Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 102

Briar

It had only been ten minutes since Carter had begun scouring the fair for the little kid when Alley complained she had to pee. Amber was wrestling Meri into her stroller, and the toddler wasn’t having it. Lana had left to get more food. Shocker. I could tell that Amber was overwhelmed as she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

I got up and put a hand on her shoulder. 

“I’ll take Alley,” I said and pushed the rest of my nachos in front of Kade, whose eyes lit up like it was Christmas. I chuckled and reminded myself to find something else to eat later. Hand in hand, we strolled to the porta-potty village with the portable running sinks, and I knocked on one that said it was unoccupied. No answer came, so I peered inside and made sure Alley was familiar with what to do.

“It stinks in here,” she said as her nose wrinkled.

“Best get a move on then, so you can get out,” I told her, shutting the door and standing watch outside the door. 

When Alley finished, we were washing her hands when I saw a kid in a blue shirt wander past us unaccompanied by an adult.

“Zack!” Alley yelled, and ran for him, making me jog to catch up. He was about two, with blond curls and dark blue eyes. I crouched down in front of him as Alley held his hand.

“Did you lose your mama?” I asked.

“Mama,” he repeated and looked over my head to the Ferris wheel as he pointed. 

“How about we go find your mama?”

“He shook his head no and pointed in the other direction

“Horsey.”

I suppose he wandered off looking for the pony rides then.

“How about we let your mommy know you want to ride the horsey? I’m Briar.”

His face lit up.

“She's my new auntie!” Alley piped up.

I opened up my arms. “Come on, let's go sit at the tables and wait for her.” I was surprised the kid just ran at me and wrapped his arms around my neck.” When I stood with him in my arms and went to turn, a man stood in my path. His dark grey eyes faltered as I hiked Zack onto my hip and pulled Alley close to me, grabbing her hand with my free one. The man had a scar through his eyebrow and tattoos snaked from the confines of his leather vest up his neck. His cleft chin was prominent on his clean-shaven face, hair buzzed close on the sides, and faded up to the top, which was longer

“Miss Anderson, we finally meet.” He drawled. The man was tall, his shoulders wide, in his 40s or 50s, maybe with salt and pepper dark hair, and his grey-eyed stare faltered as his eyes roved over me. It made me feel unsettled. Why was this tall behemoth of an older man looking at me like he had seen a ghost? Zack was clutched to me, and Alley huddled close to my side. My instincts bristled.

“Sorry, can't talk, gotta get this kid to his mama.” I rushed out. That bloom in my chest spread as if on alert.

He inhaled deeply, nostrils flaring, a fiendish smirk slightly drew up at the corner of his mouth as his posture settled back into a cool, calculated demeanor. He cocked his head, taking me in again. Who was this creep? His dark silver eyes reminded me of someone. A heaviness crept over me, and that bloom filled me. I suddenly became keenly aware of everything around me.

“I can take him,” he offered.

“Not a chance, I don’t know who you are. Now, if you excuse me, I need to get these kids to their mamas.” I said, pushing past him as I tugged Alley along with me, and veered away from him. My heart raced, my vision threatening to tunnel. Until we disappeared into the throngs of people. I took a few deep breaths as I slowed. Zack still clung to me, and I looked down at Alley, who had a worried look. 

“What’s wrong?” I asked her to let a stroller pass us and glance behind me to make sure the guy wasn’t following.

“You shouldn’t talk to him like that.”

“Who was he? You know him,” she nodded.

I was about to question her further when an opening came for us to cross to the picnic benches, and I took it. Not getting a chance to question her further.

“You found him!” Amber said, relieved. I nodded, and she began typing wildly at her phone as Lana came back with a stack of fried Oreos, which she about dropped all over the table.

“Where the fuck did you go?” Lana asked, ignoring her food. 

“I took Alley to the bathroom, and I found this little guy, he wanted to ride the ponys,” I let her know as I sat him down next to me. She looked like a deer caught in headlights.

“The guys are on their way with his parents!” Amber let us know as I sat down. Lana looked white as a sheet her mouth parted and closed. 

“Good cuz some creep came up to me and tried to convince me he would take him to his mom.”

“What did he look like?” Lana insisted almost pleading.

“Tall, muscly, tattoos, short hair, biker vest. He was older. Why?” Amber stilled as Alley whispered something into her and looked up at Briar. 

“I’m so fucked,” Lana mumbled. Holding her head in her hands as the kids went for second cookies off her forgotten plate. 

I wondered what was up with her. But before I could ask Carter jogged up with Blaze and a frantic flush faced couple were just a few steps behind them.

“Mama!” Zack said, excitedly waving one of my nocho’s that Zade had been munching. I stood up and helped Zack of the bench seat and his mother leaned down and wrapped him up in a hug.

“I was so worried,” she murmured, lifting him and clutching him tightly to her as if he may indeed disappear. Carter walked over and looped an arm around my waist.

“Did he just wander past?” Carter asked, looking around.

“Briar came across him when she took Alley to the bathroom,” Amber said.

Carter's eyes shot over to Lana who looked like she was going to puke.

“Yeah, some guy wanted to take him from me, but I didn’t know him, so I brought him here,” I let Carter know. His jaw tightened. 

“Well, he's safe and sound now,” Carter said, but his words were strained as he glanced over to Lana again and looked back over at the reunited family as he tugged me closer to him. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He kissed my cheek. “Let's get us more lunch since the kids ate half of ours," he said and steered me to the food vendors. I got a plate of buffalo wings and another plate of fried Oreos for Lana, and Carter had grabbed a slopper, some sort of burger smothered with chili and cheese. 

Lana looked up cautiously when we got back, and I presented her with the plate of sweet deep-fried goodness.

We sat, and I looked at the mess on Carter's plate. 

“How do you even eat that?”

Carter answered by lifting it and letting some of the chili fall onto his plate and taking a bite. I rolled my eyes and rolled my wings in blue cheese and hot sauce.