Chapter Sixteen
SARAH GOT UP before the sun and began writing more of the love story for Tracey she’d started when they’d left the shelter. She desperately hoped the women she’d met would find men who were as good-natured as Bones. Someone who would teach them that love doesn’t have to hurt. Saying good night to him last night had been harder than ever before. No matter how much she tried not to, she’d approached their relationship as if it might be temporary, but he’d proven otherwise, and she’d had to fight the urge to ask him to stay. Now it was almost seven thirty, and the kids had been up for half an hour. Neither one had any interest in breakfast. They were too busy playing with their farm animals. Bradley set them up, and then Lila would knock them over. Even after being away from Lewis for several months, she still worried that Bradley might have picked up traits from him. She often held her breath when Lila did something that might cause Bradley to lose his temper. But she was amazed at her little boy’s patience, and she thanked her lucky stars that he didn’t show intolerance the way Lewis had.
As she nursed a cup of decaf tea, her pen moved swiftly over the notebook, creating a life for Tracey. One where she came home to a quiet apartment and didn’t fear making too much noise or rattling someone’s concentration. A life where she could wear pretty dresses and sleeveless shirts and not have to cover bruises. A life where she was happy and loved. As Sarah crafted the tale, she filled with a sense of longing for her sister. She worried she might never have another chance at reuniting with her and wondered why Josie hated her and Scott so much that she could leave and never look back.
She buried that hurt down deep so it wouldn’t impact her children.
“Mamama.” Lila pulled herself up on the edge of the couch with a goofy grin.
Sarah set the notebook on the table and ran her fingers over her daughter’s fine hair. She wondered if her own hair had been like that as a baby. Bradley had been born with a mop of hair, so different at birth from her daughter’s nearly bald head.
“Are you getting hungry, Lila boo?”
The roar of a motorcycle approached, and Sarah’s heart leapt. She had said goodbye to Bones four or five hours ago, and still excitement trampled through her like they’d been apart for months.
“Baba!” Lila turned too quickly and plopped down on her bottom. She pushed up on all fours, speed crawling toward the window. “Bababa.”
Bradley ran to the window in his Batman pajamas. “It’s Bones!”
Seeing her children as excited as she was felt incredible. Knowing they felt that way because of a man who was worthy of their sweet little hearts? That was a crazy, beautiful, miraculous feeling.
Sarah pushed to her feet as Bradley raced to the door and tried his hardest to unlock the dead bolt.
“Hold on, baby. Let me get the locks.” She unlocked the door with Lila hanging on to her leg and Bradley’s hands on the doorknob. Sheesh. It was like the Easter Bunny himself had arrived.
She hoisted Lila onto her hip and helped Bradley open the door, glad she’d showered before the kids had woken up. Her heart tumbled at the sight of Bones draped in soft black leather, a gray sweater, and worn jeans that looked like old favorites. In one hand he carried a grocery bag and his shiny black helmet, which made his sexy suggestion come rushing back. Maybe we should start with something simpler. Like riding your man. As if he had read her mind, a slow grin slid across his handsome face, illuminating the inky darkness of his eyes.
“Bones!” Bradley shot out the door in his bare feet.
Without missing a step, Bones scooped him up, and Bradley’s arms locked around his neck in a hug so sweet and pure Sarah not only felt her heart melting, but she saw the same reaction in Bones’s embrace and in the press of his lips on her little boy’s temple. She heard it in his voice when he said, “Morning, B-boy. How’s my favorite buddy?” and she felt it when those inky eyes turned soft and found hers again.
This was dangerous.
This was beautiful.
This. Is. Real.
“Babababa.” Lila reached grabby hands toward Bones.
“Hey, beautiful girls.” He set the bag and his helmet beside the door, and Lila snagged his sweater as he reached for her. She squealed excitedly, and her little legs kicked as he lifted her into his arms. Lila’s fingers shot into his mouth, earning a throaty laugh. He kissed those wiggly fingers and then he leaned in for a kiss from Sarah. “Hey, sweet mama. How’s my girl this morning?”
In a state of euphoria. “Even better now. I wasn’t expecting you. I thought you were going riding with your brothers today.”
“I thought I’d have breakfast with you guys first,” he said as she closed the door behind him. “I printed out a recipe for gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and egg-free banana-apple-cinnamon muffins and picked up all the ingredients. I hope that’s all right.”
“Let me see…” She tapped her chin, gazing up at the ceiling, unable to suppress her joy as she said, “A handsome biker shows up unannounced and wants to cook breakfast with me?”
“Babababa!” Lila babbled, bouncing in Bones’s arms.
