Page 108 of Take My Kiss
“Mhm.” She scowls, then walks inside.
“She always this tough and unforgivin’?” he murmurs when I motion for him to follow her.
I stifle a laugh. “At least she didn’t pretend not to remember you.”
He furrows his brows, rightfully confused.
“Colt! When’re you gonna let that go?” she shouts over her shoulder.
“Never, darlin’.”
“Watch him while I change,” Amelia orders, going down the hallway. “I’ll bring you a shirt.”
“You like tea?” I ask him as I fill the kettle.
He nods. “Sure, thanks.”
“She’s very protective of her kids,” I say, grabbing three mugs. “She’s been a single mom for eight years, so I can’t blame her.”
“I was excited to learn I have a niece and nephew. Their photos are adorable.”
“They’re incredible. Sam’s adventurous. Always sneakin’ away and givin’ his mom a heart attack. He likes to cook with me, and Lily likes to eat what we make. It’s a win-win.”
Amelia returns in leggings and a sweater, and a T-shirt for me.
“Do you have any children?” she asks him, seemingly calmer than a few minutes ago.
“No. Troy and I talk about adoption, but it’s a long process, so we haven’t gotten too far.”
“Who’s that?”
“My husband.”
Amelia’s mouth drops. “You’re married?”
He holds out his left hand, showing off his ring band. “Seven years this month.”
“Wow.” She blinks. “I-I have so many more questions now.”
“I made your tea,” I say, hoping it’ll help her relax. Walking around her, I kiss her temple and give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. I still don’t fully trust this guy, but I want to hear his story.
She takes her mug and blows over it. “Where’ve you been livin’?”
“I first moved to San Francisco. That’s where I met Troy. We moved to Alabama about two years ago.”
“So, this whole time…you’ve been alive. And no one knows?”
“Well…Mom does and the people she paid off to help make it happen. Not sure if she ever told Dad her evil plan.”
“Shefaked your death?”
I’m not sure my eyes can get any wider. Just when I thought his resurrection was a wild story, hearing their mother was behind it has my mind spinning even faster.
“I didn’t know she was gonna tell everyone I died. I found that out months later, so of course, I could never return. Or she’d come for both of us.”
“Whaddya mean?”
“She gave me an ultimatum. Get half my trust fund at eighteen, instead of twenty-one, and live under a new identity across the country or she’d revoke it completely and kick me out. When that didn’t work, ’cause I’d rather live on my own terms without their money anyway, she resorted to threatenin’ to take your trust fund and kick you out instead. She knew howclose we were and that I’d do anythin’ to protect you, so I had no choice at that point. I didn’t want you to be punished for somethin’ I did.”
