Page 88 of Take The Risk

​Reluctantly, I walked away with the promise I’d call him after Lock was in bed.

​I felt happy as I returned to the table, joining the conversation. I sent a quick text to Alex.

ME: Ding. Ding. Ding. Round one, here we go.

​Another pizza was delivered to the table, Delilah rejoining us a few minutes later. I didn’t pay as much attention to the conversation as I should have. In my head, I was working out my speech to Lock, anxiously waiting to get him home and talk to him.

​Everything felt right, and I should have realized that meant something very wrong was about to happen.

Chapter 33

​“Give me your keys, Phoebe.” Wade held out his hand expectantly.

​“Huh?” I blinked, trying to figure out what I’d missed.

​Wade reached down, pulling my keys out of my fist. “You’ve been standing there, holding that box and your keys for five solid minutes. I’m driving you home.”

​That jerked me out of my thoughts. Looking around, I found I was the only one in the staff parking lot of Maple Morning’s. What was I doing there again?

​“I—what are you doing here?” I frowned, trying to figure out where Wade had come from.

​Wade looked alarmed. “You called me. Don’t you remember?”

​Closing my eyes, I searched my memory. I did. I did call him.

“Right. I think I know who my stalker is,” I said without preamble.

​Wade’s concern grew along with his impatience. “Let’s get you in the car and we can talk about this at your place.”

​As he ushered me into my car, I wondered about his, and he said he’d deal with it later.

​“Where’s Lock?” Wade asked, navigating the streets with ease.

​“At home.”

​“And Ty?” He asked this as if he was surprised I’d drop a bomb like that, and Ty wouldn’t be all over it.

​“He’s with Luke in Red Barrel Falls because Dalton had to go to Canada. They’re doing a pitch for that new subdivision.” I said this with no inflection. I couldn’t feel my face or my hands.

​“Have you called him?”

​“Called him?” I parroted his question.

​“Never mind, honey.” Wade reached across the console and gave my hand a friendly, reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay.”

​Was it?

​Wade pulled into my driveway and walked me inside, making sure Lock was okay and the house was secure.

​Lock came barreling out of his room, realizing I was home. “Mom! I’m hungry!”

​That broke through the haze clouding my mind. Rolling my eyes, I pursed my lips, contriving to be normal. “And you need to shower.”

​Lock put his hands on his hips. “I’ll shower for food,” he negotiated. “You know, given I’m all cool with you making Ty my new daddy, you’d think you’d remember to show your gratitude appropriately.”

​I narrowed my eyes on him. “Ty isn’t your new ‘daddy.’ And I didn’t ground you when I found out you used my credit card to order a new MacBook.” Oh, yes, Lock had been more than fine with Ty and me. The little sneak had not only known (apparently, I wasn’t as clever as I thought I was, and Ty snored) but also he’d been waiting for my confession to make his own about ordering a new MacBook without my permission.

​ He claimed he needed it for some program to design houses, which was now his passion.