Zak nodded.
“What do you say, Zak?” Tammy set her purse on the table.
“Thank you.” Zak grinned. “Do you like milk?”
“Sure,” Jayden said. “Made me big and strong.”
“Can I have more?” He held the glass forward. “Please.”
“Not too much,” Tammy said.
“But I want to be big and strong.” He eyed Jayden’s thick biceps. His t-shirt strained around them. “Like that.”
Jayden filled the glass halfway. “Keep drinking your milk and you will be.”
Truth was the kid was puny and pale. A few weeks of playing on the beach and some hot meals would do him good.
“You wanna drink?” Jayden asked Tammy.
“No, thank you.”
“There’s coffee.”
She shook her head, then came into the kitchen. Reaching past him, she closed the window and pulled the blind.
“I was just giving the place a blow through,” Jayden said. “Bit stuffy, you know? Been empty for a while.”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she headed deeper into the house.
He followed, so did Zak.
Quickly, she closed the other windows and drew the curtains, rendering the place in semi-darkness.
“You worried about him following you?” Jayden asked.
“Who?”
“C’mon, I’ve got a brain.” He paused. “Your asshole husband.”
“Asshole,” Zak repeated again.
“Stop it, Zak.” Tammy scowled. “I told you not to say that word.”
“Jayden says it.”
“Yeah, but I probably shouldn’t.” Jayden shrugged. “Bad habit.”
“What’s a bad habit?”
“Zak.” Tammy pointed at the door to the smaller bedroom. “Why don’t you show Bilbo where he’s going to be sleeping?”
“Okay.” Zak wandered off.
“Please don’t curse around my son.”
Jayden held up his hands, enjoying the spark he could just make out in her eyes. “My bad, I’ll try not to.”
She didn’t speak.