The three of us got back down and crept toward Molly’s window next. She was giggling harder now, and no amount of shushing was helping.
Just as I was reaching for the window, it opened on its own. I stared in confusion for a moment and then Katie’s head popped out. She looked down and saw us all lying on our bellies, covered in dirt.
Her eyes blazed, and I knew there were several swear words she was biting back because Molly was with us. “You,” she snapped, pointing at Molly. “In. Now. And you two…” she sighed angrily. “Go around to the front door. We’re about to have a conversation.”
Molly went in through the window and Katie slid it shut.
“Are we in trouble?” Harper asked.
“I can’t fucking believe I dragged you into this. It’s ridiculous.”
She reached across to squeeze my arm. “Hey, you got upset and made a dumb decision. But you realized it right away and brought them back. It’s going to be fine.”
I hoped she was right.
30
HARPER
Katie led us inside like we were two misbehaving teens on our way to the principal's office. I felt supremely awkward. If there was any doubt Greyson and I were more than future co-workers, it was probably gone after this.
She led us to the living room and had us sit down on the loveseat while she and Matt took the couch.
Katie looked over her shoulder toward where I assumed the kids were, as if making sure the coast was clear, then turned her focus to Greyson. “What the fuck were you thinking? What part of ‘no, you can’t take the kids’ did you not understand? I should report this right now. Actually, tell me why the hell I shouldn’t? Because I’m this close.” She held up her thumb and forefinger at him.
“Look,” Greyson said. “I was pissed. The kids snuck out on their own and got in the car. I thought…” he trailed off and shook his head. “I wasn’t thinking. I just felt like you were telling me I wasn’t their dad when you said I couldn’t take them. All I could see was red. But once I got to the bakery, I realized I still couldn’t just take them. We headed back right away.”
“And then started crawling around the house like a bunch of lunatics?” Katie asked.
“Name-calling isn’t going to help, Kates,” Matt said. He still had a soft pretzel in one hand.
“Shut up, Matt.”
Matt leaned back, raised his eyebrows, and motioned that he was zipping his lips. I tried not to grin. It seemed like Katie wanted to give pliable and easy to work with a try after being married to Greyson. I wondered if she’d over-shot, though.
“I am sorry,” Greyson said.
Katie raised an eyebrow, then looked to me. “Did you teach him that?”
“W-what?” I asked. I’d been hoping I could remain mostly invisible and unnoticed. No such luck, it seemed.
“Apologizing. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard him do it. You must’ve taught him.”
I smiled, blushing furiously and not knowing what to say. Was this a trap? If I admitted we were together in any capacity, was she going to open a trap door under the couch to swallow me whole? “We had a little fight, and he did apologize,” I said when it was clear she expected some kind of answer.
“So you two are together, then?”
“That’s not your business,” Greyson said.
“It’s okay, Greyson,” I whispered. I gave his knee a squeeze, then felt awkward and pulled my hand back.
There was a long, tense moment, and Katie abruptly stood. “Well, good. I’m glad to see you’re finally taking care of yourself. And if you ever take the kids without permission again, I will report it.”
Greyson grunted and stood. I followed, hoping this was the part where we bolted and didn’t look back. But Katie walked toward me and pulled me aside so she could speak to me in a low voice. “Be careful with him, okay? He’s not as invulnerable as he likes to pretend. He’s got a soft heart.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I just nodded.
“Well!” Matt dusted the large salt crystals from his hand, then thought better of it and picked up his pretzel for another bite. “Glad we cleared that up,” he said around a mouthful.
Katie gave him a look of mingling embarrassment and adoration. She smiled a little, then waved her hand at us. “Get out of here, you two. And wash those clothes. You’re both filthy.”
I looked down and saw she wasn’t kidding. I had dirt and mud smeared all over my top and jeans. “Thanks for not killing us,” I muttered as we left.
“Don’t give her any ideas,” Greyson said.
Greyson dropped me off at my apartment and walked me to my door.
“So is this the kind of treatment I can expect now? Personal bodyguard duty all the way to my room?”