Page 129 of Mountain Daddy

“Mom! Dad!”

My heart stops. Just for a second.

Dad.

Did he just?—?

I’ll never get used to that.

The front door flies open. Chleo bursts into the cabin like a hurricane. His eyes find me immediately.

“Dad!” he shouts again, racing toward me.

It's not the first time he's called me that, but it still hits like a bullet to the chest. A good bullet, if there is such a thing. One that expands instead of destroys.

I crouch down, catch him as he launches himself at me. His small arms wrap around my neck, squeezing tight.

“Hey, buddy,” I smile. “Miss me?”

“So much!” He pulls back, eyes wide with excitement. “Rosa let me have chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. And I stayed up late watching movies. And?—”

“Sounds like you had fun,” I laugh, standing up with him still in my arms.

Rosa appears in the doorway, smiling. “Morning, lovebirds. Hope you two had a... restful night.”

The way she emphasizes “restful” makes it clear she knows exactly how we spent our evening.

I'm not embarrassed.

“Very restful,” I confirm, shifting Chleo to my hip.

Lilly emerges from the bedroom, hair damp from the shower, wearing one of my t-shirts and a pair of jeans. She looks soft. Domestic. Mine.

“Mama!” Chleo squirms in my arms, reaching for her.

I set him down, watch him race to her. She scoops him up, covers his face with kisses until he giggles and protests.

“Did you behave for Rosa?” she asks.

“Perfect angel,” Rosa says, winking at Chleo. “Except for the part where he convinced me he's allowed ice cream before bed.”

Lilly raises an eyebrow at our son. “Is that so?”

Chleo's face scrunches in a look of pure innocence. “Dad lets me.”

I laugh. “Nice try, kid.”

The sound of another car approaching breaks the moment. I tense automatically. Remember I don’t have my gun on me.

“Expecting company?” I ask Lilly.

She shakes her head, moving closer to Chleo. Protective.

I step to the window, peer out. Relief floods through me when I recognize the black Audi.

“It's Maksim,” I tell them, relaxing.

Rosa perks up. “The tall, scary one with the nice arms? Your friend?”

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