Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“Matt’s good people,” I remind Garrett, even if Matt is a cop and thinks the police have a harder job than firefighters. He sits in his car all day eating snacks from Noelle’s Nibbles, while I’m out saving Miss Alice from a turf war and the smoldering romance section.
Ha. I need to tell Skyye that one.
“But is he good enough for her?”
No one is, but I just give him a dark look. “She’s made three kids with him. I’d say he’s okay.”
Garrett just laughs as he walks away, the raccoons wriggling in his grip with no cares. Being Sadie’s little brother is not an easy task. It never has been. I sigh deeply as I do one last once-over and then go to the truck for my iPad. I got the department to switch to iPads two years ago because I hate writing. I’d rather type. And thankfully, they went for it. As I take pictures and document the call, Wagner helps and does his own documentation. I watch the time to make sure I am out of here before I need to get Skyye, but luckily, it doesn’t take long to get everything taken care of.
“Hey, Cap.”
I glance up from my iPad, and then I hold out my hand for Jackson Shepard, one of the town’s deputies, to shake. My black button-down shirt strains on my shoulders since I refuse to go up a size in my shirts after a year of working out like crazy with my buddy Jett Cook. He had to increase his upper body strength back to full force when his old figure skating partner came back to town and asked him to skate with her again. I don’t know how he pulled it off. I’m sore as fuck after a game at my ripe old age of thirty-eight, but my boy not only put on a show, he got the girl of his dreams to marry him.
Their story is cute, and I’m not the least bit jealous.
Okay, maybe I am a bit.
Because I’m lonely.
Don’t get me wrong. I love my daughter. I am a proud dad and I love spending time with her, but I want that connection. I want to wake up to a woman in my arms who isn’t there just for sex. I want to have those chaste kisses. Those late nights when we watch “our” shows. I want morning coffee and supper together.
I want my person.
Remembering I’m in the middle of a handshake, I focus on Jackson instead of my lonely love life. “Hey, Jackson,” I greet. “I shared my report with you.”
Jackson sends me a grateful grin. “Thanks, Cap. How ya doing?”
I shrug. “You know, killing it at life.” His grin grows wider, but it’s all a mask. He’s nervous. He’s kicking at the brown carpet of the library, and his eyes are wild. I arch a brow. “How are you, Jackson?”
He sighs deeply, meeting my gaze. “I was wondering if you’d help me.”
Fuck my life.
I brace myself for what’s coming as he goes on, “I wanted to see if you could help me get Liam to come to my house for a barbecue.”
Yup, knew it.
Even this twenty-four-year-old kid has a person.
A great person, really.
Chelsea Cutler is a sweet girl and a real catch, but her daddy? Man, I love my buddy. Liam Cutler is one of my favorite guys, an awesome hockey player and girl dad goals for sure, but he is also extremely overprotective of his adult daughter. I mean, I know I’m protective of Skyye, but she’s only almost sixteen. I have to make sure to teach her to know what she deserves, but Liam has already done that. Chelsea is an all-around great girl, and from what I can tell, she’s pretty smitten with Jackson.
Hell, if he’s asking me to help, he’s truly love-sick for her.
I exhale as I hold his gaze. “Did he say no?”
Jackson grimaces. “He left me on read. Then I asked him again at the rink, and he acted like he didn’t hear me.” Now I’m the one grimacing. “I think, if he’d give me a chance, he’d like me. He’d see that I want nothing but to love Chelsea the way she needs.”
“Yeah, no doubt,” I say almost immediately. I like the kid; he’s loyal and a damn good cop. Back when my grandma was in the home, he was much younger, and he used to come and read stories to her. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, but I get Liam’s reservations about his daughter dating Jackson.
That means Liam’s got to let her go.
Not something he is ready for.
I cup Jackson’s shoulder and smile. “Let me feel him out. Maybe I’ll throw the party, and you come with Chelsea.”
His eyes light up at that. “Really?”
“Yeah,” I say on a sigh. “Don’t tell Liam, though.” We share a laugh before I ask, “What’s Chelsea saying?”