Page 12 of No Mercy
I chuckled as all the questions began pouring out of him. “Well, little man,” I began, turning the corner to see Rock’s bike sitting in the driveway. He was leaning against it, texting someone on his phone. My gaze ran over him, recalling all the times he’d waited for me just like that. “Why don’t you ask him yourself? There he is.”
“Oh, man! Look at his motorcycle!” Sam’s excitement grew the closer we got. “Is that my dad?” He swung to me when he finally noticed Rock, his expression full of awe.
“Yep. He’s anxious to meet you, too, Sam.” I pulled in next to Rock’s bike. Sam was unbuckled and opening his door before I turned off the car. “Sam−” But it was too late. He’d slammed the door shut and was running around to the other side.
I opened my door, my gaze meeting Rock’s. “Sam’s as eager to see your bike as he is to meet you,” I explained. Sam’s wide gaze was running over the motorcycle as if it were a life-size transformer. “Sam--” I waited until he’d pulled his gaze away from the bike and met mine. “This is your dad.”
Sam peered up at Rock, his eyes just as round. I knew he wouldn’t speak until Rock spoke to him first. He wasn’t shy, but this was hardly a normal situation, meeting his dad for the first time.
“Hi, Sam.” Rock held his hand out to him. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.”
I was so proud when Sam put his little hand in Rock’s for a hand shake. “Hi.” Only I could have noticed the slight nervousness in his tone. “You’re really my dad?”
“Yep.”
“Cool! So, are you moving in with us?”
“How about you moving in with me?” Rock asked instead, giving me a wink.
I opened my mouth to respond, but the excited look in my son’s eyes had me snapping it shut again. How could I dash his hopes so soon after meeting his dad?
“Yeah! That would be cool!” Sam agreed. Then, as if remembering me, he turned and asked, “Is that okay, Mom?” I hated being put on the spot, and Rock’s smirk only infuriated me. Sam turned back to Rock. “Do you have enough room for my mom to come, too?”
“Sam, honey, this is something that your dad and I will need to discuss later, okay?”
“But I’m sure something can be worked out,” Rock added. “Have you two had breakfast?”
“No,” said Sam.
“Yes,” I said at the same time. Sam looked at me with surprise. “I, ah, had a granola bar before picking Sam up.”
“That’s not breakfast. Do you mind if I take my son for something to eat?”
I knew that he was only asking for Sam’s benefit. The Rock I knew would have just taken him and gone no matter how I felt about it. I stared at Sam, trying to gauge his comfort level. Rock was a stranger to him, yet Sam peered at him as if he were the newest action hero. “You can’t take him on your bike,” I said. I wasn’t ready for that, and I knew Rock wouldn’t have a helmet for Sam because he didn’t wear one.
“We’ll take your cage,” Rock said. “Be back within the hour.”
“Cage? What’s that?” Sam questioned.
“That’s what some people who ride motorcycles call cars,” Rock explained, holding out his hand for my keys. “Any allergies?”
I was impressed that he had thought to ask. I shook my head. “Sam can and does eat anything.” Before I handed the keys over I went to unlock my front door. On the way back I met Rock’s eyes, hoping to convey without words that I was trusting him with Sam and that he’d better not take advantage of that trust.
“Give me your phone, babe.” I dug into my back pocket and produced it for him. He programmed a number into it and handed it back. “Now you have my personal number.”
I watched them get into my car and drive away. Why did my heart suddenly feel so empty? Tears burned my eyes as I made my way back inside. All of a sudden the events of the past two days came crashing down on me. Rock showing up and threatening to take Sam away, the situation with Tom, the feelings I still had for Rock. I burst into tears and sank down against the door, thankful that no one was around to witness my meltdown.
The little life I’d carved out for me and Sam was about to unravel and become complicated. I didn’t want to give up everything I’d worked for to move back to Maine, but I knew that I would if I had to. I cried it all out, and when I was done I went to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face. The mirror over the sink revealed a blotchy red face and swollen eyes. My hair was piled up on top of my head like a bird’s nest. I hadn’t spent any time on my appearance before going to get Sam.
I thought about my lunch date with Tom. He was going to pick me up at noon and we were going to eat at one of the pier restaurants. I’d have to tell him about our plans, and hope he’d be content to remain friends. Something told me that wouldn’t be easy, though. He’d always made it clear that he wanted more from me, and I’d always made it a point not to mislead him because I didn’t want to hurt him if nothing more came of our friendship.
I decided to get a shower. By the time I’d dried off, done my hair and makeup, and dressed in a halter-style sundress, Rock and Sam had returned. They were sitting in the living room playing on the play station. I came to a sudden stop, watching them together. Sam was an expert at most of theStar Warsgames, but it was clear that Rock was an amateur. He was worse than I was! His concentration on the game and the funny facial expressions he made made me grin. Watching them together did something funny to my heart, made me forget for just a moment that we weren’t a real family.
Something must have given away my presence because Rock turned my way. His gaze raked over my appearance, turning hot by the time our eyes met. He made me feel beautiful, he always had, and I felt an answering heat inside my core. Realizing that we were staring at each other, I forced myself to break away and address my son.
“You’re back,” I smiled. “How was breakfast?”
“Mom, you should have been there!” Sam rushed out, not taking his eyes off the TV. “We had a pancake contest. You should have seen the stack dad ate! It was, like, fifty!”