One Hot Momma Read Free

never be able to have a relationship with anyone.
    She wiped her tears, stiffened her shoulders, and pushed up and off the floor. She went to the kitchen, grabbed the telephone, and dialed the operator. When the electronic voice asked what city and state, she hung up. She couldn’t call her mother. Her parents had been through enough already. She didn’t want to call when she couldn’t hide the truth about things. Her mom would know in an instant she had been crying. Layla didn’t want to tell her everything; she just wanted reassurance that she was still doing the right thing.
    After walking down the hall to their room, she opened the door. Both children were sound asleep, safe, and happy. She nodded. She was doing the right thing for them. Except it didn’t feel right anymore. Savannah had memories, real ones, undeniable ones, and there was nothing she could do to stop that. Brice was still too little, but she worried he too would recall moments of his life before Montana. Everyone agreed this was the best way, to leave and go where no one knew them. Layla barely knew herself anymore, so she supposed the theory worked. Returning to her room she thought to shower, then decided against it as she pulled her clothes off and distinctly smelled Rafe on her arms, her chest. His warm and spicy scent on her skin was too much to part with tonight. It would have to wait until morning.
    * * *
    Rafe cursed a frustrated blue streak all the way back to his house. He opened the door and took a good look around. He didn’t know when he started renovating that he was going to make so many changes in so short of a time. The kitchen was all his, the living room, most of the large spaces, but he took the rooms upstairs and turned them into children’s rooms, one for Savannah and one for Brice. The master bedroom he took care to add things he thought Layla would appreciate.
What the hell is that woman hiding?
    He paced around the house for an hour then surrendered to sleep.
    * * *
    “ Rafe , can you…?” Jan, his sister, started.
    “No, dammit. I can’t. I can’t okay. Whatever it is I can’t do it today.” Rafe tossed the clipboard on the desk in the large supply closet and folded his arms. He didn’t look at her; he was afraid to. Jan was his little sister, and in the twenty years of her life, he had never talked to her like that. He wasn’t sure why he was talking to her like that now.
    “Fine.” Jan physically pushed her way into the space beside him and stretched out her arm to grab the bottle of water on the far end of the desk.
    He felt like an ass. He was an ass. “Jan, I…”
    “Hey, whatever.” She shrugged as she began walking away.
    “Shit!” He started after her, caught up to her long legged strides, and grabbed her by the arm effectively swinging her around to face him. “I’m sorry.”
    His heart broke as he watched tears fall from his tough little sister’s eyes. He made that happen, and he fought to hold back his own at the realization.
    “I don’t know you anymore.” She shook her head and tried to be strong.
    “Yes, you do. I’m Rafe , your big brother, your best buddy, the one who always came back and let you out of the closet when Heath and Jack locked you in to escape. I played Barbie’s with you, and taught you how to fish and ride horses. I picked bee-bee’s out of your husband’s ass so he could marry you.” She smiled at the memory then shook her head. He sighed. “I know I haven’t been coming to dinner. I haven’t been to game night, but Layla needs me.”
    “ Layla .” Jan took in a deep breath, and he knew Layla was a sore topic for her. Jan had told him over and over again the woman was weird, that she was hiding something, and that she was using him as a babysitter.
    He nodded.
    “ Rafe , you are my best big brother. My favorite by far, but it is because of that I must say this to you. You’ve changed. You’re short with all of us, now that includes me. You never eat a