Page 49 of Peer & Coco

Peer would never have the freedom to find his happiness with her if he held feelings for Kelli. She let her head fall to the back of the seat. Everything was new, exciting, and passionate at the moment, but that would only last long enough for their love to fall to the wayside if Peer wasn't fully committed to her.

She was sure he was not in love with Kelli. From everything she'd seen and heard over the last year, she refused to believe Peer would go back to Tyr's mom, even for the sake of his son.

But, his anger and bitterness over what Kelli had done when she had the baby would slowly eat away at his love for Coco. The negative emotions spent on others were a cancer that would show up when she least expected it.

A tap-tap-tap startled her. She opened her eyes, not remembering closing them.

Peer opened her door, looked at her, then poked his head in the car, and looked in the backseat. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Her smile wobbled, and she shifted to get out before he could notice how upset she was when all she'd done was go shopping. "I was just letting him sleep before I had to wrestle him out of the car seat. You know how it is if his naps are too short."

"I'll get him." Peer moved to the back of the car.

She made her escape and waited by the trunk for him to go inside. Then, she slipped the plastic bags onto her wrists as if she had a sudden urge to wear too many bangle bracelets. Heaving the heavy groceries up to the house, she passed Peer coming out.

"There's only a few more bags. I can get them." She passed him, realizing he was going to ignore her need to bring everything in herself.

Quietly putting the food away, she tried to stay busy while Peer set everything on the counter. She wanted to discuss Kelli with him but needed time to think about how to broach the subject.

He wasn't going to like what she had to say, and she rather not say it. Everything out of her mouth would be an endorsement for him to go to Norway.

"What's this?" Peer held up a box.

She glanced over at him. "I bought them for Tyr. He eats graham crackers, and those are the same thing, except shaped like bears and have cinnamon on them. If you don't think he's ready to eat them, I can take them to the clubhouse, and one of the other moms can take them home."

"You don't have to ask me what Tyr can eat. You're better at knowing what he'll like and what he can chew without choking." He tagged her wrist and pulled her over in front of him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." She wiggled out of his hold. "I need to get the groceries put away. The milk needs to go in the fridge. Oh, and the grapes."

He tugged her back and held her hips. "Was it too much taking Tyr with you?"

"No." She gazed at the ends of his beard. "Shopping is a piece of cake with him now that he's looking at everything."

He tilted her head, forcing her to look at him. "Damnit, Coco. I know something is wrong. Talk to me."

Her stomach dropped, and she held on to him. "Kelli showed up outside the store and tried to see Tyr as I was putting him in the car."

His gaze narrowed. She put her hands on his chest. The fact that he wasn't saying anything scared her.

"I wouldn't let her see him. I put him in the car seat and shut the door, and I told her to leave. I told her not to contact me again and that she needed to talk to you first." She tried to catch his gaze that'd wandered away from her. "I brought Tyr straight home. You can ask Dag. He can tell you that I didn't let her hold or touch Tyr."

"I'm not doubting what you're saying. I trust you." He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

She swallowed; her throat suddenly dry. "Maybe you should talk to her."

He pushed off the counter and walked into the living room. She followed him, waiting to hear his opinion, his plan of action, his defense in protecting Tyr.

"I don't have any interest in hearing what she has to say," he said.

"But, still..." She shrugged. "She's Tyr's mom."

He grunted and refused to talk.

She crossed her arms and cupped her elbows. As much as she hated the back and forth, being caught in the middle, she couldn't step away and let him handle Kelli on his own. She was committed to him. She supported him.

"Do you still have feelings for her," she whispered.

Her biggest fear would be that Kelli wanted back in Tyr's life to get to Peer. She had a lot of experience seeing the jealous and possessive streak inside of Kelli when she worked at the bar.