The Switch, Debra Kayn [best books for 20 year olds .txt] 📗

"Thanks for having me over." Trina jumped up and ran across the yard, climbing behind her dad with her pack in place on her back.

Bonnie shielded her eyes with her hand, cutting the glare from the setting sun. Speeder lifted his hand. She waved back. Then, she watched them leave.

Zach moved around her to go back into the house, and Bonnie grabbed his shirt, stopping him.

"Kenny, go set the table, please." She waited until her youngest son was gone and motioned for Zach to sit on the porch.

"Am I in trouble?"

"Nope." She sat beside her son and looped her arm over his growing shoulders. "I overheard Trina speaking about her dad. I know she's had a rough time moving here and living with a dad, but I'm concerned. She sounded like she's scared to live with him."

Zach shrugged. "He's weird."

"Well, aren't all grownups?"

"He's different." Zach picked at the wood on the step. "She says he's got like... bionic powers."

"Hm." Surprised because she'd expected something different. "Do you know what she meant?"

"She spies on him when he's in the gym behind their house and claims he can lift heavy weights and run faster than anyone."

Bonnie excused those exaggerations as Trina having lived alone with her mom all those years. Trina probably hadn't seen the strength of a grown man. As she was learning, the Avery Falls Motorcycle Club members were in great shape. They were all physically fit and obviously pumped weights.

"He can hear her," said Zach.

She swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"She started thinking it was all in her head, but she's gone outside and whispered 'help' while her dad is in the house. He ran outside looking for her." Zach looked at his mom. "I thought she was lying at first, but I was with her when she showed me how he can hear. It's freaky."

"There's probably a good explanation." She hugged her son. "Remember, I have my own superpowers."

"Huh?"

She clicked her tongue. "I have eyes in the back of my head. Only those who have red hair are blessed with the gift."

"You're crazy."

She smiled, glad that she had a good relationship with her boys. "You know, parents are weird, but we're surprisingly good about knowing when our children need us. Remember when I showed up at school in the middle of the day and found you sitting in the nurse's office with an upset stomach?"

"Yeah."

"Some things seem weird but are just a part of being a parent."

"Maybe."

She patted his leg. "Go wash up for dinner."

Alone on the porch, she blew out her breath. Nothing alerted her to abuse in Trina's home. She couldn't fault Trina for thinking her dad was a fast runner either. At the first get-together to meet the locals, she'd witnessed how fast Speeder could run and chalked it up as something he was known for. Why else would he be called Speeder?

She'd definitely keep her ears and eyes open, looking for any sign that Trina wasn't doing okay.

Going back inside, she set out the food and enjoyed a quiet dinner with her family before they needed to leave. Trip had invited them all to spend the night at his house, and the boys had jumped at the chance. To them, going there was better than camping, and Trip had borrowed a dirt bike for the occasion, so the boys could ride around his property tomorrow while she had to work at The Shack.

"Why are you smiling?" asked Kenny.

"Because it's time to go." She stood and put the dirty dishes in the sink, quickly washing them so they wouldn't come home to a messy house. "Make sure you get everything you're taking to Trip's. You might want to grab an extra set of clothes in case you get muddy tomorrow. It did rain a couple of days ago."

Once she wiped down the counter and put the milk back in the fridge, she went to make sure she'd grabbed everything she'd need for work tomorrow and put it in her bag.

Looking around the bedroom, she grabbed a sweatshirt in case they went outside tonight. Picking up her bag, the strap got caught on the box by the bed that she used to hold important papers, tipping it over. She kneeled, put the documents and mail back in the box, and picked up the notebook she'd brought in from the shed.

She'd forgotten about finding Grandpa Gene's journal with all the changes in her life. She set it on the bed to remind her to read it when she got back from Trip's house.

"Mom, we're going to be late," yelled Kenny.

"I'm coming." She rushed out of the room with an extra pep in her step, eager to see Trip.

She was going through withdrawals, having not seen him for two days.

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Dude, watch this." Kenny jumped from the edge of the pool, doing a front flip into the water.

Bonnie buried her face in Trip's neck, avoiding the splashes.

"Next time, punch off the ground. You'll get more height, and it won't hurt as much when you hit the water." Trip's hand wandered inside the back of her bikini bottoms. "Watch Zach when he goes and how much height he gains."

"He's going to break his neck," muttered Bonnie.

For the last half-hour, her boys had tried to flip into the water like Trip had earlier. It took until now for the kids to let Trip have a moment with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, using him to stay above the surface. Now, it was her turn with him.

Trip swam with her across the pool. "Up you go."

He lifted her out of the water and over the low wall, depositing her in the hot tub attached to the pool. Like a fish spawning up the river, he jumped headfirst, swooping her back into his arms and setting her on his lap.

"It was really nice of you to let the boys swim." She caught a drop of water sliding down his cheekbone. "It beats the river."

He kept his