Page 64 of Twins for the Silver Foxes

The white beard shifted with the force of his joyous facial expressions, and he patted Liddy’s head while nodding, then pointed straight ahead toward the camera.

Liddy’s smile was the best thing in the whole world. It burned away at the edges of the rejection Chad left behind. I raised my phone and clicked a few pictures of my own before Liddy jumped down and ran back to me.

“I did it.” She skidded to a stop. “He said it was a great present and he’d try his best.”

“Good.” I held out my hand. “Let’s go see your pictures.” The booth developed the photos right then and there. My pictures were fine, but this moment deserved examining the proofs the woman slid across the counter and ordering a few of Liddy’s favorites.

We found a bench close by and waited for the pictures to print. Liddy turned around backward, sticking her legs between the seat and the back. Her arms rested on top of the metal, and she examined the shops across from us. “Look, Mama.”

I turned to follow her pointing finger. “Don’t point, Liddy. It’s rude.”

“Oh.” She dropped her hand. “But do you see him?”

It took all of ten seconds to discover the him in question. Chad stood in front of the ice cream shop. I recognized the backof his head and the plaid jacket with its distinct silver and green pattern. “I see him.”

“Who’s that with him?” Liddy’s question daggered my heart. Chad leaned his shoulder against the glass and laughed. His body moved in that casual way I remembered, the flirtation evident even from a distance. A blonde woman stood in front of him. She put a hand on his arm and leaned in. And damn him if he didn’t kiss her right on the lips and guide her toward his car sitting at the curb. Fucking asshole. While Liddy and I stood shivering in line, he’d backtracked to pick up his car just to drive over here and hook up with a perfect stranger. Or maybe they knew each other and this was more than a hookup. I wrapped both arms around my waist and leaned over with a groan.

“Mama?” Panic laced Liddy’s voice. “What’s wrong?”

I knew better than to feel ashamed but seeing Chad with another woman immediately after he rejected Liddy twisted the pain deeper. Worthless. That was the only word to describe what I was feeling. He ran the minute he found out about my pregnancy and here he was rejecting my daughter yet again, thinking with his dick first.

I fought my way through the haze and dug my phone from my coat pocket. I’d been an idiot to reject Scott’s offer to join us. Tears blurred my vision, but I managed to tap his name in my contacts and bring my shaking hand up to my ear.

“Hannah?” Scott’s deep voice shredded my control.

Tears fell in great drops that splattered onto my lap. Liddy hunkered in close to my side, her arms going tight around my middle. “Scott.” My teary voice warbled on his name.

“What happened?” Anger seeped through the phone. “Are you hurt?” His voice cut away as he spoke to Ryland in the background. “Hannah’s crying. Get the car and tell Arthur.”

“No, I’m okay.”

“The hell you are. Where are you? Is Chad still there? Tell me what happened.”

I told him through my tears, leaving nothing out. Liddy tightened her hold. “I love you, Mama.”

“I love you too, baby.”

It was enough to calm the flood of tears, but they continued to fall in steady drips. “It’s okay, Scott. We’ll be home soon.”

“You’re not driving like this.” He rarely ordered me around, but I heard the iron will and felt my first true breath of relief rush in. “Stay put. We’re coming to get you.”

I almost told him it wasn’t necessary, but I bit my lip instead, deciding to let them take care of me. It felt nice to be wanted, to be protected. They might not love me, but they never failed me.

34

SCOTT

“Fucking bastard.” I pounded my closed fist onto the marble counter. “He’d better be gone or I’m going to beat the ever loving shit out of his trust fund baby face.” I heard the hatred in my words and relished the thought of putting Chad in his place. No one mistreated Hannah.

“Careful.” Ryland slapped a hand to my shoulder and kneaded the tight muscles. “No pansy ass like that is worth going to jail over.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t go to jail.” A fully feral smile peeled my lips back from my teeth. “I’d make sure of that.” I’d never been so mad in my fucking life. “Where’s Arthur?”

“Here.” He jogged down the steps with Megan on his heels. She took one look at us and paled.

“What’s happened? Is Hannah okay?”

“Ryland, fill her in. I can’t.” I was capable of punching and cursing but not much else until I calmed down. If I ever calmed down. “Let’s go.”

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