He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
“He’s a member of your club, Daddy. Your best friend’s son. Abrother.He’s the man you trust most with me. The one you have asked to watch over me when there’s trouble. The first person you turn to when I need protecting if you can’t do it yourself. Over and above any of your brothers, you always choose Cash. Because you know Cash would go to the ends of theearth to protect me even if it means going toe-to-toe with you”—I sighed—“and protecting me from myself sometimes.”
He let out another grunt. “Goddammit, Teagan, are you sure you wanna give up the law?”
“Just answer the question, counselor.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” he grumbled.
“Exactly, so if you know Cash is the second greatest man on earth… you being the greatest, of course… and you didn’t raise no dummy, then you can’t possibly object.” I raised my hands in victory and did a twirl. “I rest my case.”
Dad chuckled, sliding off the stool and pulling me in for a hug. “Jesus, baby girl, I love you to Jupiter and back.”
“I know.” I squeezed him hard. “Me too.”
“Damn, that took forever,” Grayson said, crashing our hug fest as he wrapped his arms around both of us. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to have to be a character witness for Cash.”
“Yeah, me too,” Mom jumped in.
“Why the fuck is no one around here afraid of me?” Dad growled.
“Because you’re our butthead, baby,” Mom said.
Gray started gagging. “No, oh god, no.”
We dissolved into laughter as Dad pulled Mom into his arms and all was right with the world again.
Cash
THURSDAY, JUST BEFORE noon, my mother walked into the shop, and I couldn’t stop a giant smile from forming. There was just something about seeing my mom that made everything better. “Hey, Mama.”
“Hey, baby. You ready for lunch?” she asked. She was dressed in dark jeans, tall boots, and a Dogs of Fire hoodie.
“Hell, yeah. Where am I taking you?”
“How about our favorite diner around the corner?”
“Perfect. I’ll let the girls know I’m leaving.”
While Razor finished up with a customer, I headed into the back office and peeked my head in. “I’m out for lunch.”
Teagan was sitting at the desk, entering parts into the computer with Maisie helping guide her. They both looked up and Teagan said, “Okay, I’ll mark you out.”
“You wanna say hi to Mom?”
“Oh, sure,” she said, rising to her feet.
“I’ll come too,” Gloria said. “I love Dani.”
Gloria sashayed out of the room and Teagan rolled her eyes, but otherwise didn’t comment as we walked out to the front desk.
Gloria was already talking Mom’s ear off, and my mother was being just as sweet as she always was but the second she saw Teagan, she reached an arm out, still focused on Gloria, but wrapping Teagan into a tight hug as Gloria prattled on.
“Hi, Dani.”
“Hey, sweet girl.” Mom cupped her face and studied her for a few seconds. “How are you? I haven’t seen you in what feels like a decade.”
“It’s been two days.”
