Chapter Two

Trina

Baz was still in Brently. Hell, it was more of a shock he hadn’t died or ended up in prison over the past decade. But he looked more than alive. He looked hotter than ten types of sin and even I could admit he wore the sexy outlaw biker look like a second skin. If I hadn’t already known it, I would shake my fists at the universe about the unfairness of it all. Why couldn’t Baz have gone bald or gotten fat? Why was he still so damn sexy?

I knew I should have prepared myself for the possibility of seeing him again. Maybe I subconsciously wanted to see him?

Coming back to Brently made it very likely, and I guessed I’d done a good job of pushing any good thoughts of him far from my mind over the years. I could conjure up what an asshole he’d been in two seconds flat.

Two weeks after leaving Brently, I took a pregnancy test to confirm what I already knew when I pushed my Camry east, and far away from the man who broke my heart. I’d found a Planned Parenthood and got a blood test and I knew I’d made the right decision to leave. But now, seeing him and still being affected as though I was still a twenty-year-old girl, completely in love with him, I had to wonder.

No. I didn’t. With Baz’s lifestyle, Jack and I would always be at risk for whatever shit the club had gotten into. He didn’t know anything about Jack and for the time being, I wanted to keep it that way.

“Hey Mom did you see? That man with the tattoos on his body? I want one!”

They didn’t even know each other, neither knew about the other but already Baz had made an impression on my—our—son. “When you turn eighteen you can decide for yourself. But remember you’ll have to find a job to buy all the things your mean old mom won’t get for you.”

He laughed and as always, I was struck with how much he already resembled Baz. I could only hope he didn’t notice it too. “I’ll bet Mr. Baz has a job!”

Yeah, riding motorcycles and kicking up trouble, no doubt. “Well lucky for him I’m not his mother.” Thank fuck for that because I felt a lot of things towards Baz—love, hate, lust and even resentment—but not maternal. And now that I’d laid eyes on him, I regretted choosing Brently as my refuge even though I had my reasons and those reasons meant I needed to make sure Jack and I were safe. Specifically, one very bad reason and he would soon be released from prison.

“He was nice to me Mom even though I hit him with my car!”

And I knew how much that meant to my son. My ex, Jensen, had been nothing but dismissive of Jack from the moment they met. He was never mean or abusive but he pretended Jack didn’t exist. The first two times I thought it might just be the case of him trying to get used to being around a kid but by the fifth time it became clear he wanted me without a kid. Which meant he had to go. We’d had six good months before I let him meet my son and a month after we were done. Seven months of dating and the man had pretty much stalked me for next three years. If not for the fact the Feds caught him embezzling and trading illegally, he’d still be going strong.

But Jensen was in a white-collar prison, a country club, and he’d be up for parole soon which meant he thought we’d pick up where we left off. So like the strong, fierce, independent woman I was, I ran as fast as I could to the other side of the country. Home. Brently.

And smack into an entirely different problem. A six foot three, sexy green-eyed problem.

By the time I pulled into the driveway of our little ranch house with the blue and yellow shutters I didn’t feel much better about, hell anything. This would be our home for the foreseeable future with three bedrooms, it was perfect for us. A bedroom for each of us and an office for me. With no living family, there was no need for a guest room and I didn’t anticipate having more children so we had more than enough room. Though I imagined when Jack began to make friends, sleepovers would make the place feel a lot smaller.

“Can I play outside Mom?”

“Sure. Just stay on this block sweetie. I’ll be in my office for a while.” My office, where I’d created the means to take care of my baby. When I first learned I was pregnant I worked twelve-hour shifts as a waitress and although I made good money, I knew it couldn’t be my future. So, I wrote a romance novel and got rejected by pretty much everyone.

Unwilling to let it go after I found a passion for it, I decided to self-publish under a penname. And while I waited for my millions to roll in, I put my own life on a budget and created Mommy’s Little Budget. It had been a constant struggle, finding ways to put money in the bank for bills, diapers and rent but then right around Jack’s fifth birthday it all sort of came together. An agent signed me and got me a book deal within six months and then she got my blog syndicated and sponsored which meant I didn’t have to buy a lot of necessities any longer. Jack had all the things a little boy could want or need, including a parent there for everything. We had a home of our own, we went on family vacations and weekend road trips. It was perfect.

Until Jensen.

Jensen—along with my desire to start dating again—had fucked it all up. He made my home feel like a prison. Made me afraid to answer my own phone. Leaving was the best thing for us both. Even if it meant seeing Baz regularly.

“Mom!” Jack let the door smack shut behind him, his growing feet smacking clumsily on the wood floors. “The man from the restaurant, Mr. Baz, is here. To see you!” Big green eyes gleamed and I had a feeling Jack was trying to play matchmaker.

Baz. The last person I expected on my doorstep. “I’ll be right there Jack.” So much for getting more work done. I’d already been at it over an hour, and I’d barely gotten two thousand words on my latest novel, Sins of the Hourglass, completed. That’s what nights were for, I reminded myself as I wiped nervous hands on my skirt and took a deep, cleansing breath.

Now I was ready. To face my past. And there he was, sitting on my front porch like he belonged there, watching Jack perfect his skateboard tricks. “Baz. What are you doing here?”

Slowly he pulled his gaze from Jack and set those unforgettable emerald green eyes on me. And grinned. “I came to see you, Sweetness.”

Sweetness. God, I hadn’t heard that name in forever. He’d always called me that and I loved it, felt treasured because of it. What a lie it had been. “What do you want?”

