Bittersweet (Redemption #3) - Jessica Prince Page 0,100

that.”

He huffed out a beleaguered sigh that I could have sworn he learned from his father and started walking ahead of us.

“Kiddo, stay close,” I called out to him.

“Okay.,” he returned.

Farah spoke up, pulling me from my doldrums. “Don’t worry, honey. You’ll know what you want when you see it. That’s how it was when I was decorating my place.”

When she’d first moved to town, Farah had bought this big old Victorian that had been sitting empty and abandoned for decades. It was in terrible shape, but she saw something in it, had it renovated, and now the place was absolutely breathtaking inside and out.

“Yeah, but you have that whole interior design gene. I think I’m missing that. I don’t have the first damn clue what looks good together or what’s in style.”

“Then don’t try and make stuff match, and don’t worry about what’s in style. Jensen told you to get what you like so get what you like.”

“Yeah, I know, but that was weeks ago. I think he might actually be getting a little annoyed I’ve hardly spent any of his money yet.”

“Speaking of money . . .” Farah lifted her eyebrows. “Any word from Jensen’s lawyer on the lawsuit against his father?”

I kept my eyes forward, keeping Brantley in my sight as he stopped and pressed his little face up to the window of one of the stores in the strip mall we were at. “No, nothing new, really. Cases like this are slow as hell. I don’t think he’s worried about actually getting the money back as much as he’s looking forward to sticking it to Whitman and Cordelia. Since the lawsuit’s been filed, he’s basically already done that, so he’s good.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re so happy and that everything is working out for you; you deserve it.”

Reaching over, I hooked my arm around her shoulder and pulled her in for a sideways hug. “Thanks, babe.”

She sucked in a gasp and pointed to the window we were walking past. “Hey, what do you think of that lamp? It’s colorful and kind of funky and totally you.”

I pulled my eyes off of Brantley, who was still salivating at whatever he was staring at, and turned to see the lamp Farah was talking about. It was my turn to gasp as soon as I saw it. “Oh man, I love that. You’re right, it’s so me.”

“Let’s go check it out.”

Suddenly feeling excited that I might actually come away from this day with at least something for my home, I glanced back to Brantley, calling out, “Hey bud. I think I found us a super cool lamp for our house. Let’s go take a look.”

He beamed at me and started running back in my direction. Everything that happened after that felt like it moved in slow motion and lightning speed all at once.

A gray sedan came screeching up to the sidewalk, so close the driver side tires nearly jumped up on the curb. The door flew open and a woman jumped out. Before I could figure out what was going on, she’d grabbed Brantley around the waist and snatched him up. I let out a scream and started running, but before I could get to them, the woman ran the two steps between where my son had been and the open car door and threw him into the passenger seat.

“Stop!” I yelled, reaching the car just as she yanked the door closed. “Stop! Someone help me!” I beat on the windows, trying to run alongside the car as the woman peeled out so fast her tires squealed, leaving black rubber strips on the concrete.

“Oh my God,” I cried frantically, my heart threatening to beat out of my chest. “Someone just took my son!”

Farah ran up to where I’d just collapsed onto the ground. “Yes, I need to report a kidnapping at—” She rattled off the address in a panicked voice that I could barely hear past the blood rushing in my ears as I stared off in the direction the car had just disappeared.

“Someone took my son,” I repeated on a sob as everything else around me went fuzzy.

Jensen

The shopping center where Shane had been with Farah and Brantley was just outside of town, so I got there fast, but by the time I whipped into the parking lot and slammed on my brakes, I saw the place was already crawling with sheriff’s deputies.

I jumped out, leaving my truck running and the door open as I raced over to where