Page 68 of Piece Of Me

“I love her, Mom.” Shocked at his admission, for a moment Taz stood in silence, as if hearing the words for the first time. But that was wrong. He’d heard them before when they’d snuck in late at night. Hell, hadn’t he been thinking them for the last few weeks?

“Have you told her?”

“No.”

“Does she love you?”

“I think so.”

Martha looked disappointed in his answer and for whatever reason that pissed him off even more. “Look, I don’t need to do this right now. We haven’t said the words to each other, but I don’t need to hear them to know how Scarlett feels.”

His mother walked over and reached for him. Her touch was gentle, and warm on his cheek. “I see how the two of you care for each other. You guys are good together and the kids get along so well. Cameron and Ryan act like Hank is a part of their lives and that’s the thing that has me concerned.”

“I don’t understand where this is headed.” But he did, and his gut churned at the thought.

“The girls lost so much before they were old enough to know what it was they’d lost. I don’t want them to go through that pain with Scarlett and Hank.”

“Jesus, Mom, you’re looking at months or years down the road.”

“Yes.” She nodded. “I am. That’s what parents do. You say you love Scarlett and I believe you. I see how she brings light to your life. I see how happy you are. And you think she loves you back. But thinking something and knowing something are two different things. With Scarlett, there’s the added complication of Hank’s father. He’s here. He’s in the picture. And he can trump love if he chooses to. He can cause problems. Problems that will affect our girls.”

He swore and looked at his feet because everything his mother had just said was the god’s truth.

“If it were just you, I’d tell you to fight for her. I’d tell you to fight dirty and do whatever you had to do to give you guys a chance. But honey, that’s not the case. You’ve got the girls to think of. I don’t doubt that she cares for you. Don’t doubt that she cares for the girls either. But if there’s the tiniest chance that Scarlett isn’t all in with you and the girls, you have to step back. It will be the hardest thing for you, I know that, but it’s the right thing for Cameron and Ryan.”

For the longest time neither one said a word.

And heart heavy, Taz finally walked over to his mother and gave her a big hug. “You’re right. I need to have a conversation with Scarlett.”

“It’s better that you both know where you stand. Not only for you, but for Scarlett as well.”

“You want to come in for dinner?” He changed the subject.

“No.” She shook her head and stepped away. “But thank you. I’m meeting Manley in town.”

“Yeah? You two are spending a lot of time together.”

“We are. I like him. He’s a good man whose had a lot of darkness in his life. I can relate.”

Taz walked his mother back to her vehicle and stood in the driveway, watching her leave. The front windows were open, and he heard the girls singing some song about a frog and a prince and a lily pad. He smiled. God, they couldn’t carry a tune, but man they loved singing. It made for some spectacular entertainment.

He checked his phone, but other than the earlier message from Scarlett there was nothing. He realized that he hadn’t answered back, so he typed out a simple response.

Scarlett: I’ll drop by later.

Taz: Good. We need to talk.

He pocketed his cell and went inside to rustle up some eats for the girls. He’d get them fed and in the bath.

And then he would wait.

CHAPTER 22

The drive to Bozeman took well over an hour. Scarlett found the hotel Malcom had given her and parked at the far end of the lot. She’d borrowed her brother’s huge truck, it took up two spots, but she didn’t care. She cut the engine, sat back, and exhaled. It was midafternoon and the sun was high, the blacktop practically sizzled.

The hotel was one of the priciest places in town and catered to folks with hefty bank accounts. There were expensive vehicles coming and going, large SUVs with blacked out windows or sleek sports cars in cherry red or silver.

She pulled down the mirror and had a critical look at herself. She hadn’t slept at all, and it had taken mad skills to cover up the bruises under her eyes. She’d applied mascara and gloss, but that was it. Happy that she didn’t look as terrible as she felt, she flipped the mirror back up and before she chickened out and changed her mind, slid out of the truck.

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