“We’re trying it out. Calliope sounds so grown up,” I said. It had been Rose who’d come up with the nickname. She’d said it once while Callie was having some tummy time, and it just stuck.
“I love it.” Kinley stared down at Callie, who sucked on that bottle like it was her full-time job. Which it kind of was.
Our server came and took our orders. Once she walked away, I pulled out my laptop so we could get down to the real reason we’d gotten together.
“The fire marshall was able to pull some footage from a few trail cams set up behind the ranch. They didn’t pick up much, but he asked me to share this with you before we post it to the public.” I pressed play, and grainy black and white footage filled my screen. After a few seconds, a truck rolled by. The angle of the camera prevented a view of the license plate, but it caught the driver’s profile.
Kinley sucked in a breath.
“What is it, baby?” Miles immediately slipped his arm around her shoulders. The protectiveness in his voice hit something in me I didn’t want to name. That’s what a man sounded like when he had someone to lose.
“Can you play it again? she asked. “I think that might be my ex-fiancé.”
I played it over and over until she was one hundred percent sure the guy on the footage was the man she’d left at the altar over two years ago. Miles said he’d only met him once, but he confirmed the ID. The evidence wasn’t enough to arrest him, but it was enough to take to the sheriff since the fire had started at the back of their property, right by the old hunting trail.
“What happens next?” Kinley asked.
Miles shook his head. “I should have done something about that prick when I had the chance.”
“Miles, watch your language. There’s a baby here.” Kinley nudged him with her shoulder.
Damn, I hadn’t thought about not cursing in front of Callie. I’d add that to the list of other ways I was already failing her and try to watch my mouth. Rose bit down on her lip like she could already tell that was exactly where my mind had gone. Heat spread up my neck, and I reached for my water to chase it away.
“The sheriff will probably bring him in for questioning,” I said.
“If he can find him.” Miles tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling.
I could appreciate his frustration. If someone out there started threatening someone I loved… Hell. Thanks to living my life on my terms and not letting anyone set up permanent residence in my heart, there wasn’t anyone on that list. But I cared about people. Like Ruby. Like Miles and Kinley. Like the Mustang Mountain Riders who’d become more family than friends.
My gaze dipped to Callie who didn’t have anyone to protect her from the dangers of the big, bad, world. Fuck. No one except me. She’d only been part of my life for a week, but I’d sacrifice everything to keep her safe. The thought hit me like a two by four to the head. It couldn’t be love. I just had a protective side. It didn’t mean anything.
“Cullen, are you okay?” Rose’s hand on my arm grounded me.
She was slowly working her way inside my inner circle too. I’d never be able to repay her for the solid she’d done me by stepping in to help take care of Callie.
“Yeah.” I took in a settling breath and focused on Miles. “We’ll all keep an eye out. If he ventures into Mustang Mountain again, someone will see him.”
“And until then?” Miles asked.
“Until then, we can pull in a few of the Riders to watch your place. We’ll catch him.” This town had been forced to become adept at protecting its own. We’d run off Savage Bones, taken down our own sheriff when we had to, and fought against anything that threatened us with everything we had. This time would be no different.
“You’d better hope someone else finds him before I do. If I get to him first, there won’t be anything left to prosecute.” Miles held my gaze for a long beat then tightened his grip around Kinley’s shoulders. The look that passed between them was full of something I’d never known.
“Who had the special?” Our server stopped at the table, her arms full of plates heaping with small-town home cooking.
The conversation had made my appetite disappear, but the scent of the bison patty melt I’d ordered brought it back. Though I could tell Kinley was shaken and Miles was pissed, the conversation turned toward their plan for rebuilding what they’d lost in the fire. When we covered everything on that topic, Kinley shifted her attention to Rose.
“Cullen’s lucky he has you to help out with Callie.” She’d reluctantly given up her hold on the baby so she could eat her own lunch. Based on the way she kept looking at Callie with hearts in her eyes, it was just a matter of time before she and Miles would announce they were expecting.
Rose swallowed hard. She’d been quiet up until then, but she couldn’t avoid being directly pulled into the conversation. “It’s been fun. If you know anyone who might want to take the job permanently, I’m sure Cullen would appreciate it.”
“Oh.” Kinley looked from Rose to me and back to Rose again. “Aren’t you planning on staying in Mustang Mountain?”
“No. My car broke down, and I took a job at the Merc so I could pay to get it fixed. I never intended on staying.” She looked down at her plate while she answered.
Anxiety coiled in my belly at the reminder that she’d be leaving. Based on our agreement, I only had two more weeks until she headed out of town. She hadn’t even moved all the way in yet, and I was already going to have to plan for when she left.
“That’s too bad.” Kinley looked at Callie who was sitting in the highchair between Rose and me. “Callie seems to have taken to you.”
