Page 43 of Reckless

I close my eyes for a second before I turn to the left and see my daughter and Tori standing there. I swallow, afraid of how much they justheard.

Can this get anyworse?

“Tori!” Sandra goes around our table to hug her.Jesus, they know eachother?

Tori gives Sandra a weak smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Hey.”

“I haven’t seen you since last fall. Thanks again for taking care of my son that onetime.”

“No worries,” Tori says quietly as she helps Mila back into her chair. “How areyou?”

“Better now that Ethan and I are going on a date this weekend. He asked me out!” Sandra trots back around to my side of the table.No, no,no.

I try to get Tori’s attention, but she’s making a concerted effort to not look atme.

“That’s cool. Ethan’s a good guy.” Tori tugs her purse over her shoulder and turns toward the front of the diner where Brady and Kat are waving bye. “You know what? I think I’m going to head home with my sister. You guys don’t need me,right?”

Yes, I fucking needyou.

Logan waves at her like a dipshit. “Nope, go on. Have a goodweekend.”

“Tori, wait.” I find my voice. “Can I talk to you asec?”

Cody starts to wail in my lap, and I look around for one of his toys, but I’ve already packed them at the bottom of his diaper bag.Motherfuck.

“Ethan, we can talk when I get back on Sunday.” She pauses. “Have fun on yourdate.”

This is notgood.

But then Sandra tells her towait.

Tori turns to her, the expression on her face a mask ofindifference.

“Think you might be able to babysit for me again? For the next time Ethan and I goout?”

Oh, fuckno.

Tori looks at me.Finally.

I shake my head, wanting her to understand that I’m not gonna let this happen. That there’s no way I’m going on a date withSandra.

But Tori doesn’t get my meaning. Because those hazel eyes that are usually warm and inviting glint withaloofness.

“Not a prob.” Under her breath, so soft I almost don’t catch it, she adds, “That’s about all I’m good for.Babysitting.”

“You’re the best!” Sandra hugs her, and Tori laughs. It’s a cold, mirthless sound that breaks my heart alittle.

Then she’sgone.

19

Tori

“Areyou sure you don’t want some pie?” my sister asks gently. “It’s your favorite,pecan.”

I shake my head and curl up tighter under the blanket. It’s the middle of summer in Texas, but the hill country can get cold at night, and right now I have a chill I can’t seem to shake. “I’m sorry I’m crashing your date. If you can get Brady’s parents to babysit tomorrow, I can probably stay atVal’s.”

She nods, places the pie on the coffee table, and slowly lowers herself next to me on the couch. “So you’re really not going to tell me what happened back there? One second you were all smiles, and the next, you were the Roadrunner, kicking up dust with your flip-flops from speeding out the diner sofast.”

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