Page 16 of Daddy's Little Farmer

“Jesus. What did the sheriff say the first time?”

“I never told him,” Mara said. She put her bags on the ground to pull her phone out of her pocket.

“Why?”

“I already went to him after the first few months, and he said it would calm down after a bit.”

“How long ago was that?”

Mara sighed. “A few years.” She held up a finger when he started to talk. “Hey, Tony. I hate to ask, but can you come and get us at the grocery store?”

Rafael heard Tony’s voice. “Dammit, she did it again.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be right there,” Tony said.

She put the phone back in her pocket. “Tony’s coming to pick us up.”

He set the sacks down and pulled her against him, holding her tight against his body.

“I’m sorry, baby. We’ll get everything figured out.”

She shook her head. “No. This is not your problem.”

“I’m making it my problem.”

She looked up at him. “You can’t just decide that.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ll be gone in a week, and I’ll probably never see you again.”

“Oh, you’ll be seeing me.”

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“Let’s talk about this later. You’ve had a long day.”

“Okay.”

She ducked her head and pressed it against his chest. The feeling of trust and affection was so potent she felt she could have cried.

He turned his head to see a truck headed their way. It stopped beside them. Tony got out and came around. Rafael saw his eyebrows rise at what he guessed was the intimacy he was seeing.

“I see you’ve hit it off,” Tony said.

Mara tried to move away, but Rafael just pulled her to the side. “I guess this is the second time this has happened?” Rafael asked.

Tony nodded. “We know it’s that bitchy sister of hers. We just can’t prove it.”

“Let’s get her home. She’s wiped out.”

“You do look a little peaked, dear,” Tony said, grabbing several bags.

“I’m fine.”

Tony snorted, making Rafael smile.

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