Show Me How Read Free Page A

him.”
    I gave Keith’s back a little pat as he turned, and watched him race from our room. “Uncle J, Uncle J! Mommy said stop! Uncle J! Hammer frow!”
    A smile lit up my face as I listened to Keith’s voice trailing behind him.
    Jagger had been brooding ever since I’d informed him that I was moving back to Thatch three days ago. But I would take his moody pouting if it meant I could wake up every day to “hammer smashes,” and hear my son’s sweet voice echo throughout the warehouse at all hours of the day.
    I pulled my long blond hair up into a high ponytail as I emerged from the bathroom minutes later, and padded down the hallways to the front of the warehouse.
    This warehouse had been the home of our grandparents’ business when Jagger and I were growing up, but had been cleared out and left to Jagger when they passed since they didn’t trust our mother to hold on to it.
    I didn’t blame them.
    Our grandparents had left their money equally split among our mother, Jagger, and me. While Jagger used a chunk of his for college and remodeling the warehouse into a place to live, our mom had blown through her third within two years of their passing. For years after, she tried to swindle Jagger out of his, and had even gone after Grey for money when she had spent most of Husband Number Eight’s money.
    But we hadn’t seen or heard from Mom in a year and a half, and as awful as it sounded, our lives were better for it. She had never been a parent, only a person who brought endless heartache, and flitted in and out of our lives for as long as I could remember.
    Jagger had raised me. I still had him and Keith. I didn’t need anyone else.
    My smile from earlier returned when I found Jagger and Keith play-­fighting in the living room with Aly crawling after them.
    I sniffed dramatically and asked, “Is that burnt water I smell?”
    Jagger paused and sent me a sarcastic look. “Ha h-­uh! Time out,” he wheezed as he slowly fell to his knees, clutching his stomach.
    Keith’s smirk was victorious. “For always beats Loki, Mommy!”
    â€œOf course he does, especially when he takes a cheap shot,” I said teasingly, and pulled him into my arms.
    â€œWhat’s that?” Keith asked, excitement dancing in his eyes at the thought of learning something new.
    â€œIt’s what you just did to Uncle J.” I forced back the laugh that was begging to be released when I glanced at Jagger, now lying on his back, still holding his stomach with one hand and attempting to stop Aly from flopping on him with the other. I directed my attention back to my son and whispered, “Can you do something for Mommy?”
    Keith nodded vigorously, his blue eyes even brighter. “Yes!” he whisper-­yelled back to me.
    I squatted down to whisper in his ear, and loved the way he wiggled with anticipation. “Can you go say you’re sorry to Uncle J for taking a cheap shot?”
    He deflated, and when I pulled back, was giving me a look as though I’d just crushed his dreams. “I guess,” he said with a sigh, and trudged slowly over to Jagger. With the same look and sigh, he mumbled, “Uncle J, I’m sorry for taking a cheap shit.”
    â€œOh gosh,” I groaned, and dropped my face into my hands as Jagger barked out a laugh. “Stop laughing,” I hissed, then looked back up at Keith. “Baby, it’s shot . Cheap shot .”
    Keith shrugged. “That’s what I said!” He looked between Jagger and me, and I could tell he didn’t know if he should start laughing as well, but the confusion held out. “Does this mean I didn’t beat Loki?”
    â€œNah, you definitely won this one, bud,” Jagger said, his words still laced with amusement.
    â€œYeah! Hammer frow!” Keith yelled, then tore off out of the main room, back down the hall toward our room.
    I walked over to pick