Page 178 of Need You To Choose Me

I stop at the store and grab a few things we need before making my way back home. Just the other day, I’d finally started working on the dresser for the nursery, so I hoped I would get that finished before I had to pick up Savannah for our appointment.

Slipping out of the truck, I pull out my phone to call Coach as I start to go toward my house to put the groceries away when I spot movement across the street that has me stopping in my tracks.

I do a double-take when I see familiar blonde hair, but while Savannah’s hair is rich and glossy, this one is streaked with gray and tangled.

“Fuck.”

My jaw clenches as I watch her from a distance, my fingers balling into fists when I see her crouch down and lift one of the plants.

Cursing silently, I march across the street, my voice coming out icy when I stop at the bottom of the stairs. “Looking for something?”

Savannah’s mother freezes at the sound of my voice. Time seems to slow down as she weighs her options. Finally, after what feels like forever, she squares her shoulders and pushes to her feet, facing me.

In the light of the day, the resemblance between the two women is uncanny. The same sky-blue eyes that I stare into every day are narrowed at me now. But while Savannah is all good and kindness, her mother is the polar opposite—cold, calculating, mean.

Her jaw works as she observes me for a moment, the corner of her mouth lifting in a mocking smile. “Who do we have here? I don’t believe my daughter introduced us the last time.” She extends her hand toward me. “That girl has never had the best manners. I’m?—”

“I know exactly who you are. What I want to know is, what the fuck are you doing snooping around here?”

Her smile falls, all pretense of kindness gone. “I don’t see how that’s your business, this is my hou?—”

“It’s Savannah’s house,” I bite back, not in the mood to play whatever game she has on her mind. “And you’re not welcome here.”

The vein in her forehead twitches in annoyance at my words but ask me if I care.

“I mean it, if you don’t get the hell off this property, I’ll gladly toss you out.”

“You wouldn’t do that.”

“Do you wanna try me? Because let me tell you, there isn’t much I wouldn’t do to protect the people I love.”

My words ring in the air as we just stare at one another.

“Anything?” Savannah’s mother quirks her brow as she moves closer, her calculating smirk making the hair at my nape rise. “Because there is an easy way to get rid of me, Blake Walker.”

I try to school my features, but she must see the surprise on my face because her smile only grows bigger.

“I’ve asked around about you.” She tilts her head, her eyes taking me in slowly. “Gotta know who my daughter’s baby daddy is, after all. And I’ve learned some very interesting things. What can I say? Small towns. Peopleloveto talk. Get into other people’s business.”

“What do you want?” I grit, although I have a feeling I know where this is going.

She glances down, her fingers tracing over the railing. “I’ve found myself in an unfortunate… predicament, shall we call it? And you could help me out of it. Give your mother-in-law some cash to help her out, and I promise I’ll get out of your hair before you can blink.”

“Hell, no.”

Her head snaps up at my harsh words, eyes narrowing at me. “You sure you wanna do that?”

I move closer so we’re standing eye to eye. “I’m not giving you shit. Now get off this property before I throw you out.”

Her eyes throw daggers at me as she grinds her teeth. “You’re going to regret this.”

Icy chills run down my spine. “Is that a threat?”

“No, it’s a promise.”

With that, she pushes past me and walks away, not once looking back.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

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