28
Cal felt like utter hell,but he was going to do this like the man he was.He just had to get past his jailers first.“I am going to be just fine.”
“If I recall correctly, this is where you nagged at me and threatened to tie me to the damned bed,” Jailer Number One told him.She looked so big and fierce there, in her Masterson County sheriff polo, and the gun on her hip.He was half convinced the gun weighed more than she did.“What’s the rush?Big plans?”
Yes.To seduce Claudia’s best friend.That was hisplan.He just had to get pastClaudiafirst.She was making it a bit difficult.Her and her two taller lackeys.
“I don’t think you should rush it,” Jailer Number Two said.She was so sweet and quiet, one could almost forget the truth.No oneon the planet was more stubborn than Cloe Jane Grady.No one.
Although Claudia and Jailer Number Three could come close.They’d gotten it from their mother, he was sure of it.
“Look, I am capable here.I have a headache.I don’t want a massive bill.I’m going to go home and sleep in my own bed.”And when he felt up to actually thinking for more than six straight minutes, he was going to plan on how to get Auggie into that bed.Those were his two priorities.Then he was going to figure out how to make what he wanted to happen, so that he wasn’t doing anything to jeopardize the well-being of six beautiful, wonderful little girls who deserved the adults in their lives to give one hundred ten percent.
One thing had become clear to him in the twelve hours since he’d been admitted here: He wantedforever.And that meant he was going to have to be ready to becomedadto a ready-made family.There was a responsibility in that, one he would take seriously until the day he died.
That wasn’t something he was ever going to take lightly.
If Auggie could even make room for him.
He knew what kind of risk he was asking her to take.
To fight past the scars and to let the wounds bleed—that was what it was like.
For both of them.
The last thing he would ever want to do was hurt her or those girls.Em or Junie, either.But he wasn’t going to miss this chance.
“I am going home.Now, who is taking me…and where the hell are my pants?”
He looked at his sisters, and they just smirked at him.That’s when he knew…they’d conspired against him.Like they had so many times before.They were green-eyed brats, every one of them, and he adored them.
Just not at the moment.
Damn it.It was cold in this hospital.“Where are my pants?Can’t I have you charged with theft for this?”
“You aren’t going anywhere,” Cloe said, in her sweetest voice.“Until tomorrow.I work until nine tonight.I’ll come tuck you in myself.Anything else you need, Dixie and Laney are taking this floor overnight.Don’t give them any trouble—and I will drive you home myself in the morning.”
Clancy, the tallest of his sisters, crossed skinny arms over her narrow chest.“And no calling Cadell, either.He’s in a big meeting right now.We haven’t told him you cracked your head open.This is important to him, got me?”
Well.Guess he wasn’t going anywhere, after all.
Damn it.
He hated it when they ganged up on him.“You know I can think for myself.”
And hell…he was too tired and sore to argue with the three of them tonight.Didn’t that count for something?
29
Jacob was probably around somewhere.The big truck he drove everywhere, with that stupid drunk looking guy for a logo was right there.It had a nasty new dent on the front passenger panel now.Jacob was always complaining about hitting things alongside the road.No doubt their dad would handle the repairs, and get Monroe Tyler to give them a discount on the cost.If Jacob bothered at all.
Not like Jacob cared about anything.
Get Trash’dRemoval Service had originated about fifteen years ago.The guy who’d started it had had a weird sense of humor.The logo looked like a drunk guy in his forties, with a beer belly and suspenders.It had always turned Kameron’s stomach a little—especially as Jacob started to look more and more like the guy on that truck.
His brother just didn’t care about how he looked to people at all.Kameron could kind of understand that, but there was a difference between being yourself and being gross.Personal hygiene shouldn’t be optional.
Kameron wanted to talk to his dad again.The landlord was talking about hiking rent again—and in Kameron’s opinion, this place didn’t warrant what that asshole was charging.He had a new place out on Old Beise Road, he’d be more than happy for his dad to live there and just help with the upkeep of the place.He’d even let Jacob stay there, too, if he kept it clean.And he could charge the half rent his dad was paying now.It was a sturdy place.His dad would be okay there, and it was closer to his dad’s work anyway.