“I agree, peanut. Let’s start breakfast while Mama decides.” He winked at Sarah and headed into the kitchen. “You going to help me cook, B-boy?”
Sarah grabbed the bag, watching her little man nod emphatically, as hooked on her big man as she was.
Fifteen minutes later, the counters looked like a bakery, with packages of sorghum flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sea salt, apples, organic turbinado sugar, olive oil, vanilla extract, flaxseed, and tiny pieces of Bones’s heart in every thoughtful purchase. Bradley sat on the counter among the mess, mashing bananas with a fork, while Lila sat in her high chair, her sticky fingers covered in mashed banana, because Bones insisted that if Bradley was allowed to help mash bananas, so was Lila.
“Excellent,” he said to Bradley. “Smash those big pieces.”
“Like this?” Bradley banged the fork on a pile of banana pieces, sending one flying to the floor.
Sarah stilled.
“That was perfect…if we were trying to make flying bananas,” Bones said with a laugh. Then he proceeded to hold Bradley’s hand and show him a better technique with so much patience, the air left Sarah’s lungs in a dreamy sigh.
Old habits die hard.
“What’s going on up here?” Scott asked as he limped into the kitchen, shirtless, his hair askew, wearing a pair of sweatpants.
“We’re making muffins!” Bradley announced.
“Ca!” Lila grabbed a handful of banana and offered it to Scott.
Scott put a hand on her head and said, “Nah. I’m good.”
“There’s coffee.” Sarah handed him a mug.
“Thanks.” He filled his cup and took a sip. “I didn’t mean to interrupt the happy-little-family thing you have going on.”
“Sorry if we woke you,” Bones said. “It’s my fault.”
She didn’t even try to argue. He’d win anyway, and the truth was, they’d all been excited to see him, so yeah, it was kind of his fault in a good way.
“Want to help?” Bradley asked Scott. “What’s next, Bones?”
“Apple grating for Uncle Scott.” Bones handed Scott an apple. Then he turned to Bradley and said, “While you, Lila, and I measure the sugar and olive oil, maybe Mama can do the flaxseed and vanilla.”
“I think I can handle that.” She went to work, soaking in all the goodness around her. “Did you have an okay time with Dixie last night?”
“Oh yeah,” Scott said with a seductive lilt to his voice.
Bones glowered at him.
“I mean, she was good with the kids,” Scott added quickly. “She’s a cool person. Tough, funny, and wicked ho—”
That warning glare appeared again, and Sarah stifled a laugh.
“Wicked smart,” Scott said, turning back to the apples. “What would you do if I did that to you?”
“What?” Bones asked all too innocently.
“Looked at you like I’d”—he glanced at the kids—“be unhappy if you got too close to my sister.”
Bones’s scoffed. “Wild horses, baby. That’s what it’d take to keep me away.”
“Hm.” Scott grinned. “Good to know.”
Yes, it is.
Scott and Bones joked around as they measured, mixed, and poured. After they finished preparing the batter, Bradley helped spoon the mix into the muffin pan. When Lila squealed, Bones let her help, too. She got more batter on Bones than she did in the pan, but he took it all in stride.
“I didn’t know you were dating Mrs. Doubtfire,” Scott said as Bones stripped Lila’s shirt off.
“That’s Dr. Doubtfire to you, thank you very much.”
Scott headed out of the kitchen and said, “As long as I don’t find you wearing a skirt.”
Bones hoisted Lila into his arms and said, “Double bath so they’re done by the time the muffins are ready?”
“I can do it,” Sarah said.
Bones winked and said, “Come on, B. Let’s see how quickly we can get the two of you cleaned up.”
Bradley sprinted down the hall, and in one swift move, Bones’s hand slid around Sarah’s waist, tugging her in for a delicious kiss.
“Gotta steal the moment,” he said, and held her hand as they headed down the hall. He leaned closer and whispered, “I missed having you in my bed this morning.”
Heat and happiness zipped through her.
As they bathed the kids, Bradley told Bones all about their new sleeping arrangements. “Now I have a big-boy bed, and Lila has a baby bed, and Mommy has a mommy bed.”
“And how do you like your new bed?” Bones asked.
“I love it!” He grabbed a rubber duck from Lila’s hands, causing her to shriek.
“How about if you ask Lila for a turn with that?” Bones suggested.
Bradley eyed the toy, and then he looked at his bawling sister. Bones soothed one hand down Lila’s back, watching Bradley carefully. It was all Sarah could do to let this play out instead of telling Bradley to give it back, or trade for another toy, but she was curious to see how Bones handled it.
