Page 110 of Beating Heart
“Glad to hear it, and don’t give it a thought. I would have been pissed if you didn’t call and tell us what was going on. This is exactly where we wanted to be.”
“My girl, Sunny, is the best doctor around. That’s why the best hospital wants her in Boston. But me and Pops will see her all the time and eat all the chowder.”
Jay’s empathetic gaze moved to mine, and he clapped me on the shoulder. “I get why they want her, but Magnolia Falls wants her, too. I’m sure you guys will all figure it out. It’s nice to see you all so happy.”
Emerson, Susannah, and J.T. came walking out together, and my son ran to his best friend. “That’s a cool cast,” Cutler said.
“I want you to be the first one to sign it, Beefcake!”
Cutler signed the cast, and he took his sweet time while we were all looking at one another because it had been a long night, and we wanted to get these boys home.
We all said our goodbyes, and Emerson said she’d stop by tomorrow to check on him. It surprised me when we got into the truck that Emerson climbed into the back seat with Cutler after strapping him into his booster.
“You going to sit back here with me, Sunny?” Cutler said, his voice sleepy.
“Yep. I know you were upset, and I just want to make sure you’re okay, angel face,” she said, and when I glanced in the rearview mirror to back out, they had their fingers intertwined.
“I’m okay now,” my son said.
Yeah, you and me both, buddy.
There was a feeling of peace that came over me whenever I was with these two.
I drove the short distance home, and when we pulled into the driveway, movement on my front porch caught my attention.
Fuck me.
“Who is that?” Emerson asked, as she unbuckled Cutler, who was staring out the window.
“I guess Tara forgot to call and say she was coming today.” I cleared my throat, as I climbed out of the car and opened the back door to help Emerson and Cutler out.
I did my best to remain calm, but I was anything but. It was late, and there was no reason for her to be here on my front porch with a suitcase beside her.
“Hey, I was getting worried about you,” she said, as she pushed to her feet.
Tara looked exactly the same. She had dark hair and dark eyes, like Cutler’s. She was petite and slim. She knew she was attractive, and she used it to her benefit most of the time. I learned quickly that her exterior beauty did not match who she was on the inside.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my tone harsh but necessary. When it came to Tara, I needed to keep boundaries in place.
“Well, hello to you, too,” she said before she bent down, and her gaze moved to Cutler. “Hey there, sweetheart. It’s Mama. Do you remember me?”
He had his hand in Emerson’s, and he was standing a bit behind her. I didn’t know who positioned them that way. If it had been self-preservation on his part or the need to protect him on her part.
Neither would surprise me.
“Hi, Tara.” Those were the only words he said, and for a chatty little dude, it spoke volumes.
Emerson caught it, and she tightened her grip on Cutler and glanced over at me before Tara noticed.
“And who is this? Are we bringing random women around our child?”
“We’re not doing this, Tara. You haven’t come around for two years, and you think you can call the shots?” I hissed, and Emerson’s free hand landed on my back, as if she were trying to calm me.
I shouldn’t have this conversation in front of my son. I knew better.
“Sorry, I was just excited to see my boys,” Tara said, moving forward and wrapping her arms around Cutler.
His hand dropped from Emerson’s, and Tara scooped him up in her arms.
