“Seventeen.”
“Who is it?”
The heavy skepticism in my voice made his lips curl up in an amused grin. “You don’t trust me?”
I snorted. “Hardly.”
“What’s your address?”
“I didn’t say yes.”
He cocked a brow. “You didn’t say no, either, did you, boss?”
“Do not call me that.”
Archer smirked. “I can’t call youRed. Can’t call youboss. What nicknamescanI use?”
“None.”
His eyes traced over my face. “We’ll find one. What’s your address? I’ll go get her.”
“Go get her?”
He nodded. “She doesn’t love driving.”
I crossed my arms. “I thought your license was provisional. Only your hours and work.”
Archer adopted an innocent expression. “It’s for you. Doesn’t that count as my hours?”
When I mumbled under my breath, he let out a brief chuckle.
“Fine. Only because I’m desperate.” I rattled off my address, watching his expression as he typed it into his Maps app. It was a humble home in a humble neighborhood, but I would not apologize for where we lived. “It better not be some underage football groupie who answers to your beck and call because she’s not allowed to sleep with you.”
Archer gave me an unamused look.
“What? How am I supposed to know?”
“Trust me,” he said.
I crossed my arms over my chest and breathed through a wave of anxiety because I justknewI was about to do something really stupid.
“Fine. But don’t make me regret it.”
Chapter Eleven
Remi
“Mom, you’re freaking out.”
“No, I’m not.”
Total bullshit answer. Sometimes it wasn’t just okay to lie to your kids—it was a matter of public health and safety. Gavin had gotten off the bus and found me tearing through the house, shoving piles of laundry into closets. My face was flushed, sweat beading at my hairline.
Would it have killed the man to give me a clear arrival time?
It’s not like it was hard.
Thirty minutes since we’d both left the shelter and only a vague “I’ll be there in less than an hour.” It could be fifteen minutes, could be two. Could be another thirty.