Page 97 of Bossed By The Boggart

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen inálapi—my aunts—or even my family.”

“Maybe…maybe you can bring Jake and visit the reservation?”

Jake bounces in his seat at the prospect. What started off as the worst thing ever ended with him gaining a whole family.

“This is the best day ever!” he shouts, and Bash rubs at his chest.

Warmth spreads through me that has nothing to do with us all crowded into my small kitchen.

It’s the glow of love.

After our dinner and dessert, Tara helps me do the dishes while Jake asks my father one question after another.

“He’s just like—insatiable for knowledge!” até crows, clearly in his element as grandpa.

When I join them in the living room, Jake’s fighting back a yawn and his eyelids droop with exhaustion.

“I think it’s time for bed, chi?kší.”

“But I’m not tired!” he whines while rubbing his eyes.

“Hey, maybe I can tell you a quick story?” my father offers.

I nod, and he goes off to help Jake get ready for bed. Tara comes out of the kitchen.

“That’s probably my cue to go. Can we meet tomorrow and talk some more, please, Wyn?”

“Sure thing.”

“But not too early,” Bash chimes in. “I plan on wearing her out tonight.”

My ex winks. “Lucky.”

With this, she slips out the door that’s somehow magically whole after Bash destroyed it.

“Um, are you going to tell me how you fixed my door?”

Bash rolls his eyes.

“I told you—a Boggart never reveals his tricks.”

I blow a raspberry at him before going to Jake’s room.

My Boggart and I listen as até tells Jake a story even I don’t remember.

In no time, my son is fast asleep, and my dad creeps out of his room.

“You’ve got a great kid in him.”

“Trust me, I know. He’s my whole world.”

“Raising him on your own couldn’t have been easy—especially if your ex was extorting you for money.”

“I won’t lie, it wasn’t, but I never wavered. I couldn’t, not with Jake needing me.”

Até looks at Bash.

“What do you do for a living?”

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