Page 98 of Tattered (Lark Cove 1)

Thea looked up and down the street, searching for options. “Um . . . let’s see.”

“How about McDonald’s?” Charlie asked.

“I’ve never eaten at McDonald’s.”

“What?” Thea’s head whipped around to me. “You’ve never eaten at McDonald’s?”

I smiled. There’s my Thea. Repeating what she thought were ridiculous statements as loud questions.

“I’ve never been to McDonald’s.”

“Oh my god.” She looked to Charlie. “We’re definitely doing McDonald’s.”

“Yesssss,” Charlie hissed, doing a fist bump.

I chuckled and took out my phone, calling us a car. Fifteen minutes later, I was standing in front of a neon menu the size of New Jersey. “I have no idea what to get.”

“I’ll order for you.” She stepped up to the counter and ordered Charlie a Happy Meal—with the boy’s toy—herself two cheeseburgers with fries, and me a double-something-pounder-with-cheese.

I reached for my wallet, thinking I was going to need Yuri to step up our workout in the morning, but before I could get my credit card, Thea pulled some cash from her purse.

“No, I’ll pay.”

“I’ve got it.” She ignored me and handed the cash to the clerk. “I didn’t protest when you gave me a temporary credit card for the dress shopping because designer gowns aren’t in my budget. But McDonald’s is something I can afford.”

It had actually surprised me when she’d taken my credit card so willingly. I’d braced for an argument that would rival some of the most intense purchase negotiations at the firm. But Thea had agreed immediately and tucked the card into her pocket with nothing other than a thank-you and a kiss.

“Besides,” she smiled at the clerk and took her receipt, “your platinum would probably break the credit card readers here.”

I chuckled. “I’m pretty sure everywhere takes my platinum.”

I didn’t correct her that it was actually our platinum. Nothing about the card in her purse was temporary since I’d had Sean add her name to my account.

“So how is it that you’ve never been to a McDonald’s?” she asked as we went to the fountain machine to fill our soda cups while Charlie trailed behind, drinking her real chocolate milk.

“I don’t know. I’ve always had a chef.”

“Even in college? You never wanted to try a Big Mac?”

I shrugged. “It’s not like I haven’t heard of McDonald’s before. I just never had the urge to eat here.” I patted my flat stomach. “And this doesn’t happen by eating fast food.”

“Well this,” she laughed, mimicking my gesture on her own incredible curves, “loves McDonald’s. I guess we’ll just have to think of a few things you can do to burn some extra calories tonight.”

“What are calories?” Charlie asked. Her smile was back, something I hadn’t seen enough of this week.

“Calories are yummy,” Thea answered with a laugh.

I smiled. Damn, I’d missed these two this week. Work had been brutal at the firm. Every night, I’d left a pile of papers on my desk so I could rush home before Charlie went to bed. What I really needed was a weekend spent in the office to catch up with both client demands and my overdue tasks at the foundation.

But it would all have to wait. I felt awful for not being able to spend more time with Thea and Charlie during their first week in New York. I just hoped that after a month of them living here, I’d be caught up at work and could dedicate the time to them that they deserved.

Having them waiting for me each night had forced me to come to a realization.

It was time to reprioritize.

A teenager called our number over the loudspeaker and I went up to get our food. When I set Charlie’s Happy Meal box in front of her, she tore into it, wasting no time before inhaling her food. Thea did the same and I followed suit.

“Well?” Thea asked before shoving three fries in her mouth.