Page 144 of The Troublemaker
I tilt my head.“I don’t want to take this lightly.I know we’re married on paper, and we’ve started this whole relationship to see where it goes.And it’s going great.I’m really happy.”
He waves, grinning.“Keep going.”
“I guess what I’m saying is that regardless of what happens with us, I’m in Tanner’s life for as long as he allows me.”
“Lucky him.What do I have to do to get the same assurance?”
I straddle him, running my nails through the hair at the back of his head.“I want to keep you too.But I just want you to know, this means something to me.I thought about it the last three days, and I can’t control who Tanner views me as.And I love it every time he says it, but just so you know, if you ever want out or anything like that, and worry about Tanner being collateral damage, he won’t be.”
His hands fall down to my ass, and he pushes me closer to him.“I’d never expect any different.But does that mean you’re staying?”
I give him a firm nod.“I’m staying.”
“What are our chances we get him to go down for a second nap?”He looks over my shoulder, and I turn to look at Tanner staring right at us.
“Slim.”
Easton hooks his foot under Tanner’s high chair and wheels it over.“Who is this?”He points at me.
Tanner’s busy eating the avocado, but Easton won’t let it go.By the third time Easton asks, Tanner finally says, “Mama.”
“And who this is?”I point at Easton.
“Dada.”
“And you?”Easton asks.
Tanner stares at him blankly.
“I don’t think we’re there yet.”I chuckle.
Easton pokes his stomach.“You’reours.”
“Yeah, he is,” I say softly.
My phone vibrates on the table, and I give Easton a kiss and then Tanner one before grabbing it and seeing a text from my mom.
I know you’re busy, and I would hate for you to miss it.
Here’s a link to the funeral information for Honor’s grandma.
Yes, I know.
I grunt and toss my phone on the table.
“Who’s that?”Easton frowns.
“My mom.”My forehead falls onto his shoulder, and he runs his hand down my back.“I think she’s going to Honor’s grandma’s funeral tomorrow too.”
“Well, makes sense since Honor was your best friend.”
I draw back, but his hand continues to run up and down my back.I love the way he’s always touching me when we’re close.
“It’s the way she delivers information, like, ‘Hey, Hadley, I know you don’t have your shit together, so just in case you didn’t know, her grandma died.’”
He leans in and kisses my forehead.
“Just as things are going good.We’re good, Tanner is good, and we actually made a profit at the bookstore last month.The little teases of live storytellings on social media are helping.More kids are showing up with their moms.It’s promising, but of course my mom has this way to just make me feel less than.This is just her damage from a text, imagine tomorrow in person.”
