More Than Protect You (More Than Words #6.5) - Shayla Black Page 0,50
no…except child care. Oliver—”
“Would be welcome to come with her every day. We’ve hired a nanny for Nolan, who starts next week. If Amanda would be willing to pay her some, too, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.”
It sounds pretty perfect. “Run it by your wife. If she’s amenable, have her call Mandy and ask. Honestly, I think she’d be thrilled.”
And in the space of ten minutes, a guy I just met but always admired on the field helped us both find income streams to get on our feet financially. And once my Colorado house sells, if Mandy will move in with me…we can start our future together.
If she’s willing to spend the rest of her life with me. Right now, that’s the big if.
A minute later, the women come down the stairs. After a little conversation, Mandy thanks Harlow and Noah profusely for agreeing to keep Oliver.
Once she gives Harlow the diaper bag and kisses the boy’s head, I take her hand and lead her to the door. “Thanks. We’ll be back once we’ve managed more target practice. A couple of hours at most.”
“Don’t hurry,” Noah assures. “Why don’t you come back around six? We can all have dinner then.”
I turn to Mandy, but she’s already smiling. “That would be great. Thank you both.”
Then we’re gone, heading back to the indoor range we visited yesterday.
“That went well,” I say.
A happy smile flits across her face. “Yeah. Harlow has always been the sister I didn’t have, and it hurt me so much to think she might never speak to me again because of my stupid choices.”
“According to Noah, she’s missed you, too.”
“She told me.” Mandy’s smile widens. “It was great to see her again. It felt like we had never been apart.”
I don’t mention the jobs Noah and I discussed. If Harlow is willing to hire Mandy, that should come from her.
At the range, I rent Mandy two different guns and let her fire mine. She’s much less hesitant and a lot more confident than yesterday. I don’t even have to instruct her; she simply loads both the new revolver and the semiautomatic’s magazine. With ammo in place on each, she fires away at the targets, hitting her paper intruder a lot more, some shots even dead center.
“You did great,” I say as we head back to the Mustang.
“It feels good. I’m actually believing that I could defend Oliver and myself if I had to. Hopefully, I won’t.” Once we slide into the car, Mandy reaches for my hand. “Thank you for this morning. For listening and not judging me too harshly. I’m not convinced my family would be half so understanding.”
“But they don’t know the truth?”
She shakes her head. “They don’t.”
I scowl as I stop at a red light. “Why not tell them?”
“Honestly? I don’t think I could stand the disappointment on my dad’s face. I always wanted to be a daddy’s girl…and he wasn’t interested.”
With one sentence, the pieces of the puzzle come together. “You gravitated to Barclay because you could feel both like a daddy’s girl and a woman.”
She winces. “That sounds really messed up, doesn’t it?”
“It sounds human, baby. No one is perfect, and anyone who you tells you differently is selling something.”
“Probably.”
“I think you should level with your family. You’re hiding here and—”
“I don’t want to move back to New York.”
“Fair enough. But they’re still your family. They might understand a lot more than you think.”
She’s quiet for a long minute. “I’ll think about it. Where are you taking me?”
“Lunch?”
“Please. I’m starved.”
We find our way to a little café known for its homemade soups and breads and munch on a quick bite. Mandy isn’t saying much, but the way she keeps looking at me grips me by the throat. She’s got something on her mind, and I have a suspicion it’s big.
“Out with it,” I demand. “What are you thinking?”
“Why do you assume I’m thinking anything?” But her secretive half smile reaffirms that she is.
I raise a brow. If she wants to play that game, fine. I’ll play along…for now. “Anywhere else you want to go? We don’t have to be back to Noah and Harlow’s for about five hours.”
“To the villa?”
I’m not sure what she’s up to, but I shrug. “If you want.”
The ride there is quiet, but I sense her thoughts still churning. It’s fucking with my head.
By the time I pull into the garage, close the massive door behind us, and climb out of the car, the air between us pings