“Cool kid,” he said instead of answering my question.

Yeah he was. “He’s the best. Now tell me what you want or leave.” I kept my expression and my tone neutral so Jack didn’t feel alarmed. Or threatened.

His gaze never left Jack and that’s when I felt it, that uneasy feeling I’d had when the Connecticut D.A. called to tell me Jensen would be up for parole in six months. That had been three months ago. I heeded it then but now it seemed to be too late. He watched Jack flip the board in a full rotation under his feet. “We have some things to talk about, don’t you think sweetness?”

“Oh yeah? Like what?” I didn’t think it would work but I hoped Baz was just fishing. He couldn’t have put it all together so quickly and even if he did, denial was my best friend.

He looked over his shoulder, blonde brows high in an expression that said it all. Really?

I sighed and rolled my eyes. “Maybe we do but I don’t see what we’d possibly have to talk about. Even if we did—but we don’t—now is definitely not the time.” Not with Jack close enough to hear it all. “I’ll see you around Baz.” I had no desire to rehash that old fight, which I knew he was itching to do. I didn’t have time either, I had a book to finish and a blog to update.

This new life was mine and no one, not even Baz would derail it.

***

“You have a collect call from Osborn Correctional Facility from Jensen Murray, do you wish to accept the call?” The robotic voice sounded so benign, couldn’t possibly know how much fear she’d brought into my home.

“Hell no!” I hung up the phone, pulse pounding as I struggled to breathe. That call meant one damn thing. Jensen had found me. Jack and I had been back in Brently for a couple weeks and already Jensen had our location and number. Fuck my life.

“Mornin’ Mom! Can we have hash browns today? You make ’em the best!”

How could I look at that adorable face, peppered with freckles and resist? I couldn’t. I sautéed up some onions and bell peppers while I grated a couple of potatoes, listening to Jack tell me all about the book he’d just finished. “Breakfast will be ready when the bacon is done, better go and get dressed kiddo.” It was something I had to be careful with, working from home. I wanted Jack up and dressed for the day at a decent hour.

“Aww, Mom, do I have to?” But he scrambled off anyway because though apparently my boy hated taking showers, I knew he was excited about the day ahead. When he came back with damp hair all over the place, he grinned and poured himself a glass of milk. “What are we doing?”

“Eat up and I’ll tell you on the way.” He gave a quick pout but much like his father, he couldn’t resist the taste of apple smoked bacon. We ate mostly in silence, Jack trying to figure out what we were doing today and me trying to figure out if I should pack up and leave again or just change my number.

By the time we reached the community center I hadn’t made any decision other than finding something to keep my boy busy during the summer. And maybe make some friends. “I’d like you to be part of the reading club, keep your skills up. If you take it then you can choose something else.” Provided it didn’t cost too much and wouldn’t kill him.

His grin spread wide, slightly cocky just like another green-eyed devil I knew. Or used to know. “You mean I could sign up for rock climbing?”

“Rock climbing? Why on earth would you want to do that?”

“Because it’s cool.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes. After I’ve spoken with the instructor.”

“Next!”

I turned and my eyes went wide. “Trudy? Trudy Jacobs, is that you?”

Her eyes flashed with recognition and a smile lit up her face reminding me of the beautiful girl with the golden eyes I’d known in high school. “Oh. My. God. Trina Mosley? Girl you look exactly the same as the day we graduated high school.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah right. How are you?”

“Great. I’m still married but I’ve had another kid since you left town. My youngest will be twelve this year,” she said as her gaze slid to Jack who looked up at her with fascination. “And who is this handsome young man?”

“I’m Jack,” he said and offered up his hand, making me so proud.

“I’m Trudy and it’s nice to meet you Jack. How old are you?”

“Ten. How old are you?”

“Jack!” Why would he ask that?

“I’m just being polite Mom, asking about her.”

Trudy only laughed and dropped a hand on his shoulder, we’d become friends when she tutored me in freshman algebra so I knew she was running some quick calculations in her head. “I’m old enough that my youngest kid is older than you.” Trudy went back around the counter and looked at me. “I guess you’re here for summer activities?”

I let her and Jack go back and forth on activities because seeing Trudy, well it all just kind of came back to me. We’d been friends in school and spent time together when Baz started showing more interest in the gang.

“Mom are you listening?”

“No, but I am now. Tell me.”

He rolled his eyes as only a child could and repeated himself. “Reading club, rock climbing and kid mechanics.”

I slid a glance at Trudy who just smiled innocently. “Fine,” I told Jack because I didn’t want to explain to him why it might be a problem.

“I’m gonna learn how to fix cars Mom, isn’t that cool?”

Cool wasn’t the word I’d use but as we made our way to one of the classrooms I felt slightly nauseous. A tad apprehensive. “So cool,” I deadpanned as the door opened to reveal Baz leaning on the hood of a partially disassembled car.

“Mr. Baz are you in this class too?”

“Nah, I’m standing in for a buddy. Today I’m the teacher.” He flashed a bright wide smile, eyes full of mischief.

“Cool! Mom it’s Mr. Baz!”

And it was too late to do anything other than paste a damn smile on my face because I’d already handed Trudy my bank card and agreed to it all. “Yep.” Jack needed a chance to have some masculine influence in his life and interact with other kids his age, and this would be perfect. This, along with his other classes would help him make friends before school started in the fall which I guessed meant I was staying in Brently.

Because my life wasn’t fucking complicated enough.