Page 49 of Property of Stone
“Don’t gotta do that.”
“The food will dry on the?—”
“Droppin’ him off at school. Gotta take Sunny, so will drop him off, too. Will take my truck.”
That would save her so much time but… “His school is across the river.”
“Yep. And best if you switch him over to Sunny’s school this week. Don’t wanna go pick him up one afternoon to find your ex got him first. That would suck.”
That certainly would suck. “I have to head over to a new client’s house this afternoon and I won’t be back until after dinner. I can still have something simple ready for you, though.”
“Gonna grab pizza.”
“I thought you wanted me to cook for?—”
“Gonna grab pizza,” he repeated in a tone that brooked no argument.
Okay, then.
“Who’s watchin’ Baby Bird when you’re gone?”
Shit.She assumed he would. “Who’s watching Sunny?”
Please don’t say a sweet butt.
A muscle in his jaw jumped and he scraped a hand down his thick beard. “Guess I am.”
She really wondered if him watching the kids was any better than a sweet butt. At least he had a personal stake in keeping one of them alive.
“I won’t be home late.” Why did that feel strange to say? “I don’t leave until they finish dessert and the table’s cleared.”
“When’s he done with school?”
“About 3:10, why?”
“Gonna get him from school, too.”
“I can have my mo?—”
“Gonna get him from school,” Stone repeated more firmly.
Taryn threw up her palms in surrender. “Fine.” Truth be told, that was a relief. She didn’t want to put that burden on her mother if she could avoid it.
Sunny sauntered through the kitchen, not sparing her or Stone a glance since her head was tipped down as she did something on her cell phone.
Did a ten-year-old really need a cell phone? Taryn mentally sighed. She had no doubt Wren would be asking for one of those next.
The back door slammed as she went outside.
“Jesus fuck,” Stone muttered under his breath and shook his head.
Taryn agreed with his assessment. The girl hadn’t evenhit the moody teen years yet. If she was like this now… “Give her some time. Her mom just went to jail?—”
“Nothin’ new.”
“And two strangers moved into her father’s house,” she finished. “Does Sunny need me to make her lunch?”
Stone shook his head. “She’s got scratch.”
