“Yeah. How can I fucking forget that?” Hescowled.
I caved, slamming my fist onto my desk. “One week,” Igrowled.
Right as Buck and I shook hands on it, a truck’s hornblared.
“Really?” I asked as we walked to the loadingdock.
“They didn’t have anywhere else to go,” he responded with ashrug.
“You owe me big for this one, Buck.” I grumbled, shoving up the large metaldoor.
Buck slapped me on the back. “Your loyalty won’t go unrewarded.” He took a thick white envelope out of his cut and handed it to me. “Half now, half at the end of the week when the shipment is pickedup.”
Chapter 2
Cassidy
Mommy, Aunt Cass, lookie! It’s sooooooo pretty!” Annie flashed her bright pink, sparkle-covered toe nails to Emily as the three of us sat in giant massage chairs gettingpedicures.
“So cute, baby,” Emily responded with a littlewink.
“Ahhhhh,” I sighed, relaxing more into the kneading roller as it worked out a little kink in my shoulder blades. I could feel Ax’s teeth marks still on my skin and the sensation sent pleasurable chills down my spine. “This is exactly what I neededtoday.”
“Is the baby still keeping you up all night?” Emily asked, her eyes closed as she sipped white wine from a plasticcup.
“He’s getting better about sleeping through the night, thank goodness. But with the business kicking up, Ax isn’t home as much as he used to be. I just needed a little mom break now and then,” I responded, checking the bright red color that was getting plastered on my bigtoe.
“Oh girl, mom breaks are important as hell. I’m sure Fletch is having a grand ol’ time changing poopy diapers right about now,” Emily said with achuckle.
“I owe him for this,” Iresponded.
Emily waved me off dismissively. “He has baby fever again. Like big time. It’ll be good for him to remember what it’s actually like to have a crying, pooping baby in the house for a little bit.” She glanced over at Annie. “He even has that one set on being a bigsister.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at Emily’s dramatic eye roll as she drank down the rest of herwine.
“Is everything set for Ryan’s birthday next week?” she asked, switching gears away from all the babytalk.
I looked over to her. “For the most part. When we leave here, do you mind if we swing by my parents’ house? I have to make sure Nate has everything heneeds.”
“Yeah, no problem. Haven’t seen him in a while. How’s the new job treating him?” she asked with an eyebrowraise.
“I think working with Ryan has really helped him. Seems to be getting his head on straight finally.” My brother, Nathan, had had it rough for a while, and he was finally getting back on hisfeet.
“That’s good to hear. It’s been a long timecoming.”
“Tell me aboutit.”
* * *
Pullinginto the drive of my childhood home, I was relieved not to see either of my folks’ vehicles out front. Mom would be pissed that I didn’t bring the baby by, and Dad would do his silent treatment like usual. His cold shoulder toward my husband and me was getting old. I knew he hated that I’d married Ax, but it was time to get over it. Ryan was turning his life around for our family, and my father was completely ignoring the changes he was making to better himself. All Dad could see was the leathery tattooed skin of a trained soldier, not the kindhearted man Ryan had grown to be in the last fewyears.
“Hey, Nate!” I called into the house as I knocked on the door. Annie and Emily followed me in as I heard muffled voices and the back screen door quickly slamshut.
My brother rushed around the corner with wide eyes as he glanced around at all of us. “Hey, ladies. To what do I owe this wonderfulpleasure?”
“How’s it going, Nate?” Emily asked, holding Annie by thehand.
Rushing through the kitchen, I watched as a man wearing a bandana kicked up dust and gravel as he rode away on amotorcycle.