Page 84 of Rent Free

“Oh, pretty.” She took it, admired it, then handed it back.

The interaction was altogether innocent, but it again had the power to rip my heart straight out of my chest.

I was so engrossed with them that I missed most of the discussion that was happening around me until my brothers and Mom started to stand up.

Pepper got up, too, and reached out for Forest.

“Come on, bud,” she said. “We can go back to the bakery and let these boys work out what to do next.”

I got up as well, glancing at my dad, and letting him know with a few words that I’d be back.

I left them all in the office, heading behind Pepper and Forest, chatting away.

I didn’t understand a single word that was said by my boy, but Pepper acted like she got every single word.

“You can take my truck,” I suggested. “I have the car seat.”

“Oh,” she paused. “I guess that’s pretty important, huh?”

I grinned and held out my keys.

She dropped her Jeep keys into my own and said, “I’m sorry, but it’s out of gas. Like really out of gas. I was going to get it on the way home.”

I nodded. “I’ll take care of it.”

She didn’t argue, but I could see the instant rejection in her eyes.

I got the door for Forest, then took him from her arms before strapping him into the car seat.

“Be good for Peppa, will you?” I asked him.

He gave me a thumbs up, and I realized that he still had the pen from my dad’s office.

“Can I see that?”

He handed it to me, and I immediately dismantled it, taking the ink insert out before giving it back.

He took it, frowned, then handed it back to me. “Fix!”

I pulled a set of keys out of my pocket, the ones to my house, and said, “Here. How about we switch?”

He took the keys, threw the pen at my face, and said, “Tanks!”

I pulled away and closed the truck door.

Pepper was already in the front seat and starting it up.

“Don’t let him lose those keys,” I pleaded. “I kind of need those to get into the barn outside the house.”

She smirked at me. “I’ll try.”

I leaned into the open door, one hand on the door, and a forearm on the top of the truck.

“Try real hard,” I purred, leaning in.

My mouth was only inches away from hers, her mouth leaning into my own, before she cursed and pulled back. “Employee, employer.”

I gritted my teeth. “For now, I guess.”

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