Page 3 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
“Yes.” Reagan curved into him so she could say something into his ear. “Mom said you would take care of us until she came back.”
Came back? Where the fuck had Tara gone? His stomach dropped to the floor at that pronouncement, but he hugged them both. They had to be scared, and Tara had to be terrified to have taken off and left her babies. “You know I will. We O’Connors stick together. We’ll figure it out.” He patted their little backs with assurance. God, they were so tiny compared to his large hands.
Brenda returned with a large bedazzled bag, which said BOSS on the side in white rhinestones. He lurched forward to help her with it as she was straining with effort.
“Your wife is like I used to be,” Brenda commented as he gently slid the heavy bag off her shoulder. “Ready for every emergency. I had three boys. My husband joked that hefting around the kids and the diaper bag was like lifting dumbbells.”
He tested the heaviness, estimating it weighed about thirty pounds. Did Tara’s diaper bag usually weigh this much? Brenda didn’t seem to consider it strange.
“It keeps Tara fit too,” he said, keeping the conversation normal as Cassidy hugged his leg again. “I told her she didn’t need to join a gym. She looks great just as she is.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet,” Brenda said with a breathy sigh. “I wish my husband thought that. Even so, your wife wanted to join today, but she didn’t have time to finish the gym membership paperwork. She said you could bring it with you for her to fill out. I know she wanted to get back here tomorrow to continue her workout.”
Robbie doubted she’d be back, but only nodded. “I’m happy to take the papers, Brenda.”
“Are you interested in joining too? Your wife said you loved to work out, but not in gyms. That’s pretty obvious. What do you bench?”
Her appreciative nod at his impressive build had him shrugging with a little embarrassment. “If there were any gyms I’d consider, it would be this one, but I’m more the outdoor workout type. Well, girls…”
They were staring up at him with their hearts in their eyes. He nearly gulped at the trust there.
“Let’s get this show on the road.” He made sure to flash Brenda a smile. “Thanks again for your help.”
Hefting the diaper bag up higher on his shoulder, he glanced down at Cassidy. How far could a two-year-old walk? Screw it. He swung her into his arms and felt Reagan grab his other hand as they left.
“Mom parked in a garage,” Reagan told him the moment the doors whooshed closed behind them. “She helped me memorize the directions.”
Tara had left a car? How had she gotten home? But that wasn’t a question fit for the kids, so he just said, “All right. Lead the way.”
The girls were quiet as Reagan navigated them to a garage three blocks from the gym. He was impatient to reach the letter, but he had to walk like a snail so the young girl could keep up with him. Tara had chosen a parking deck loaded with top-model, freshly washed cars and parked in the corner on the second floor by an exit. When they reached the shiny black Cadillac SUV with dealer’s plates—not Tara’s—Reagan dug into the diaper bag’s front pocket and pulled out a key fob.
“Mom told me to keep the diaper bag safe and I did. When Cassidy needed a change, I got the diaper out and everything.”
Her smile exhibited a certain pride, and it made him wonder at the little triumphs that helped build a kid’s self-confidence. “You did a bang-up job, Reagan. Did your mom get a new car?”
“No, she got it from someone after all our tires got nails in them.” She blew an exasperated breath toward her short bangs, a move she’d clearly copied from her mother. “Mom was so mad, but she said this was the bright side. We got two new cars for our adventure. One for Mom. And one for us.”
Battery acid pooled in his stomach. Being in law enforcement, he knew parents used “adventure talk” to dress up bad shit. He popped the trunk and startled at the three suitcases, two girly ones and another in a dark black, along with cardboard boxes loaded with family-size snacks and beverages. He even noticed his favorite beer. Then he saw the giant bag of diapers and winced.
“You’re packed for that adventure, it seems.” What was the adult-sized case for if Tara wasn’t coming?
“Mom went shopping for our trip before we came to the gym.” Reagan stood on her tiptoes and pointed to the beer. “She wanted us all to have our favorites.”
The beer was a downright bribe. “That was nice of her.”
“She brought you some clothes too,” Reagan added shyly, ducking her head. “We hope you like them.”
“Mine,” Cassidy said, pointing to the purple suitcase with the smiling unicorn on the front, decked out with rainbows that made him think of Ireland.
Then he heard an angry meow and looked down at the girls in horror. “Did you bring your cat?”
“Mom said wehadto take Miss Purrfect with us.” Reagan looked at her sister, who nodded, wide-eyed. “She’s part of our family, and Mom said we could have her so we wouldn’t miss her so much.”
How could they not miss their mother? He fought a curse when they both studied their feet. Just how long did Tara plan to be gone—and why? It was time for answers.
“Okay, Reagan. Where’s this letter of your mom’s?”
She pointed to the diaper bag again. “There’s a zipper part on the bottom. Mom said everything you need to know is in there.”
