Mad About You

mound of abandoned packages in the center of the mall, where a security officer waited for them. The mall had been closed for thirty minutes, and they were the only customers left.
    They loaded Chad down with packages and silently made their way back to Virginia's car.
    "When will my bike be delivered?" Chad asked, breaking the quiet on the drive home.
    "It won't be," Virginia said.
    "What?" Chad screeched.
    She looked at Bailey in the dimly lit interior, challenging him to defy her, but he simply nodded. She turned her head slightly toward the backseat. "After the stunt you pulled tonight, you're not getting a new bike."
    Chad slammed back against the seat and grunted in frustration. He turned on his game and the car was soon filled with the sounds of jarring music, beeps and sirens. Ginny prayed he was playing an age-appropriate game, but that was a battle for another day. She could almost feel the hatred aimed at the back of her head. She swallowed, remorse filling her, but she bit her tongue hard. No one said parenting was easy.
    After they arrived at her place and carried in all the packages, Chad huffed off to the television room.
    Ginny followed him, with Bailey close behind. "Wait just a minute." She held out her hand for the remote control. He frowned and gave it to her. "Sit down."
    Chad dropped onto the couch, his eyebrows knitted together.
    "I'm appalled at your behavior,” she said. "Shoplifting is a crime. You might get off with a hand-slap the first time, but if you keep it up, you'll wind up in jail."
    He worked his mouth, saying nothing.
    "Is that what you want?" Bailey asked. "To go to jail? To have an arrest record that will haunt you the rest of your life?"
    "No," he mumbled, as if they were stupid.
    "Then the next time you want a CD," Ginny said, "ask for it."
    He frowned. "You wouldn't have liked the music, I knew you wouldn't buy it for me."
    "Try me next time," she urged.
    "Meanwhile," Bailey said, "Ginny and I will talk about an allowance, so you'll have your own spending money."
    "Now go to your room," Ginny said.
    "I'm not sleeping in that pink room."
    "I took down the curtains and removed the comforter."
    "The walls are still pink!"
    She pointed to the stairs. "Go."
    He grabbed up his Nintendo, flounced out of the room and bounded up the stairs. His bedroom door slammed.
    Ginny sagged onto the couch, removed her ball cap, and leaned her head back.
    Bailey sat down, his leg brushing against hers. "Are you sure we did the right thing?" he asked, his brow furrowed.
    "No," she replied honestly, trying to ignore her bodily response to his nearness.
    "Aren't you afraid it'll only make him more hostile toward you?"
    She smiled and shrugged. "I have experience taking grief from Kallihan men."
    He had the grace to blush. "Can't argue there. Did he give you a rough time today?"
    She glanced at him sideways. "He's just feeling me out, I think, seeing how I react to certain things."
    "Smart boy," Bailey said, his voice suddenly husky.
    Her stomach jumped when she realized how close he'd gotten. He studied her face, his eyes hooded with desire. She lifted her head and held up a hand. "Remember our handshake, Bailey."
    He wet his lips. "I think the memory of our kiss has blocked it out," he said, his face grave.
    Uh-oh. She could handle the teasing, the flirting. But when he turned serious, her resolve always weakened. Why did he have to be so damned desirable?
    The touch of his fingers against her hand roused her to move. She sat up, prepared to stand, but he gathered her hand in his and gently pressed her to stay. "Ginny, I need to talk to you about something that should have been said long ago."
    Her heart thudded as he begged her with his eyes to listen. She inhaled and nodded for him to continue, not sure what to expect.
    He dragged in a ragged breath and expelled it noisily. "I was a terrible husband to you. I guess I've known for a long time, but it took me a while to admit it."
    Tears gathered in her eyes and she looked away from him. His grip on her hand tightened.
    "Our marriage didn't fail because I didn't love you, Ginny—I was never unfaithful."
    She raised her eyes to him and blinked them free of tears. A small frown marred his brow.
    "I just wasn't mature enough to handle the responsibility of being married."
    Ginny chewed on the inside of her cheek, then said, "And you're telling me this now because you've changed, is that it?" Her voice sounded amazingly strong—and dubious.
    He