Page 134 of Redemption
Theo watches his son disappear into the house, then turns back to me. Anger bubbles just below the surface. “Do you care to explain what you’re doing with my son?”
“I told you. He was at a party. He wasn’t drinking, but I couldn’t let him leave either, so I delivered him here. I’m also his football coach, but you would know if you bothered to come to any of his games—or were around, period. I didn’t even know you existed until he begged me not to take him to his mom’s house tonight.”
Theo’s face flushes. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Then tell me because from where I’m standing, you look like a deadbeat dad who would rather hit on my girl than show up for his son. I’ve been the one trying to get through to your kid and protecting him from the expectations of the man who calls himself his stepdad. What have you been doing?”
My breath comes out in puffs as I try to wrangle in my anger.
I would be mad at this situation even if it weren’t Theo, but adding him to the mix is the icing on the cake.
Theo’s face is red with rage. His fists are clenched, and I worry he might take a swing at me.
But the truth hurts, and he needed to hear it.
“Get off my property,” he says through gritted teeth.
As an officer, I know better than to antagonize, but this guy is a jerk. His son deserves better.
“Gladly. But maybe consider helping your son.”
The gleam in his eye turns dangerous. “Why do you think I’ve been trying to get your girl? She has the connections I need to help my kid.”
All I see is red.
My fist connects with his jaw, and he laughs, spitting out blood.
“I’ll give you that one shot because you took care of my kid tonight. Now get off my property.”
I don’t look back. Hopping in my car, I put it in drive and pull away.
Tanner got the raw end of the deal with both his parents.
I’m not much better, but I know someone who is.
______________________
“Hurry up, MJ. We have places to be.”
“Hayes Miller, what have I told you about telling me what to do? You have the patience of a billy goat.”
“How do you know how much patience a billy goat has?” I call.
She’s in my hall bathroom finishing her makeup, and if she doesn’t finish soon, I’m going in and dragging her out. I picked Tanner up from his house forty minutes ago and came back to find her still not ready. I think she’s dragging it out just to get a rise out of me.
Things have been weird for us since that night we read Langston’s journal. All those feelings of unworthiness threatento pull me under, and I think she knows that. But I meant what I said. I’m not going to make the same mistakes.
Poking her head out to look at me, she says, “If you’ll recall—you and Langston wanted to see how long it would take to make Old Man Smith’s billy goat angry. I was inside the fence. It took all of ten seconds for it to chase me down. I cried while you guys laughed. That is how I know.”
On the couch beside me, Tanner snorts, and heat creeps up my neck.
“It was an accident,” I deny. She lifts a brow. “Okay, maybe it wasn’t.”
Flipping off the bathroom light, she walks toward the living room. Her hair flows down her back, and there’s a peacefulness on her face that I haven’t seen in a long time. She looks happy.
“Where are we going anyway?” she asks when she’s standing beside the arm of the couch.
I stand, tugging her waist and dropping a kiss on her lips. “I want you to meet someone.”
