Page 70 of Decoding Morse

“Theo—” I started, trying to get his attention back on me.

Color splashed across his cheeks and the tips of his ears as he read the situation. Fists clenched, he took a step toward Morse. “What the hell are you doing with my mom?”

Ignoring Theo, Morse answered me. “Ted used to bring him to see me in Seattle. Theo and I didn’t keep in touch, but I know how to reach him.”

I had so many follow-up questions I didn’t know where to start.

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not in the room,” Theo said.

Morse stuck his hands in his pockets, the image of calm in the face of my kid’s anger. “Your mom asked questions. You didn’t answer, so I did.”

“You didn’t know Dad was taking me to see him.” Theo’s gaze swiveled back and forth between us, puzzling the details out. “But Levi called to let me know your phone was temporarily out of service. Wait.” His eyes went wide with shock. “Are you guys together now?”

“That’s not any of your business,” I said as Morse said, “Yes.”

But Theo was already triggered. He stuck out his chest, growing impossibly larger as his eyes narrowed at Morse. “Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”

“No, he doesn’t,” I said, putting an end to this insanity by inserting myself between them. “And neither do I, since we’re both whole-ass adults. Hi Theo, I’m happy to see you. How’s school? Basketball still going well?”

“School’s fine, but?—”

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

For a moment, I didn’t think he’d answer, but his manners finally kicked in, and he leaned back on his heels. “Since I don’t have class on Tuesdays until two, Grandma has me come for breakfast.”

That was something I should have known. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He shrugged. “It’s no big deal.” His gaze flickered back to Morse. “Will either of you tell me what’s happening here? Because this entire situation seems sus.”

“That means suspicious. Or suspect,” I explained to Morse. “It’s kind of like the word ‘bet.’ You really have to pay attention to the context.”

“This isn’t funny, Mom.”

Nope. It was uncomfortable as hell, demanding I hide behind humor to cope. Theo finally met my gaze, and I sucked in a breath. It had been a few months since I’d seen him, and now that he was filling in, he looked so much like his father I could barely breathe. Ted had passed down the kind eyes and expressive eyebrows that had initially attracted me to him, and after what I’d done last night, looking into that face was a one-two punch of judgment. No matter that we’d done nothing wrong, that was how it felt.

“What happened to your face?” Theo turned accusing eyes on Morse before returning to me. He pointed a finger. “Did he?—?”

“Whoa.” I threw both hands up to stop him. “Before you finish that super offensive accusation, think it through. Your father wouldn’t have taken you to see Morse if he didn’t trust him.”

“But why didn’t Dad tell you?”

Theo had always been too smart for my own good. I glanced at Morse, hoping he’d shed some light on the subject, but the look he gave me reminded me we needed to talk. Without an audience. The tension was thick enough to chew, so naturally, I took a bite.

“Theo, Levi goes by Morse now,” I said, pretending that this conversation had never turned south and begging my kid with my eyeballs to play along.

It took him a moment, but he sighed and asked, “Why Morse?”

“It’s his road name,” I explained, so bound and determined to sell Theo on how cool Morse was that I didn’t even let the man talk. “He’s in a motorcycle club that helps veterans.”

That piqued my son’s interest. “That’s your bike in the driveway?”

“Nope. That one belongs to Specks. But Morse has a badass Harley, too.”

Morse fought back a smile while Theo watched me like I’d lost my mind, but at least he’d dropped the murderous scowl. Encouraged, I continued my de-escalation attempt by snatching up the biker vest from the dresser and showing it off. “See?”

His gaze dropped to the name on the front. “Angel?”

Oops.

---