled with Rebel on her hip and upset because Tierney had left with no warning. Just a call during a layover of Hey, pick up my kid for me, will you? Miranda looked down at the out-of-control kid in front of her. They had made so many steps, leaps and bounds, and yet here they were, rehashing their first night together.
“Rebel, baby, you’ve got to stop screaming.”
That didn’t help anything. Miranda cringed, finally giving in to her maternal instincts. She pulled Rebel out of the seat and cradled her. Miranda pressed Rebel to her chest, cupping the back of her head as she rocked slowly and shushed her. Rebel was so tired. They probably wouldn’t even make it through dinner before she crashed. Hell, the car ride home.
With one hand, Miranda steered the cart as she went down the next aisle and stopped short. Her breath caught in her throat. A pulse repeatedly pounded in the center of her forehead. Her entire body tensed sharply.
Tori stood at the other end, laughing and smiling. Her hair was around her shoulders in waves, loose curls that begged for Miranda to rake her hands through them. The woman she was with didn’t look like her type at all. She had blonde hair, cropped short on one side and longer on the other. They were definitely the same age.
At first Miranda would have said they were friends, but the flirtatious tone in Tori’s voice, the random touching of hands to arms, to sides, to backs—way too low to be friends. A growl erupted in Miranda’s chest, and she bit her tongue to keep the sound at a minimum. She was just about to turn and leave when Rebel perked up.
“Ri! Ri!”
“Fuck,” Miranda muttered.
She put her back to Tori and started turning the cart around. Leave. Run away. Those were the only thoughts that ran through her brain. She had to get out of there.
“Rebel?” Tori’s voice was clear as it reverberated down the aisle.
Rebel squirmed, pushing against Miranda’s arm that held her tightly. “Down, Mama. Down!”
Stunned, Miranda stopped immediately. She stared at Rebel, who still fought with her, tears clogging up her throat. She set Rebel down, and without hesitating, Rebel ran straight for Tori. Miranda had no choice now, but at least she could wear the best damn mask that she had around. Couldn’t she?
Sucking in a deep breath of air, she bolstered herself and faced down Tori. The woman stood directly behind Tori, a curious look in her face as she waited for Tori to stand back up. Tori crouched close to the ground, her arms out as Rebel ran straight for her. Scooping her up, Tori spun in a circle before flipping Rebel’s feet back and forth.
“What are you doing here, Rebel?”
“Mama. Eat.”
“Right, I bet you need food for dinner, don’t you?” Tori was grinning down into Rebel’s eyes.
Miranda’s heart told her she was an idiot. Everything in her made her want to step closer and break up what was happening. But she steeled herself against those instincts because it wouldn’t be in anyone’s best interest for her to do that. She had to control herself. But why was her control so precarious?
“I’m surprised to see you,” Tori said, holding Rebel close to her and pressing her nose into Rebel’s wild curls.
“Likewise,” Miranda said, raking her gaze down Tori’s body. She was in tight jeans, an even tighter shirt, and a pushup bra that was perfect for her cleavage. Miranda wanted to drag her tongue down the V-neck line of Tori’s shirt. Then she remembered the last time they’d been together and balked.
“I didn’t realize you had more than one ex or kid.” The woman stepped forward, her hand on the small of Tori’s back.
“She’s not my ex.”
That’s right. Miranda wasn’t Tori’s ex. The feeling in the pit of Miranda’s stomach sank.
“And Rebel isn’t my kid, though sometimes I wish she were.” Again, Tori pressed her face into Rebel’s hair, dropping a kiss onto the crown of her head. “Rebel’s adorable and sweet.”
Miranda wanted to smile at that. Tori had seen Rebel go from the worst to the best in such a short period of time. It was amazing to have someone else recognize all the progress she had made. Miranda tightened her stance, unable to let those happy feelings in right now. Tori was on a date, and she should snag Rebel back so she could let the two of them be.
“I’m sorry. I forgot introductions. Miranda, this is Haylee. Haylee, this is Rebel’s aunt, Miranda.”
Right. Aunt. She wouldn’t be anything more than that, would she? Not that she wanted to be Rebel’s mother, because she wasn’t a mother. She didn’t understand the ways of parenting.
“We were shopping for some dessert to make at home,” Tori continued, as if unperturbed by the wrestling Miranda was going through every second she breathed.
At home.
Those words solidified it. There wasn’t anything between them, and Miranda had been stupid to even think there was for that one brief moment. It was more than one moment. She would admit that now, but not before. Not when there was a fighting chance between them. Miranda stepped forward, ready to take Rebel back.
“She seems tired,” Tori commented.
