Though, I probably would have called Roberta and learned that.
Still, it would have been harder without him.
A lot harder.
Exhausting.
I stared at Mitch. He’d done all that without complaint, without looking tired, without getting pissed, without me asking. And through all that, he also took care of me, snuggling with me on the couch when I needed to zone out. Making me chili. Making me breakfast right along with the kids. Turning off my alarm so I could sleep in.
What sane man in the whole of the United States of America takes on a pathologically shy, Two Point Five woman who only owns a hammer? A woman who doesn’t know there’s a valve to switch off the water? A woman who runs away on what was, apparently, your first date and stands you him up on your second? Then suddenly she finds herself the guardian of two children and has a family that was sent to earth straight from hell because even the devil himself didn’t want to spend time with them?
“You’re a very unusual man, Detective Mitch Lawson, and I think maybe this is because you aren’t totally sane,” I blurted because the words bubbled up inside of me and forced their way out before I could hold them back.
When they did Mitch blinked then he threw his head back and laughed.
I watched him laugh thinking that was proof he was insane at the same time thinking the same thing I always thought when he laughed. And that was that he looked unbelievably good when he laughed.
When he stopped laughing, he leaned toward me and lifted our hands toward his mouth.
“Are you sayin’ we have a deal?”
“No.” I shook my head and the humor fled from his face so I hastily explained, “I play this game with you Mitch, it’s not only me playing it. Two other people are involved.”
“Remember, Mara, I know that.”
“This doesn’t work, then they –”
“I ever give you cause to think I’d f**k you over or them?”
“No, but –”
“What I have with you and what I want to have with you is exclusive to what I have with each of those kids. What they have from me is what they’ll always have from me, if they want it, whether I still have something with you or not.”
I felt my throat close and wet hit my eyes.
God, he was really a great guy.
“You like them,” I whispered.
“They’re good kids,” he replied.
“They like you,” I told him.
“I know.”
I pressed my lips together, swallowed and then pulled in a deep breath to control my tears before they spilled over and ruined my makeup.
Mitch watched this without a word.
Then he asked, “Do we have a deal?”
“You and me are against all the laws in the universe,” I explained.
“No, you and me are against all the laws in twisted, f**ked up Mara World but I’m gonna straighten out Mara World so, answer me, do we have a deal?”
I bit my lip. I considered this deal. And I knew it would be me who was insane if I made it.
Then, because I was insane, I whispered, “We do if you promise me one thing.”