Page 111 of Desolation

I burst out laughing. My mom nearly had a heart attack when she saw Mark for the first time.

“Mom, this is Landon. He is taking over as watchdog for the weekend.”

Landon takes my mom’s hand and brings it to his lips for a brief kiss. I roll my eyes. Of course he had to play Romeo.

“Nice to meet you, Landon. Mark, are you staying for breakfast?”

“Nah, I should get going. Get some work done. Fly home to see the kids for the weekend.”

My mom wraps her arms around Mark. “Well, it was so nice to meet you. I am glad you are keeping my daughter safe. And when this is all said and done you should bring your kids to play with Mariela’s girls.”

“I’ll do that, ma’am.”

Landon gives me a look and I know he is asking how much my mother knows about everything. I mouth to him, I’ll tell him later.

We both say goodbye to Mark then my mom gets busy in the kitchen.

“You two scoot. I need to make sure I have enough to feed everyone.”

“Ms. Bardales, you don’t need to do that. I can scrounge something up.”

I snort.

“Please call me Maria. And you will eat what I make you.”

Landon looks shocked at my mom’s assertiveness. I drag him out to the deck that overlooks the beach. “Don’t ever tell a Latina woman you don’t want their food.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I know. But she takes offense. Remember how I told you she liked to cook for the entire block?” He nods. “Well don’t think she won’t cook you a large breakfast. And don’t get me started on dinner. She will probably have three entrées and ten sides. Mark nearly passed out from eating too much last night.”

“Alright, alright. I will eat her food. Besides I remember you saying it’s delicious.”

I nod. “It is.”

“So she knows about everything going on?”

“More or less. She knew when I left for San Diego. I didn’t tell her I went home to Chicago to change my appearance and get help from my ex but—”

“Your ex that did not make you come more than I did.”

My cheeks flame. “Landon, do not talk about that while she is around.”

“She’s in the kitchen.”

“And she has the hearing of a bat.”

Landon grins at me. “I sure hope not because then she probably heard us in the middle of the night.”

I rest my face in my hands. “Landon…”

“Lips sealed, Mar.”

I pull my face away from my hands and sip my coffee. “Anyway, she knew something wasn’t right, my suspicions of Michael. When I came home I had to tell her what I found out. She is my mother and she was worried sick.”

“So she doesn’t think it’s weird you have a bodyguard.”

I shrug. “She does. But she’s happy to know the kids and myself are safe.”

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