Tana watches me eat the pineapple coleslaw, studying my every movement. I purposely chew slowly and wipe my lips after every bite. Her gaze narrows into thin, pissed lines, but she doesn’t say anything.

Meanwhile, I moan approvingly for Oz’s sake. He knows I’m screwing with his mother, and that she’s dying to find fault with me. Stuck in the middle, he smiles too much and laughs at shit that isn’t funny.

“Smokey bit Champ’s face,” Makoa tells us, and Oz giggles like a man on the edge.

“Are cats always that violent?” I ask.

“Yes,” Alani announces while her brother immediately declares, “No.”

“They have their moments,” Oz says, clenching his fist when Tana suddenly stands.

“If I knew cats were so entertaining, I might have gotten one,” I say, throwing him a bone.

A relieved Oz smiles at me. I give him a wink and ask the kids about school. This opens the door for them to talk—non-stop—for twenty minutes. I finish the coleslaw and then get stuck with seconds because Tana wants me to know this is her damn house. I obnoxiously ignore the bowl she places in front of me.

Unaware of the tension, Alani and Makoa share tales about their teachers, friends at recess, and how they’re the last kids to get off the bus every day. I hear a hint of unhappiness in this last information. Oz must hear it too because he tells them what he told me and what I suspect he tells Tana.

“I’m looking for the right place.”

Studying him while he leans against the counter, I wonder if he’s afraid to leave this house where his life makes sense. Possibly, he fears his kids and mother will abandon him once they have more options. Isolated out here, the family is forced to remain close. However, I can’t imagine much would change for the Savo clan if they lived in town. They’re natural outsiders—exotic, dangerous rebels in a town of dull, harmless conformists.

“My company plans to renovate a dozen houses we’ve bought in town and then rent them out. I imagine at least one of them will suit your needs.”

“We’ll see,” Oz says before I finish speaking.

I frown at his clear irritation. He looks at me as if I’m clueless for not realizing why he’s annoyed. Standing up, I smile at the kids.

“Soon, I’ll move into my complex, and we’ll have a party. You can come over to swim if you want. You know, before it gets too cold.”

“I love swimming,” Alani says immediately.

Makoa pipes in seconds after his sister with, “Me too.”

Oz steps closer, maybe thinking he can block me from leaving. He grossly underestimates my willingness to knock him down and make a run for my Harley.

“The townhomes should be finished in a week or two,” I say, inching toward the door. “That’ll leave plenty of time to swim before autumn shows up and makes it too cold.”

“That sounds fun,” Tana says in an edgy, suspicious voice.

The woman is so obviously messing with me again that I nearly laugh. Tana is what I assume the girls in the crew will be like one day. They’ll look just like anyone’s grandma while in fact possessing the hearts of troublemaking bitches.

“I need to get going,”

“No,” Oz declares.

I roll my eyes before turning to the kids. “It was nice meeting you. I’ll see you guys soon, okay?”

They surprise me with hugs. I’m not a cuddly person, but I do my best impression of one. Turning to Tana, I put on a big smile.

“I don’t usually like pineapple, but the coleslaw was still great.”

“Pineapple is a staple of my people’s food.”

“What people would that be?”

“The Hawaiian people,” she says through gritted teeth.

“Oh, I wasn’t certain where you were from. Oz hadn’t mentioned anything.”

Tana narrows her gaze, making me smile wider. “I’m glad we understand each other.”

“Me too, Tutu.”

When she growls at me, I burst into laughter. The kids laugh too because they have no clue what’s happening. They take my hands to escort me to the front door. I glance back and catch Tana’s frown shifting into a grin. Ah, she like-hates me.

Somehow, Oz ends up in front of me and the kids when we exit the front door. Shit, did he run around the side of the house to beat us? What an egotistical dick! Admittedly, he looks extremely sexy while blocking my way.

“I have to go.”

“I said no.”

“It’s important that I leave right now,” I say and then smile at the kids.

“You can stay for dinner.”

“No, I can’t.”

“Why?”

“I ate at Taco Bell yesterday, and I feel diarrhea coming,” I say, struggling against laughter. “I don’t want to stink up your house.”

The kids love the poop talk and laugh their cute little asses off. Oz isn’t impressed, but he relents when I grab my stomach and groan.

“I feel the first round coming.”

“Shit here then.”

“No, I need privacy, and possibly a change of clothing. This is going to be pretty bad.”

Grudgingly, a smile appears on his face, and he moves the hell out of my way. I climb on my Harley and smile at him. Before he can whine about my leaving, I rev the engine and wave goodbye to the still laughing kids. Their love of poop talk bodes well for us getting along since crap comments are my go-to in tense situations. Well, assuming violence isn’t feasible.

I pucker up so Oz can give me a kiss, but he only frowns and crosses his arm. Shrugging, I move to leave. He, of course, grabs my arm and covers my mouth with his. I let him kiss me for less than ten seconds before pushing him off and speeding away. When I reach the end of the road, I glance back to find him glaring at me. Once again, Oz’s glare tugs at me, and I nearly return to him.

Before he wins our struggle of wills again, I force my gaze on the road ahead and accelerate. Every mile between us is another reminder that I’m Ginger Snaps, and he’s someone’s father, and those two facts might never mesh.