Page 32 of Single Mom for the Mountain Men
“You like those three a lot, don’t you?” she asks, and Sophie pauses, confused by the suddenness of the question.
“Yeah, Mom,” Sophie answers like it should have been obvious.
“I like them, too. They give you a lot of things that you like, don’t they?”
“They do.”
“I want to give you so much more than that, Sophie. But Mommy has to take care of your health, your teeth, and everything else about you. I could buy you the whole candy store, but I know it gives you a tummy ache if you eat too many sweets. I know I sound mean when I say no, but it’s because I don’t want you to get hurt, Soph.”
Gently tucking her daughter’s hair behind her ear, she kisses the girl’s hands. “Do you understand? I promise, after we get the veggies I want, I will take you to the candy stall.”
Sophie nods, pacified, and Lena smiles before pressing a kiss to Sophie’s forehead.
Surprisingly, Sophie stops misbehaving after that. She stands patiently at her mother’s side, switching from one foot to the other.
Lena’s patience surprises me. Here I was, thinking she would yell at her daughter for being annoying like all mothers do, but she kindly explained the situation to her daughter. Kids are smarter than you think they are. If you treat them as intelligent people, they respond accordingly. Lena knows that, which makes her a better mother than most I’ve seen.
It’s impressive and admirable. It only makes her more attractive in my eyes.
Lena waves me down after a bit, asking me to accompany her and Sophie to the candy stall. I’m not able to say no, especially after the girl whips out her puppy dog eyes at me.
Sophie swings our hands together as we walk, the other in her mother’s grip. I see a few heads turn our way, and I remain hypervigilant. When I see that it’s mostly older women, cooing over how cute the family of three is, I relax. My ears heat up a bit, the assumption making me weirdly happy as we head toward the next stall.
I order Sophie one apple and another for myself. Lena shakes her head with mock exasperation as I ask her if she’s jealous of being left out.
“No, thanks. I’d rather not get diabetes,” she retorts.
Sophie giggles as I poke my tongue out at her mother.
“How’s the farmers’ market been?” I ask Lena after I pay for the treats, against Lena’s insistence.
“It’s a lovely place. I can see myself coming here twice a week for groceries. The produce is fresh, and the ladies are so sweet and wonderful.”
“Yeah, everyone in Whitefish tends to get along with each other. Peace-loving folks, I’d say,” I comment, getting lost in Lena’s smile yet again.
Which is why I am caught off-guard when a hand swings me backwards by a rough grip on my jacket.
“What the fu—” I begin, only for the words to die on my lips as I tumble backward.
“Tanner!” Lena’s voice yells out.
“Tanner Pratt. Long time no see,” a voice mocks me as I regain my footing.
“Dude, what is your fucking problem?” I growl after pushing away the man with both palms. The man, a short but sturdy guy with a goatee, glares at me. His fists clench and unclench by his sides.
“My problem? Have you forgotten this easily who I am?”
“You have the wrong Tanner, asshat,” I spit out, fixing my collar as I bare my teeth at him. “I’m not Tanner Pratt.”
“You think you can lie to me again and again?” The man barks out a laugh that grates on my ears. “You take me for some dumb fool, you piece of shit? You can’t cheat me again, Tanner Pratt. You give me my money now, or your girl and kid are gonna get it.”
Money? Fucking hell, is this the shark loan I’ve been running away from for the past seven months?That fucking goatee, fuck, how the fuck did I not recognize his wretched face?
Squaring my shoulders as I crack my neck, I growl, “Keep them out of it.”
“Move it, asshole,” Aiden calls out as he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with me, blocking Lena and Sophie from the loan shark’s line of vision.
“Take Lena and Sophie, and get the fuck out of here,” I hiss at Aiden, pushing him away when I see the little man with the goatee call out for his men. “This is a fucking ambush. I don’t want them hurt.”
