Page 52 of You're My Person - For Always

Once River nodded at her to get the food, she went into the kitchen. Nerves made her anxious. What if she was doing the wrong thing? Having both Stafford men around at the same time was overwhelming. She wasn't trying to frighten Zora away. They were her sons.

"I'm surprised to see you today, " Lori said, flipping a burger on the grill. "You must be looking for something to eat."

"I have an order if you're not too busy."

"Give it to me." Lori removed the hamburger patty and set it on a bun.

"I need three cheeseburgers and a family-size order of fries to-go." She walked over to the order wheel and looked for the paper from the booth. "Zane and River are in Booth Three and decided to take their meals to-go, too."

"Oh." Lori grinned. "Sounds like you four are up to no good."

"Something like that." She smiled.

What Zane and Kingsley did in their free time was no one's business. Their relationship with Zora was fragile at best. Even though Lori claimed a friendship with Zora in the past, it was best to go slow until they knew how she would handle having more people in her life. From the impression she got, Zora enjoyed her solitude.

In no time, Lori had their food packaged and put in a box. When Kenna walked out the bar's back door, Zane and River were waiting for her.

Zane took the box from her. She walked with them, each of them silent. This was the first meal they planned to have with Zora. She imagined they were all a little nervous, not knowing what to expect.

Zane led them all into the house and to the kitchen. Kingsley sat at the table with Zora. She smiled and motioned to the others. "Guess who I found?"

"We thought we'd crash your dinner." Zane set the box on the island and passed the sacks to Kingsley.

"As long as you brought your own food." Kingsley snatched two Styrofoam containers and handed them to Zora and Kenna.

She sat beside him and put her hand on his thigh under the table. "There's napkins in the box."

"I've got them." River removed the stack, broke it in half, and set two piles on the table. "Does anyone need anything to drink before I sit? Zora?"

"No, thank you." Zora smiled, taking a French fry. "The last time I had food from the bar, Big John brought me a BLT last year. Did Lori cook this?"

"Yeah, she's too stubborn to share the kitchen with anyone." Zane sat down on the other side of his mom.

"That sounds like her," said Zora.

No one mentioned that only a few short weeks ago, Zora had shown up at the bar and seen Lori herself. Everyone pretended that having the mother who left them when Zane and Kingsley were young boys sharing a meal with them was normal.

She glanced at River, who shrugged and picked up her burger. Who was she to decide what was normal? In a few days, she'd visit her dad in prison and pretend he wasn't going to be put to death.

No wonder she and Kingsley fell in love with each other. The drama of their lives bonded them together.

Chapter Twenty Four

Kingsley

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"Kenna?" Kingsley took the stairs two at a time. "Hey, brat?"

Lori called up to the clubhouse, looking for Kenna twenty minutes ago. She hadn't shown up to work at the bar. Since moving to Gem Haven and working, she'd never been late. She also had never run away.

She'd grown and got past needing to escape him. The truth was out. She accepted, if not forgave him, that he'd lied and kept her dad a secret. There was no reason for her to take off.

He pushed the door open and scanned the empty bedroom. "Fuck."

River was at the campground. Zane had verified her location before Kingsley left the clubhouse. That meant wherever Kenna was, she was alone.

He rushed to the window and peered down at the ground. Her car was still parked by the garage where it had sat since she came here. She couldn't get far.

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