Page 51 of Untamed

“That’s not the reaction she should be having!” Hayes shouts over at us. “Not a fan of the laughing! What’re you tellin’ her, River?”

“Mind your business!” I call back over my shoulder before turning my attention to Poppy. “You know he had pictures of me in his house?”

“Shut up.”

I nod. “One of us together and then one of me and Addie. Right there above his fireplace, like I was a main feature in his life.”

“Maybe you were, River.” Her voice has gone all soft. “Maybe he’s been waiting for you to come back.”

I tell her about everything he told me — about coming to the city to find me, about why he built the house where he did, and all the sweet things he said to me last night. How he crawled on his knees, begging my forgiveness and promising never to hurt me again. She listens to everything, soaking it all up with wide eyes and excitement.

Saying it all out loud makes it far more real, and when I look back over my shoulder, I see him watching me instead of working. He grins, and my heart does a couple of little flips. Then he winks, and I have to turn back around because I can’t stand him looking at me like that in public.

“He’s looking at you like he’s ready for the next round.”

I snort and slap her for that comment.

“What?” She shrugs, taking a sip of her lemonade. “He does. So what happens now?”

“What do you mean?” I lean forward and pour my own glass.

“Everything okay now?” she asks. “You guys worked everything out, and you’re not mad at him and he’s not upset with you?”

“I’m not mad at him.” I avoid the last part of her question.

“You told him, right?” Her voice drops low. “About you coming back, even though he doesn’t remember it?”

“Uh, negative.”

“You should tell him, River.” Her eyes look worried. “Do you really want him to keep thinking you didn’t come home for Addie?”

I sigh and feel anxiety coil in my stomach. She’s right. I need to tell him. He deserves to know, even if he’ll hate that I saw him like that. Even though he could end up hating me for abandoning him when he needed me most.

But we’re in this happy little bubble right now, where everything we’re experiencing is new and fun. I don’t want to throw cold water on it and ruin what we have going for us. I can tell him later, when we’re more comfortable, better established in whatever it is we are.

“I’ll tell him.”

“He’s not going to leave you for that.” Her gaze softens. “I can see all that worry written all over your face.”

“You don’t know that,” I whisper, the emotions causing my throat to seize. “You don’t know. It could be another nuclear explosion.”

“I think if you’re going to make this work, you’re going to have to learn to trust each other all over again.” She gives me a tight smile. “This will never work if you’re worrying he could leave you any day on a whim.”

“Not on a whim,” I correct her, chancing another look back at Hayes. “This wouldn’t be on a whim.”

“Either way.” She sighs. “I love this. I love you two. And I want to see you succeed. I want to see how cute your babies are.”

Her eyes turn playful again.

“I think babies are quite a ways off.”

Poppy shrugs as Jolene runs up to the table, hopping up in Poppy’s lap.

“Maybe. But I’m excited nonetheless.”

Jolene grabs a glass of lemonade and chugs it down like it’s her first drink in a month. Once it’s gone, she gives a heavy sigh and leans back into Poppy.

“I’m havin’ a good day.” Her little head cranes back, and she looks up at Poppy. “How about you, Mommy?”

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