Keeping the Beat: An Adrenaline Novel (25 page)

              "What about it?" I asked grabbing a plate and heaping a pile of spaghetti on it.

              “Well I've been thinking about what I want."

              "Let me guess," I interrupted handing him the plate. "You want a dog."

              "Well yeah," Simon huffed and sat at the table. "But I understand I might not get one for my birthday."

              "Really?" I asked running my tongue over my teeth. The way he had been yammering on this past month you'd think I'd promised him a dog at the crack of dawn on his birthday.

              "Really," he gave a sure nod. "That's why I invited Maeve to my party. Maybe she can talk you into it.”

              "Who?" I turned from where I'd been putting food onto my own plate to stare at him. "Is that a friend from school?"

              Simon looked at me like I had grown two heads. "No," he said slowly. "Maeve is the lady who runs the animal shelter in town."

              What the hell?

              "You invited a grown woman to your birthday party?" I felt my brow slam down into a frown as I moved to sit across from him. The conversation I had planned on having with him could wait another day. ”Did she say she was coming?"

              "Yes. Why do you sound mad?" Simon asked with a frown. "Maeve's nice and she's my friend. Uncle Declan and Aunt Reece invited her too."

              "Oh they did, huh?" Looked like I would be making a phone call after dinner.

              When Simon and I finished eating I asked him to clean up while I stepped out on the back porch. I pressed the number to call Declan and placed the phone to my ear waiting impatiently as it rang.

              "Howdy partner," Declan answered cheekily. "How's it hanging?"

              "What the hell were you thinking,” I let loose without even giving a hello in return. My mom would have swatted at me for forgetting my manners. “Inviting a random stranger to join us on Simon's birthday?"

              "Maeve's not a random stranger," Declan explained in a soothing voice. "She's a friend. Don't be such a grouch."

              "I'm not being a grouch," I bitched. "I haven't met this woman and Simon is referring to her as his friend. What kind of woman accepts an invitation to an eleven year old's birthday party?" Was it possible she knew who Simon was? Who be belonged to?

              "The kind who was railroaded into it," Declan answered. "She tried to back out but saw how bummed Simon seemed. I doubt she'll even stay long enough for cake."

              "I don't like it," I mumbled feeling somewhat mollified. "Maybe I should give her a once over before I give the okay."

              "Whatever," Declan chuckled. "Go meet her then and get your kid a damn dog while your at it. If you don't give in soon I'm going to end up getting him one myself."

              "I'm still thinking about it."

              "You think too damn much," Declan said sounding amused.

              I had a rebuttal on the tip of my tongue but bit it back. I knew Declan was teasing me but there was a reason I did things my way. In my own time. It hadn't been too long ago when I was incapable of making a good decision. Those times I'd allowed myself to act with no rational thought had cost me and my son. There was no way I was letting that happen again.

No one would ever hurt what was mine again.