“Sadie, I know he’s a good kid. We’ve been hanging out for over a year. I mean, I’m not the richest guy in the world, but I’ll help where I can. It doesn’t have to be this bad. He doesn’t have to be nearly walking out of his shoes before someone will help. I promise.”
“Thanks, Rowdy. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
“Well, thankfully, you don’t have to find out.”
“Can we go home now?” Jaxon said, as the off-duty cop continued to mean mug him.
“Yes, but no screen time for a month,” Sadie said.
Jaxon started to grumble, and I raised a brow at him.
“Fine. Thanks for buying me the shoes, Rowdy,” he said in an over-the-top monotone.
I watched as they walked away and thanked the manager again. Since the off-duty officer had stuck around to glare at them while they took off, I decided to give him a piece of my mind.
Putting my finger in his face, I said, “There are a bunch of different ways you could’ve handled that, especially once you knew how young he is. There are plenty in law enforcement who try to mentor the kids making bad decisions, but no. You chose to be a dick. Do better.”
I walked away just as Sadie’s ancient Subaru Justy—which Jaxon barely fit into—sputtered before finally starting. I didn’t know what I was gonna do, but they needed more help than they were getting, and doing nothing was not an option.
10
KESS
“I lovewhat you’ve done with the landscaping,” Emery said, walking up the front path with a greasy bag of breakfast tacos in hand.
“That was mostly Stevie and Rowdy,” I admitted, letting him in. We walked to the kitchen and sat across from each other at the big island. My cabinets were a natural pale oak with black stone countertops and black fixtures, but the island was made of black stained driftwood and a white marble top.
I couldn’t quite picture it when the interior decorator had suggested it, but it had proven to be one of my favorite decisions with this house. The effect was warm and welcoming, and it immediately made the place feel like home.
“Stevie said that Rowdy got mad, then left early,” Em said, distributing the tightly wrapped bundles of breakfast heaven.
I swear, this whole family is a bunch of gossips and meddlers.
“Yeah.” I rubbed the back of my head. “Two unrelated incidents, actually.”
“Two incidents? What the hell did you do to the poor guy?” Emery joked.
“I’m surprised Stevie didn’t rat me out, considering,” I grumped, unwrapping my chorizo and egg taco. “God, this smells delicious.”
“It is delicious, but you’re not gonna blame whatever you did to Rowdy on a thirteen-year-old. And stop changing the subject,” Emery said as he went after his own foil-wrapped goodness.
“Only the first one was on me.”
“Nobody likes a whiner, Kessie. Spill.”
“Fine. It started when he said something about how you and Woody make raising a kid look easy.”
Emery snorted. “There is nothing easy about being a parent. And I have the world’s best kid.”
“We both acknowledged that, and I should’ve left it at that.”
“I’m taking it you didn’t.”
I blew out raspberries as I reached for the salsas and napkins and divided them between us. “Nope. I went and said that I didn’t think of him as someone who would want either the commitment or the responsibility of a child.”
“Because he doesn’t,” Emery said, dumping the fiery red salsa on his eggs. “What was wrong with you saying that?”
“Glad I’m not the only asshole on this property.”
