Page 75
“I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about,” she replied, doing a terrible job of hiding her smile.
Silas gave her a skeptical look before turning back to Ryder, who seemed delighted with himself.
“Listen carefully, little boy. Your mother is coming with me. I have a business trip, and I want her there.”
“Well, I want her in Switzerland.”
“You can go with the babysitter.”
Ryder's mouth fell open. “Without Mommy?”
“Yes.”
“You go to Japan with the babysitter!”
Allison burst out laughing, unable to help herself this time. Even Ryder looked pleased with that comeback, while Silas's expression darkened.
“I'm not going to Japan with the babysitter.”
“Then why should I go to Switzerland with him?”
“Because I'm your father.”
“And I'm her son!”
“Congratulations. Do you want a medal?”
“Silas!” Allison finally intervened, rising from the sofa before the argument could get any worse. “Stop arguing with him!”
Her husband turned toward her with an almost offended expression. “I'm not arguing. I'm explaining the situation.”
“You've been explaining it for twenty minutes.”
“Because he refuses to understand a very simple thing.”
“Enough!”
Allison's sharp interjection finally silenced them both. She looked from her husband to her son, taking in their matching scowls and the identical stubborn set of their jaws. They even had the same habit of looking at her as though she were the only person in the world capable of settling their disagreements.
It would have been endearing if they weren't currently making her feel as though she were being pulled apart in two different directions.
“I'm not choosing between the two of you,” she declared.
Silas stepped closer, seemingly encouraged by her words. “You don't have to choose. You're coming with me.”
Before she could respond, Ryder hurried to her side and caught her hand. “No, she's coming with me!”
Allison stared at their joined hands, then lifted her gaze to the ceiling as she silently begged for patience. Apparently, neither of them had heard a single word she'd said.
“Fine.” She drew a deep breath and pulled her hands free. “Since neither of you seems capable of behaving like a reasonable human being, we'll settle this another way.”
Silas raised an eyebrow, his curiosity briefly overpowering his irritation. “What do you have in mind?”
Allison walked over to the side table and opened a drawer, searching until she found a coin. When she returned, Ryder watched her with interest, while Silas regarded the small object with immediate suspicion.
“What are you doing with that?” he asked.
“Flipping a coin.”
