Page 74 of Your Last First Kiss
“What about Dillon?” I stand quickly and cross to them, hoping to keep as much from the kids as possible. But children are intuitive little things, and when I look down, all eyes are on the door.
“Haven’t heard,” Remy mutters, but his gaze flicks away quickly.
My chin quivers, and he pats my shoulder like a father unused to tears. “Let’s get the kids over to the TAC to run around. I’ve set up the Boy Scouts’ campground in the auxiliary gym and the blow-up movie screen Ashton bought too. They can camp out there for a few hours while you sort ya”—he gestures toward my tears—“stuff.”
Some of the tension bleeds from my shoulders knowing I’ll have a little time to process everything without having to be strong for the kids. Somehow Remy always knows what we need, even if he doesn’t know the details of it.
Miller moves beside me to pack a backpack for the kids, and Remy steps closer. “Aster isn’t at the house,” he mutters. “Have ya seen her?”
“What? No. She said…” He shakes his head to cut me off.
“Word is, Eddy was on a bender, mouthing off about how she took all her stuff out of the house. I went over to check before stopping by here. She’s gone.”
She’s gone.
And I have her girls.
My knees wobble, threatening to buckle and throw me to the floor.
I’m barely getting by with the boys, and they’re in school most days. How will I care for two more who need full-time childcare too?
“We’ll figure it out, Penny,” Miller mumbles beside me. “I got you.”
“We always do,” Remy agrees.
The three of us share a look, but only Remy looks convinced.
* * *
Strapping Mari into the BabyBjörn,I pat her back and sway side to side. “Why haven’t they called yet?” I ask Miller.
Without the little kids here, I can unload a little of my worry. Kai had a headache but, luckily, no concussion. He’s upstairs watching TV in my bed while the littles are terrorizing the small gym of the TAC.
“I’m not sure, but Dillon has a lot of resources. I’m sure whatever’s happening, he has it handled.”
“I’m scared, Miller. About everything.”
“I know, Pen.” He glances at the staircase and then stands in front of me. “I think you need to call that lawyer, though. Like, tomorrow. Find out what your options are.”
“Options?”
He glances down at the sleeping baby on my chest. “For the girls. You can’t just hold on to them until Aster decides to show up. What if something happened and you had to take them to the hospital? How are you going to work? There’s a lot to figure out.”
“I’m barely holding it together,” I admit, and my lip trembles.
“I know. And you know I’ll do whatever I can to help. We’ll do this together, like we’ve done everything else since Izzy was born. Maybe I can talk to Remy about suspending your lease on the land for a few months.”
God, the lease. Remy owns the land, and until recently, he’s been amazing.
“What’s that look?”
“What look?” I duck away so he can’t search my eyes.
“Jesus, Penny. What is that look?” He points a finger at my face.
“Remy—” My stomach plummets. I don’t want to tell Miller this. “Well, he’s raised my lease three times this year. He must be hurting more than we knew.”
Miller’s face goes harder than I’ve ever seen. “Who told you that?” He’s seething mad, so angry that spittle flies from his lips. Unease makes my stomach turn.
