Heartless: A Small Town Single Dad Romance(80)

Luke stands there awkwardly, most likely hitting the age where he’s piecing these things together, noting the body language and drawing his own conclusions.

I stand woodenly while Talia wraps her arms around me. One hand rubs up the back of my neck, and I instantly reach up and grip her elbow, pulling her arm away, even as she sneaks a kiss against my cheek.

“Oh gosh”—she laughs—“let me get that for you.” And then she’s standing close to me, licking her thumb and rubbing at my cheek, trying to get the thick layer of lipstick off my skin.

Marking her territory.

It’s been years and Talia hasn’t changed a bit. She’s always playing some game. The difference is that now I see it. I didn’t all those years ago. I saw a pretty package and a willing body.

I was horny and stupid, and she was calculated.

“It’s fine. I’ll get it.” I step away as the surrounding conversation picks back up, which somehow makes me feel better. Like our complicated little family isn’t the center of attention. I desperately want to turn around and check on Willa, but I also know Talia will pick up on it immediately.

And I’m not subjecting Willa to her shit. Not until things with her and me are solid. Official.

I should have made things official already. I’m kicking myself now. The pads of my fingers itch to

touch her, to run over her neck reassuringly. Possessively.

“Gosh, Cade. You’re like a good scotch. You just keep getting better with age.” Talia reaches out to run her French-tipped fingers over my shoulder, like she has some sort of right to touch me. Like she’s forgotten our text exchange earlier this week. She was always forward, and maybe she’s always been like this when she shows up once a year.

Maybe it just didn’t bother me before now.

All the same, I take another step back, pulling Luke in front of me and putting both my hands on his shoulders. “How have you been?”

“Good.” She glances around the space in the field. “You know, living in the city. Keeping busy.”

I realize I don’t know what she does, but I also don’t care. She showed up with another man one year, pawing at him like it was going to make me jealous.

It didn’t.

“In Calgary?” Luke asks brightly.

“Yes, honey.” She looks down at him with a big smile. “Handsome like your daddy, but with Mom’s blue eyes.”

“My nanny is from Calgary!” is Luke’s response.

“A nanny! How adorable.” She bends down to see eye to eye with Luke. “Is she here today? I’d love to meet her.”

Before I can interject, Luke tears away. I can’t blame him for wanting to be close to Willa. She’s a comfort to him, where this other woman who lives a little over an hour away can’t bother to visit him more than once a year.

I turn just in time to see Willa’s eyes dropping from my frame down to Luke.

I also see Talia glance over her shoulder and wink at me.





28





Willa

Rhett: You know Medusa?

Willa: Not personally, no.

Rhett: Remember the part about not looking her in the eyes?

Willa: I’ve always kind of liked Medusa. If I were her, I’d wanna turn men into stone too.

Rhett: Pretend Talia is Medusa. But a version we don’t like.

T his bitch is like a splinter I can’t get out. The sight of her nails sliding over Cade’s neck burned itself into my mind. She’s droned on and on about herself, and I’ve endured it with a level of politeness I’m extending to her only because she birthed one of my favorite people in the world.

And that must count for something.

“You have to be so sick of living out here.”

I smile flatly, staring at the squealing kids in the huge bouncy castle. “Not really,” I reply while avoiding Summer’s eyes. Because the last time I looked at her, she held her hands up beside her head and made little devil horns with an evil scrunched-up face.

“Aren’t you bored though? I mean, I grew up here. I know what it’s like. Once you’ve had a taste of the city, it’s hard to come back.”

“I mean, Calgary isn’t exactly Paris,” I quip because she’s acting like it’s some glitz-and-glam place.

“But what do you do all day? I’d go crazy. That’s why I had to get out, you know?”

“No, I don’t know,” is my reply, because my patience is wearing thin, and my personality only allows me to keep my mouth shut for so long. The pressure is mounting and giving into my redhead streak is hella appealing right about now.

“Excuse me?” Her big blue eyes go wide, her pink lips turning down.

Of course, she has to be smoking hot. Cade couldn’t have been married to someone ugly to make me feel better about myself. I’d even settle for average looking, but no, she’s a ten. An eleven.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I clarify. “I love living out here. Your son is smart and fun. The land is beautiful. Cade works hard to provide for him. I’m not bored at all.”

A wolfish smile spreads across her lips. “Oh. I see.”

I refuse to react. “You’re going to need to clarify.”

“It’s okay. Us ladies can have our secrets. We’re not so different, you and I.” My brow quirks at