Page 56 of Take My Kiss
“I’ll have to think ’bout it,” I tell her honestly.
A part of me doesn’t want to live with the guilt of not seeing him one last time and live with the what-ifs, but the other part hates that she’s putting me in this position after they abandoned me.
“Alright, well…whatever you decide, our door’s open.”
I almost laugh at the irony.
“I’ll let you know,” I say instead, choking back tears. “I gotta go.”
After hanging up, I save her number in my contacts and stare at it. It’s not the same one she had years ago, which means even if I wanted to call or needed their help, I wouldn’t have been able to reach her.
I drag myself out of bed and into the bathroom. The bags under my eyes and my pale skin remind me how tired I am, not physically, but mentally. Being under the stress of my life being uprooted and not feeling safe or able to protect my own kidsis wearing me down. I meant to go to bed earlier last night but ended up staying awake two hours past my normal time.
When I made tea for Colton and me last night, I anticipated going to bed shortly after, like I usually do. But then he came out shirtless and smelling like fresh soap, and I couldn’t resist waiting to see how he liked his drink. I put in my usual additions, but this time added a sprinkle of cinnamon.
We sat in silence for a while before we started talking. Then, before I knew it, midnight rolled around, and I was still awake.
Before we parted ways, he asked if it’d be all right for him to have tea with me again the following night. Although it’s a bad idea, especially since my willpower to keep him at arm’s length is getting weaker, I agreed to it.
Once I crawled under the covers, I couldn’t fall asleep. So now here I am, staring at the reflection of someone who gives the word haggard a run for its money.
A knock on the bathroom door startles me, and then I’m greeted with the same bare-chested Colton in the doorway.
“You okay?” he asks cautiously.
I nod, averting my gaze so he can’t tell I’m lying. “Just tired.”
“Go back to bed. I’ll get the kids fed and dressed for the day. I told Sam we could do some fun stuff at the ranch today anyway, so you can have some alone time with Lily if you want. But we won’t go for another couple hours if you wanna get some more rest.”
“Not sure I could even if I tried,” I murmur. “Got an unexpected call this mornin’.”
He strides toward me, concern etched across his chiseled face. “What happened? Who was it?”
I blow out a strained breath, not wanting to talk about it, but he won’t let it go unless I tell him. “My egg donor.”
“Yourwhat?”
I huff a laugh. “My mother.”
“Oh. I thought y’all were no contact.”
“She hired a PI to find me so she could tell me my father is dyin’ and wants me to come home to say my goodbyes. I dunno. It was a weird conversation. I-I wasn’t very pleasant.”
“You don’t owe her pleasantries, but wait, go back. Shehiredsomeone to find you?”
“Since I changed my last name a couple times and moved ’round, she didn’t know where I was or how to contact me. Not sure how he found me, but I didn’t ask for details.”
“You don’t think…” He furrows his brows, leaning against the counter. “That was the guy who tried to take Sam and followed you home?”
“Oh.” My spine straightens, and an uneasy feeling flows through me. “I dunno. If he was only tryin’ to locate me to tell my mother, why would he want Sam?”
“Not sure, but I don’t like it. Who’s to say she hired someone legit and not some creep off the dark web? Could’ve been a predator for all we know.”
“If that’s the case, then he’ll figure out how to find me here if he managed to do so the first time.”
“That’s not gonna happen,” he reassures me. “No one but our family knows you’re here. Your car’s back home. Nothin’ traces you here.”
“I’m sure my cell phone does. What if he’s trackin’ it? Or followed Wilder on our way up here? Or?—”
