Page 31 of Redeem Me

Bear came here today and put his cards on the table. He still wants me to marry him. He’ll raise my kids. I don’t really have any say in the matter.

Though I’m wary about him engaging with the kids, what can I do? They love meeting people. Right now, they’re explaining about Sesame Street. I know Bear can’t understand them. They’re talking too fast, skipping and tripping over their words.

Even as I caress their heads and try to settle them, I don’t give them the “crab apple” warning. I’m curious if Bear will snap at them like Andrew did when they got too loud.

Rather than get irritated, he settles on the ground and shows them pictures of his cats.

“This is Lobster Mac,” Bear says, revealing a mostly white cat with brown and black stripes on his face. The second cat looks similar except his striped face is orange and brown. “This is King Crab.”

The kids kneel on the grass and take his phone. They whisper to each other about cats before deciding to speak in meows.

Bear glances up at me, and I hold his gaze for too long. He sees something I probably shouldn’t reveal. Standing up, he cups my face and studies me.

“Did you love the guy who did this?” Bear asks, and his rumbly voice sounds especially deep and angry.

“No.”

“Did he stop you from leaving?”

“No.”

Bear blinks rapidly, seeming confused and a little hurt. He wants something from me.

“Was it really better than coming back?”

“I wanted to go to Key West.”

“Then, why didn’t you?”

“I met them,” I say and gesture at the kids still looking at his cat pictures. “And fell in love.”

Bear studies the kids long enough for me to worry. “They’re bruised.”

His words break me a little. “He never did that before.”

“Did he do this before?” Bear asks, brushing his calloused thumb across my lips like a soft breeze.

“Not all the time but yes.”

“Why not take them and run?”

“I didn’t have the money for that.”

“Why not ask for help?” Bear mutters and then puts it together. “Help comes with conditions.”

“Yes.”

“If you came home earlier, they wouldn’t be bruised.”

I step back from Bear, withholding my presence since that’s the only power I possess. He grunts at my reaction. Moving closer, he very deliberately cups my face and refuses to look away.

“You shouldn’t have run away.”

I feel like he wants me to mention Ollie. I even sense he has an excuse ready to go. However, I don’t dare say my dead friend’s name. If I start crying, the kids will get upset.

“I panicked,” is all I say.

“If you didn’t want to marry me after what happened, I’d have let you break the deal. You didn’t need to run.”

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