“It’s hard to be a big brother,” he commiserated, one hand soothing down Lila’s back as he spoke to Bradley. “If you’re good to your sister, she’ll look up to you her whole life and play with you, learn from you. But if you steal toys and make her cry, well, she might not want to do those things.”
Bradley looked forlornly at the toy.
“What do you say?” Bones urged. “Want to teach Lila how to share by showing her how to ask for a turn?”
Please, please, please don’t have a meltdown.
Bradley nodded and reluctantly handed the toy back to Lila. Lila clutched it to her chest, her tears abating.
“Atta boy.” Bones tousled Bradley’s hair.
Sarah finally breathed.
“Can I have a turn?” Bradley said as fast as he could, and then he ripped the duck from Lila’s hands, causing her to scream and fight for it.
“So much for diplomacy,” Bones said. He took the toy from Bradley, which caused him to cry, too, and he handed it back to Lila. Then, in a gentle but firm voice, like he’d been handling cranky kids forever, he said, “When you’re ready to ask—not take—we’ll try again.”
He continued bathing Bradley through his wails, seemingly unaffected by his pleas for justice, as Sarah bathed Lila. Bradley cried as they dried them off, and Bones didn’t snap. He simply said, “When you’re ready to do the right thing—to ask and not take—we’ll try again.”
On the way into the bedroom, Sarah called down to Scott, “Shower’s free.”
Lila clung to the rubber duck, and Bradley whimpered as Sarah and Bones dressed them.
When they headed back into the kitchen, Bradley stood in front of Lila, who was sitting down with the duck, and he said, “Can I have a turn?”
Lila turned away with the duck tucked against her chest.
“It’s Bradley’s turn, peanut,” Bones said, and he took the duck from her, handing it to Bradley.
Lila screamed and dove for it.
Bones scooped her up, turning an utterly lost look to Sarah. “What now?”
“Hedgehog!” She ran and got the stuffed toy while he tried to quiet her screaming girl. She shoved the hedgehog into Lila’s hands, and within seconds her wailing stopped and her mouth did that little noiseless frowny thing.
Bones exhaled loudly, brow furrowed as he set Lila in her high chair. “I tried.”
“You were amazing. You just need to learn about trading and distractions.”
“That works?” he asked.
“Sometimes. They’re kids. Nothing works all the time. They have drive-Mommy-crazy buttons inside them that only they have access to, and when that’s switched to the right position, nothing works.” She turned to Bradley, who was walking the rubber duck across the glass door. “Come on, honey. Let’s try the muffins we made.”
He dropped the duck and scrambled into his chair.
“Hey.” Bones retrieved the duck. “I thought he wanted the duck.”
“He only wanted it because he couldn’t have it,” she said, trying not to laugh.
Scott came into the kitchen showered and dressed. “World War III over?”
“I’ve got a lot to learn.” Bones looked thoughtfully at the kids.
“Don’t we all?” Scott clapped a hand on Bones’s shoulder. “It’s all good, man. At least you know how to cook.”
After feasting on scrumptious muffins and apple slices, Scott headed off to meet Quincy and Jed in town, and the kids played with their toys in the living room while Sarah and Bones cleaned the kitchen.
Bones motioned over the half wall as he wiped down the counter. Sarah looked up from the dishes she was washing and saw Bradley pulling Bones’s helmet over his head. It was so big it rode on his shoulders. Sarah started to tell him not to touch it, but Bones touched her arm and shook his head, mouthing, It’s fine.
Bradley picked up a diaper and opened it. Then he placed it on Lila’s head and said, “That’s your motorcycle helmet.”
Bones and Sarah both laughed.
“I hope it’s okay that I came by,” he said quietly. “I should have called, but I was halfway here when I realized that.”
“It’s more than okay.”
He threw out the paper towels he’d used and gathered her hair over one shoulder, pressing a tender kiss to her neck. “Our first Thanksgiving together is just a few days away.”
“This will be the first Thanksgiving I haven’t been terrified of what might happen next.”
He wound his arms around her middle from behind and said, “I wish I could erase all the bad things you’ve experienced, but since I don’t have that power, I’m going to do everything I can to give you and the kids so many happy memories, the others will seem like a story you once heard instead of ghosts whispering from the closet.”
She closed her eyes, leaning back against his chest as he spread his hand over her belly and spoke just above a whisper. “Were you okay last night? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
She shook her head, a little embarrassed by how aggressive she’d been.
He turned her in his arms, his loving eyes washing over her face. “I wasn’t kidding, Sarah. I missed you this morning. These last few months have brought new meaning to my life, but these last few weeks and last night? They’ve changed me in here.” He put his hand over his heart, and then he touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes without saying another word.
He didn’t have to.
He’d already said it all.