Page 15 of Small-Town Secrets
For a few minutes, I leafed through the tattoo magazine I'd grabbed without actuallyseeingany of the designs in it, and then the chiming of the door bells yanked me out of my thoughts.
Raphael's customer had left.
"Hey, Laurence," he said, approaching me. "You here to discuss the badass ink I’ll give you some day? Or are you looking to buy some new undies?" He gestured at a stack of woolen underwear in the corner.Mrs. Rosewood's Originals, it said on a banner above the clothes. And,locally produced—hand-knitted.I knew Mrs. Rosewood was the great-grandmother of Raphael's husband, but still... Was a tattoo studio really the best place to sell underwear?
"They actually don't sell too badly," Raph informed me when he noticed the dubious look on my face. "It's a novelty item, just as I told my mate. Also there's some really weird ones that catch attention."
"Yeah?" I stole a glance at the underwear—then I remembered that this was not what I'd come here to discuss. "I actually need some advice. Do you have a minute? Or two?" My eyes darted to my watch. My lunchbreak wasn't long, but I couldn't wait until after my shift was over. Once I was off work, I needed to get my kids from school.
"I always have a minute for you." Raph sat down next to me. "At least until the next customer walks in," he added with a grin.
"Thank you."
Raph nodded. "So what's wrong?"
"Remember how you told me karate class would be good for the twins?"
Raph nodded again. "So? They're not liking it?"
"No, that's not the issue. The issue is that their instructor got sick and now the school got a substitute and the substitute is..." I paused, resting my head in my hands. Could I really tell Raph? I had to. Who else could I talk to? "Actually, you know the guy. But you can never ever tell him what I'm about to tell you. You have to promise me."
"Okay, I promise." Raphael rested a hand on my shoulder as if trying to reassure me.
I turned to look at him. "The kids' new karate instructor is their father. Theirotherfather, I mean."
"You mean..." my friend stared at me. "Oh wow. You mean their actual dad? You best friend's big brother?"
"His little brother is not my best friend anymore, but yes." Was that really the part of the story that Raphael wanted to be focusing on? That once upon a time Aaron had been my best friend's big brother?
"That's one heck of a coincidence, though!" Raph said. "That he's the twin's karate instructor now. Hell, I wasn't even sure if the guy still lived in Oceanport. You never mentioned."
"He never moved. At least, I don't think he has."
"Wait." Raph held a hand up. "You said I knew him. How do I know him? Who is it?"
I opened my mouth, but then I hesitated. Once I spoke the name, I couldn't take it back. Then again, even if I said nothing, Raphael could just dig into who was substituting for the school's karate instructor right now. Might as well tell him outright. "It's Aaron Davis."
"Aaron? Seriously? You're not shitting me?" I'd never seen Raphael's eyes grow so wide. "You're talking about the same Aaron? The dog trainer?"
"Yes," I said, simply. I hadn't realized that Aaron was a dog trainer now, but it didn't surprise me. He'd always liked dogs, and dogs liked him. Training dogs... he was probably living his dreams. That was a nice thought.
Maybe if he was happy with his life, he wouldn't try to take my children from me. Even if he knew... Oh God, it would be so easy for him to notice if he got to know the twins at all. I saw him in them all the time, even before my ex's paternity test gave me that certainty. Whenever Chris scowled, he lookedexactlylike his alpha father. Tyler could pull that expression off too, though he was far more likely to mimic Aaron's laugh.
But no matter how much Chris and Tyler resembled their other father, they weremine.
Mybabies.
I could take care of them.
I didn't need anything but them and they didn't need anyone but me. It was safer that way.
"Holy hell," Raphael muttered. "I would never have thought that Aaron had kids."
"He doesn't," I insisted. "I have kids."
Raphael tightened his grip on my shoulder. "I know you've been having a hard time, but Aaron's one of the good guys."
"He's an alpha."
