Free Worth the Wait (Picking up the Pieces #4) by Jessica Prince

saying, “Mommy, dis man said ‘shit’ and told us you don’t hafta eat veg-ables to grow big and strong like him.”
    The little shit sold my ass out without so much as blinking.
    Kenzie’s laser-eyed focus shot back up to me and I could have sworn I felt the skin melt off my face.
    “Oh, well, that’s just great! Want to impart any more wisdom on my kids while you’re at it? Why don’t you just tell them they don’t need a college education?”
    “Yay!” the little girl cheered excitedly.
    “Callie, no. Mommy was just being sarcastic. Don’t listen to anything I say for the next two minutes.”
    “Ah, dang it,” the girl pouted.
    “If we don’t listen, can we hab another cookie?” the boy asked.
    I was really starting to dig these kids. They definitely knew how to play to their strengths. I was willing to bet these two would give half the police force a run for their money when it came to interrogations.
    She muttered something under her breath that sounded an awful lot like “Lord, give me strength,” as she rubbed at her eyelid that seemed to be twitching.
    “You all right?” I asked, pulling her hand away from her face.
    She yanked back and scowled. “I’m fine. Kids, let’s go. No more cookies.”
    Kenzie started back down the aisle with two moping children behind her and I was hit with a feeling of desperation. I didn’t want to her to leave just yet.
    “Hold on a second and I’ll check out with you guys. Help you load your groceries up.” Turning around and bending to say something to Callie and Cameron, I got a peek of her tight ass in her jeans before she made her way back to me.
    Don’t get hard, Brett. For God’s sake, man, don’t get hard.
    “I don’t need your help with anything,” she whispered angrily once she stood in front of me. “And that includes you playing daddy to my kids. Consider this your out on having to deal with all my baggage .”
    Then she was gone, leaving me standing in the chip aisle after just confirming she’d heard every ugly word I’d said to Trevor, and wishing I was flexible enough to kick my own ass.

    My body felt like it was running on nothing but fumes. No amount coffee was going to do the trick. But waking up in the middle of the night to toddlers puking like something out of the Exorcist would do that to a person. Daycare wasn’t an option, at least for the next two days. Luckily, I’d gotten a sitter to stay with the twins, but it looked like I’d have to take the following day off, and a day out of the salon was a day without pay that I desperately needed for me and my kids.
    The last thing I was in the mood for was having to deal with a certain construction worker, no matter how good looking he was. I’d just finished one appointment and was sitting at the break room table, trying to rest my eyes before my next one when a thump on the tabletop startled me awake. I bolted upright to see Brett before me with a hesitant smile on his face.
    “Hey, you looked like you could use this.” He pushed the Starbucks cup closer and the warm aroma of the espresso nearly caused me to cry in thanks. Right then, I couldn’t have cared less if the man who’d offered it was my enemy.
    “Thanks,” I muttered, not quite making eye contact as I grabbed the cup and took a much needed gulp. “Mmm, pumpkin spice.”
    He reached behind him and scratched the back of his neck, awkwardly.
    “Uh, yeah. I heard you telling Lizzy one day that you were excited that that flavor was back.”
    I sat there dumbfounded for a few seconds, somewhat shocked by his kind gesture and the fact that he could actually remember something like that before muttering idiotically, “It’s seasonal.”
    “I figured that.” One corner of his mouth tipped up on a grin. “Anyway, I thought maybe you could use a caffeine boost or something. You looked tired. Hope it helps.”
    Despite my best efforts, my heart gave a little squeeze at Brett’s thoughtfulness. He turned to leave