Page 7 of Reckless Encore

Ethan raised his gaze, his eyes turning devious, his mouth kicking up on one side. “Are you for real?”

Oh, fuck.The little prick was banking this as ammunition.

It was Sean’s turn to scowl. “I’m for real when I say I’ll break your fingers if you ever use that information against him. Your dad is right. You’re too young. This shitty attitude of yours will get you chewed up and spat out by the paparazzi. You’d last six months, at best.”

The conniving expression left Ethan’s face. “I’m sick of sitting on my hands. Ya know? I’ve already got a million followers on my YouTube channel and more on Instagram. People love me. They want more.”

“Buddy, I’m going to give it to you straight.” He grabbed Ethan’s shoulder and held his gaze. “They only found you because of your parents. They only love you because your mom is the best songwriter in the business and your father is a musical legend. They—”

The kid yanked his shoulder away, his jaw tight. “Fuck you, Uncle Sean.”

“Hey, let me finish. I—”

“Nah, I’m done,” Ethan snipped. “Thanks for the pep talk, but I’m sick of listening to you fossils. Do me a favor and tell my parents I’ve gone to the lake.”

He stomped away, taking a sharp left toward the water hidden somewhere behind the trees.

Fuckity fuck.

Mason would be delighted to know Sean threw more lighter fluid on the already combustible teen. If his best buddy wasn’t furious already, he sure would be once he ran into his son again.

This teenage stuff was a whole new ballgame.

Sean blew out a deep breath and headed for the house. Melody met him at the edge of the tree line, her lithe dancer body just as tempting as it had been when they first met.

“Good talk?” she asked.

“Horrible talk, Red.” He reached for her, pulling her into his side as they continued toward the huge monstrosity of a vacation home. “I’ve never been more relieved we didn’t have kids.”

She stiffened under his arm. Not a huge shift in position. Only miniscule. Slight enough for his heartrate to increase.

He clutched her tighter to his side and inwardly berated his stupidity. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” she whispered.

They remained quiet, her posture tight until they reached the deck bordering the first floor of the mansion.

“I shouldn’t have made a joke.” He turned to her, seeing the fake smile she used in a vain attempt to divert attention from her glassy eyes.

“Forget it. You know these trips always bring out the worst in me.”

He swept back the loose hair from her face. Damn, he loved her. Even more now than he had when things had been casual and easy. “Not the worst. Only the best.”

She released a half-hearted chuckle. “Not true.”

He dropped his hand to her chin, holding tight. “Itistrue. You’re the best godmother those little fuckers could ever have. They love you.”

“And I love them. It’s just hard sometimes. I’m getting older and…” She sighed. “I’m just unsettled.”

She still yearned to be a mom.

It took years to accept they couldn’t conceive on their own. Both of them were pros at trying to make a baby, but apparently, neither of them had the fertility to produce the end result.

They’d tried it all.

Even contemplated adoption. In the end, nothing felt like a good enough consolation prize compared to holding a bundle they had made together.

“Once we get home, I want us to rethink foster care.”

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