Page 9 of Mine to Keep

“But someone needs to drive you home, and I’m offering.”

“This is a new beginning for me and Zadie.” Time to lay on the thick lies she’d been practicing for the last few months. “You see, my husband passed away right after I found out I was pregnant.”

“Wow. That’s heavy. I’m so sorry for your loss. But all the more reason to let someone give you a hand.”

God. She hated that. She wasn’t fucking sorry at all. Not one bit. The bastarddeservedto die for what he’d done.

“Thank you.” She managed the standard response. “However, I’m working on being self-reliant.”

“I’m all for that,” he said. “Do you have any family who can help you?”

“My parents died a long time ago.” She ran her hand over Zadie’s bald head. Lying about her family made her stomach cramp. Her mother might be dead, but her father and sister were alive and well and must still be mourning her disappearance and subsequent death.

But it had been the only way to get out from under Mark and Barb Perish’s control.

The only way to save Zadie from a life of pure misery.

“That’s rough,” Jamison said. “What about siblings or your husband’s family?”

One of the things her old friend Hatti had taught her was that too much death wasn’t believable.

“I have one sister, but we haven’t spoken to each other in years. And I’m good with that. She’s a self-absorbed bitch.” Bryn swallowed her horrible lie about her sister. She might have called her older sister conceited and annoying when they were kids, but if Bryn needed something, she knew she could always count on Anna. “My husband’s father died when he was a kid, and he didn’t have a good relationship with his mother, so she and I don’t speak. I’m okay with that, too.”

“That really sucks, but I get it,” Jamison said as if he actually understood and didn’t judge. Not many people would be okay with the way she’d laid that out, but part of her reasoning had been to keep people at arm’s length. Still, she couldn’t come off as too cold and uncaring because she needed to find part-time work.

“Honestly, I’ve tried with my mother-in-law, but she always manages to make it awkward and uncomfortable.” Maybe she was opening herself too much to Jamison. But they had shared one of the most intimate moments any two people could.

The birth of a person.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this.”

“It’s okay. I’m glad you did,” Jamison said. “Where’s your phone?”

She pointed to the tray next to the bed. “But it’s going to die soon, and I don’t have a charger.”

“I can get you one, no problem.” He stood and strolled to the other side of the bed. “Let me give you my number. Call me when you know when they’re releasing you, and I’ll pick you up and bring you home.”

“You’ve done too much already.” How many times did she need to tell him no before he got the hint?

“I don’t mind.” When he smiled, it created a few deep-set wrinkles around his eyes and showed he’d lived some. “I’ll get someone in your place to clean it.”

“No,” she said sternly. “I can take care of myself.”

“I’m sure you can.” He crinkled his forehead. “But my sister-in-law told me that one of the nicest things anyone ever did for her when she had her kids was to have someone take care of all the cooking and cleaning while all she did was rest and care for the little ones.” He pointed toward Zadie. “She looks all cute and innocent now, but in a day or two, she’s going to be keeping you up all night. Why not let me do a few little things now while I’ve got the time?”

“For starters, I need specific organic products. I’m particular that way.”

“Give me a list, and I’ll make sure that whoever cleans follows your instructions to the letter. Or, I’ll do it myself.” He smiled as if he’d won the lottery.

“Oh, no. I can’t let you do that. It’s too much.” Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat annoyed that so much emotion had bubbled to the surface.

He placed his hand over hers and squeezed. “Do you have anyone else to help you do this stuff? Because if you do, I’ll back away slowly and let them take over.”

She swallowed the thick lump that had formed in the back of her throat. Honestly, she didn’t want to answer that, but if she lied, he’d know it, and there was no point. “What if you’re working or something? You said you were a firefighter.”

“I am. I have this entire week off.” He chuckled. “Though not by choice.”

“That sounds interesting and kind of scary at the same time.”

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