Page 30 of Truck Stop Titan

Which was bullshit.

Sooner I detached myself from the situation, the better.

A soft rap on the door preceded a fit of giggles. With a groan, I rolled my weary bones and aching muscles off the bed, flipped the lock, and then yanked open the door. Rocky and Mim stood side by side, wearing cheesy smiles, each holding a plate of food.

“Mim said you would be hungry, so we brought you dinner. She also saved her roll for you. She said you liked rolls the best.”

God damn.

Godfuckingdamn.

Only a monster would turn those faces away. I was a dickhead, but I sure as hell wasn’t a monster. I swung the door wider, moving out of the way. “Come on in, then.”

The kids made their way to the small table and laid down the plates. Tango and Slade then filled the doorframe.

“Pretty Boy,” I grunted.

He jerked his chin. “Reynolds.”

“Hey, Blondie.”

“Hi, Dane.” Jesus. That smile. Voodoo. “Hope you don’t mind.” She gestured toward the food. “They insisted.”

Tango cleared his throat. “Rockster, say goodbye to Mim and Dane. We need to head home. Got school tomorrow.”

Fuck, was it Sunday already?

“Aww, Dad. But what about Mim? Who’s she gonna play with?”

Mim scooted behind me, her small fingers gripping the back of my shirt, a meltdown brewing. I gave Tango a look, hoping he could decipher my plea for help.

“Hey, little man, Wednesday’s your last day of school. Then it’s summertime. You can come and play with Mim every day until she goes home, if Grandma and Grandpa say it’s okay.”

“Yay! Yay!” Rocky threw a fist in the air and then jogged around me, wrapping his arms around Mim from behind. “Bye, Mim.” He punched my arm. “Bye, Dane. I’ll see you next time!” He bolted out the door, yelling, “Come on, guys.”

Tango followed his son. Slade lingered, quirking a brow, shooting a quick glance in Mim’s direction. “You gonna be okay in here?”

“Yeah.” I’d never been more comfortable with another human being than I was with the quiet little mouse skittering behind me. Probably because she asked nothing of me, aside from sitting in silence and letting her use my body as her personal shield from the big bad world. Perfect set up. “Moriah know she’s up here?”

Blondie nodded. “She’s coming up after she helps Lettie clear the table.” Astute, questioning eyes blinked at me. “So, you two know each other, huh?”

Wasn’t in the mood for an interrogation.

“See ya,” came out more a warning than a goodbye.

Slade smirked. “Later, Dane.”

Leaving the door open, I turned to find Mim on my bed, kicking off her shoes, her feet dangling over the edge. She eyeballed me, then scrambled to the pillows and tucked herself under the comforter. I tossed the remote her way and settled at the table. God damn it was good to see some color in those cheeks. The sun seemed to make her freckles spread. She twitched her nose, just like her aunt, and hell if a spark didn’t jet through my chest.

The floor creaked, and I turned my attention to the door. Moriah stood in the jamb, as if waiting for permission to enter. I shoved a forkful of roast into my mouth and gestured to the chair next to me. That slender beauty came my way, those hips of hers swaying something ridiculous.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” I mumbled.

She passed me and headed to the bed. Mim pulled the blankets up to her chin, eyes glued to the big screen.

Moriah sighed, said, “Hi, Mim,” then waited excruciating seconds for a response before giving up and slinking into the chair beside me. She tucked her knees against her chest, heels hooked on the edge of the seat. “So, today was a good day, right?”

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