Bonus Kisses - Freya Barker Page 0,45

me?” Her eyes flare at that. “Because if that is what you want, you should probably go. But if not, then I don’t get why—for someone who’s never been afraid of confrontation—you’re suddenly allowing yourself to be manipulated into this ridiculous scenario.”

I can tell she’s pissed. She’s glaring and trying to stare me down, but I’m determined to have this out today, before they leave in the morning, so I don’t give an inch.

“I want to stay here,” she finally shares, but before I can ask her if that was so hard to admit, she adds, “but I can’t tell her that.”

“Why?” I don’t bother keeping the exasperation from my voice.

“Because she’s already suspicious. She wouldn’t have forced this arrangement if she wasn’t. Anything I come up with at this point simply plays into what she already believes of me. I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

I’m starting to get the picture. This is about more than just the current predicament.

“Natasha, we’ve done nothing wrong,” I quickly reassure her. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Not now, and not back then.” I can tell from the way she averts her eyes I hit the nail on the head.

“I can’t tell her, Rafe.”

I round the island and cup her face in my hands, tilting it up. “Then I will. Let it be on me. You’ve carried the blame for things you were never guilty of long enough. I’m calling her.”

“No, Rafe…”

I press a kiss to her forehead and pull out my phone.

“Rafe—” I silence her by pressing my fingers against her lips.

“Mom? Hi. Listen, I finally had a chance to discuss things with Taz, and she’s going to be staying here. We have our hands full training these two pups, so it makes more sense this way. We’ll make sure your mail and plants are taken care of though.”

I can read the nervous anticipation on Taz’s face as I listen to her mom.

“Well, if you’re sure. I thought it might be easier for you.”

“Positive. It makes far more sense for her to stay right here at home.”

I choose my words for the express purpose of letting Sarah know the lay of the land. This is her home now. Taz drops her forehead to my chest and I slip my hand under her heavy hair, resting it in her neck.

“Okay then,” Sarah says in my ear. “Are you dropping the kids off tomorrow morning or should we swing by?”

“Maybe it makes more sense to swing by, that way we can load their stuff straight into the RV.”

“Sounds good. See you around ten, okay?”

“Ten is fine. See you then.”

I drop the phone down on the counter and rub my other hand along Taz’s spine as she lifts her face up. “Everything okay?”

I grin down at her. “Everything’s fine.”

“What do we need rubber boots for? They’re ugly.”

Taz turns around in her seat at Sofie’s snippy question. “You’ll be glad for them when you get to the farm. Trust me on this.”

I pull into an empty spot and before I even turn off the engine, Taz is already out of the truck and claiming a shopping cart someone left in the middle of the parking lot.

The boots are only one of the reasons she wanted to go to the Walmart in Mountain View today. A store I would normally not be caught dead in—in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been to this one—but after finally settling our argument this morning, I’m not about to rock the boat again.

According to Taz, the kids will need the before-mentioned rubber boots, some rough and tumble clothes, and a few other things. The woman has an entire fucking list. I expect we’ll be here for a while.

I’m lost the moment I walk into the cavernous store, but Taz seems to know exactly where she’s going, pushing that cart with purpose as the kids and I follow a little slower behind.

Halfway through what is turning out to be more of a sprint than a marathon, Spencer announces he’s tired and I lift him on my shoulders. Luckily, Sofie’s no longer complaining, in fact, she seems to enjoy picking clothes for her and her brother a little too much. I shoot off a silent thanks we don’t have Walmart in Eminence, because I can see this becoming her new hobby.

“Good thing you seem to know what you’re doing,” I mention, as Taz tosses sunscreen and toothpaste on top of the pile of clothes in the cart. The kids now down