Page 26 of The Preacher's Bride

The boy’s eyebrows pulled together. “What do you mean?”

Mia shrugged, still smiling. “It means that you won’t be allowed to play with your toys, and you will only be allowed to go outside to do your chores… until I say otherwise.”

Shane stood so quickly that his chair fell backward, crashing to the floor. “You can’t do that to me!”

“Oh yes I can, and I will,” Mia replied softly. “Now, pick up your chair and eat. You won’t get anything else tonight.”

“Pa!” Shane whined as he marched across the restaurant to his father.

Leaving the chair on the floor, Mia unfolded her napkin and laid it across her lap. The lump in her throat was so large that it nearly prevented her from swallowing… nearly. Determined not to let a child get the best of her, she forced herself to eat, even though it felt like it was going to come back up with every bite.

A moment later, Caleb marched over to the table, picked up the chair, and pointed to it as he looked at his son. “Sit down and eat! And I don’t want to hear any more about it!”

Tears rimmed Shane’s eyes as he sat at the table and started eating without another word.

Mia smiled as she ate. When she forced down the last bite of food, she dabbed daintily at the corners of her mouth with her napkin, laid it on the table, and then looked over at Shane. “Are you ready?”

Shane was picking at his potatoes, but had made a sizeable dent in his plate, despite his protests and antics. He looked up and smirked at Mia. “Almost.”

Mia let out a deep breath. “Well, hurry up. We have to go upstairs and put you to bed.”

Shane dropped his fork onto his plate, clinking loudly against the porcelain. “I don’t have to do what you say!”

“We’ll see about that.” Mia knew she was going to war… against a four-year-old boy, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t about to let him rule the house.

“I think it’s time to go,” Caleb announced, but didn’t say a word to his son. “I’ve already paid the bill.”

She stood and reached for Hailey. “You want me to take her?”

“No, I have her.” Caleb’s eyes were cold. Then he glanced over at his son. “Let’s go.”

“But I’m not ready—” Shane protested.

“Oh yes, you are,” Caleb cut him off, and then walked upstairs, expecting them to follow.

Mia looked at Shane, and he glared back. “Shane, I know I’m not your mother, but—”

He stood, and his fists were balled up at his sides as tears spilled onto his cheeks. “Don’t you dare talk about my mother! You know nothing about her!” Then he stormed up the stairs after his father.

Mia looked around apologetically, and all eyes were on her. She slowly let out her breath to keep from crying, pushed in her chair, and walked up the stairs with what little dignity she had left.

Upstairs, Caleb and the children were already in their room.

Mia could feel every muscle in her body, and her arms were about to fall off from the weight of having carried Hailey all day and not being used to it. As she opened the door to her hotel room, she tried to remind herself of the reasons she had agreed to this arrangement in the first place.

Mia had just collapsed onto the bed when there was a knock on her door. She let out a deep breath and sat up. “Coming.” When she opened it, Caleb was standing on the other side. “Mia, I’d like to speak with you… alone.”

She stepped back and he walked in and closed the door. Anger welled up within Mia’s chest as she waited for what was to come.

“First of all, please do not threaten my children,” he ticked off the first of what she was sure was going to be a long list.

“Threaten?” Mia asked, unable to believe what she was hearing.

“Second, they are my children. Not yours.”

“Now, wait a minute—”

Caleb held up a finger. When he spoke, he lowered his voice. “If my son needs discipline, then you will let me know and I will take care of it.”

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