Page 109 of Tapped

My parents laugh, and Chase finally says, “Thanks for the marshmallows.”

“You’re very welcome.” My mom beams at him before looking up at Evie. “The bathroom is stocked with clean towels. Help yourself to anything you need. Make yourself at home.”

Evie nods and crosses her arms to hug herself. She’s cold. Damn, I’m itching to wrap her up in my arms.

And here I was thinking I could give her a week with Chase where they’d be safe and she could relax. But faking the fact I’m not fucking her is hard. This week might be heaven for her, but I’m in hell having to pretend I don’t want her.

Chase runs to the house and Evie follows. She wraps her hand around my arm and looks up. “Thank you for this.”

I lift my chin and don’t give a shit what my parents think when I say, “I’ll find you after Chase is asleep.”

She pulls her lip between her teeth and gives me a nod.

I’m surprised Mom waits long enough for them to get out of earshot before she starts in with the questions. “Well, Micah, this is a surprise.”

I pull in a deep breath, because I knew this was coming. When I called and told them we were coming, I explained their situation, but didn’t say anymore. “Yeah, that’s a good name for it. I don’t know what it is, but it is a surprise.”

“I like her,” my dad states as if he gets the final word when it comes to any woman I bring home, which he doesn’t. I also don’t bring women home—until Evie. “She’s smart, she works hard, and she lets that boy be who he is. He’s an ornery little shit—I like that about him.”

My mom glares at him. “Evie doesn’t know us or the fact that you calling her son a little shit is actually a term of endearment. This is the first time Micah has brought anyone home. Can we not run her off, please?”

Dad huffs. “Micah was a little shit too. It’s all good, Tess.”

Mom rolls her eyes. “We’re trying to make a good impression, and you’re not helping.”

“It’s not an interview, Mom.”

“It is,” she bites. “Do you know how many of my friends’ kids break up with their significant other because they don’t like their potential in-laws? We’re a part of the package, and I take that seriously. Maybe you’ll thank me later. Maybe not, but it won’t be because we didn’t try our hardest.”

“I’m not trying,” my dad kicks a rock into the fire. “I am who I am and I’m not apologizing for shit.”

“You do remember why we’re here,” I say.

“How could we forget,” my mother whispers, as if Evie is hiding around the corner eavesdropping. “Murder for hire. It’s just like Dateline.”

“Only it’s connected to a cartel,” I remind them.

“I’d like to see anyone come after them here. This is Montana, not Miami. I’ll take them down myself and won’t apologize for it.”

“That’ll put me knee-deep in reports,” I mutter. “I’ll put this fire out if you guys want to go in.”

My mother ignores me and keeps on about the woman who’s gotten under my skin. “Don’t try to make this something it isn’t. I watched you two all night. It’s obvious you and Evie are pretending this isn’t something when it is. I know you, Micah. You can pretend all you want that this isn’t something special, but this is different. You’d never bring a woman and her boy here if they didn’t mean something to you.”

I narrow my eyes to get her to shut up, but the sheer fact is, she’s right.

“Leave him alone, Tess. He knows what he’s doing.” Dad spears me with his you’d-better-not-fuck-up look but keeps talking to my mom. “There’s a child involved. Micah knows what’s at stake. Leave him alone. He’ll do what he needs to do. If anything, he’s keeping that woman and child safe while they need it.”

My mom stands and does that thing that moms do and pick up everything in sight so they don’t have to make two trips. With her arms full, she stops in front of me and looks up. “You’re a good man. I know it because that’s how we raised you. You knew what that woman and her child needed and brought them here. You might do it with a frown on your face, but you always do the right thing.”

Dad sighs. “He doesn’t visit often enough, proving he’s still a little shit. That’s not doing the right thing.”

Mom lifts up on her toes and kisses my cheek. “He comes home when it matters. And this matters.”

She finally carries everything back into the house and leaves me and Dad in front of the crackling fire.

He says nothing, and allows me the first quiet I’ve had all day.

I knew I could count on him.

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