Chapter 5
The good guy gets shafted
Sophia
Four babies, and Paisley, makes everything loud when they all start crying at the same time.
Lori picks up her youngest, Ben. I pick up Jack, while Char tries to placate both of her twins at the same time.
This is where Grandma was amazing.
Somehow she had the knack to keep them all calm and happy. Like grannie-mojo.
“I’m sorry, honey. I’ll have Daddy pick up some more shrimp on the way home from the hospital.” Char gives the kind of neutral expression to her oldest daughter that should earn her an Oscar.
“What is it with her and seafood?” I’m not much of a fan myself.
Maybe I’m more like Sawyer than I want to admit. I can live off of pizza and mozzarella sticks.
“She apparently has expensive tastes.” Char rolls her eyes, but her smile shows the love. “Or she needs to buy a fishing boat.”
“I want to go,” Paisley pouts, her little arms crossing her chest. “I’ll catch my own.”
“Sounds like we need to take a trip up to the pond this spring,” I laugh. “Or show her the minnows in the creek.”
“You can eat them?” Lori’s nose wrinkles. “I mean, I’ve heard of sardines. That just seems incredibly tiny.”
When my phone beeps, it sends a flush of heat through me as I scramble to dig it out of my pocket.
Lori raises her eyebrows. “I haven’t seen you run that fast since…what’s his name when we were in that statistics class together.”
“Don’t be silly, it’s just my book club,” I scoff, but still fumble to glance at the screen.
TheBigO: So, I thought the werewolf one was…a stretch. But this vampire story is even more unrealistic.
I pat Jack on the back as I type with my thumb.
RacingQueen: How? He’s waited an eternity for her. That’s romantic!
TheBigO: He would have died of blue balls before then.
I fight the grin that tries to give me away.
“Soph, are there guys in that group?” Char squints with a smile.
Shrugging, I do my best to play it off. “A few, I guess.”
RacingQueen: That isn’t a thing.
TheBigO: It would be after two centuries.
RacingQueen: No, because he knew his fated mate was coming.
TheBigO: So he couldn’t come either?
RacingQueen: OMG, are all men like you?
TheBigO: You’re lucky they aren’t.
Modest even? Hardly.
RacingQueen: So if you knew your perfect person was going to arrive at a certain moment, you wouldn’t wait?
TheBigO: That’s different. If they’re in the same lifetime, don’t have extra appendages, and can be out in the sun without turning to ash, I would.
I snort loud enough that Jack jostles in his lap.
“Okay, spill.” Lori curls her finger at me. “You’ve been in that chat for months, but I’ve never seen you this bright red before. Who is he?”
“I don’t know. It’s just about books.” It’s almost more fun with the anonymity.
RacingQueen: See? I knew you had it in you. All these secret agent stories you send are about doing the right thing.
I toss an upside down smiley face at the end, then set my phone aside. Maybe Lori’s right, it’s verging into flirting now.
But fuck, it’s the only light I see in the wake of the fire.
Knowing that as I sit here cuddling my baby brother, my grandparents are being cremated to be put into headstones. I need something to make me forget the pain for a little while.
“How do you not know?” Char sets Violet down gently on the cushions and stands while cradling Rose. “I’m gonna put her in the crib, hold that thought.”
“Mommy? When is Daddy home?” Paisley looks up at Char from her coloring pad on the floor.
“Remember how we’ve been practicing numbers? When the first number is a six.” Char points at the large digital display as she walks past.
Lori leans over to rest her palm on Rose’s belly. “Are you going to meet him?”
My head shakes before I even say the words. “Nope. It’s just recommendations, nothing more.”
But when I hear the text notification, she doesn’t hide her grin watching me reach for my cell again.
TheBigO: Doing the right thing doesn’t guarantee a happily ever after. Sometimes the good guy still gets shafted.
Ouch.
“What’s wrong?” Lori’s brows furrow over her nose.
“I think he’s had his heart broken.” I suddenly feel bad for giving him such a hard time.
“Aww, poor guy. Did he say how?” She appears genuinely concerned.
That’s why I love her.
“No, I’m not even sure if I should ask. We kinda agreed to no personal details.” Chewing on my bottom lip, I type and delete several things.
RacingQueen: Maybe that’s why I like reading about it? It’s just fiction, but it’s nice to think that’s the way it really happens.
There. Maybe that will be a little life preserver for him?
TheBigO: Please explain how this vampire can kill two people and he’s still the good guy?
RacingQueen: Oh, that’s easy. He did it to protect her.
I mean, it makes sense to me?
I think I’m with Dad on the fact that if I ever find out who started the fire, I’d do the same.
TheBigO: And that makes it okay?
RacingQueen: Hell yea. To keep the woman he loves safe? It’s the most romantic thing ever.
TheBigO: So you like these growly possessive monsters? All of the ‘mines’ and ‘I’ll break anyone who touches her’?
RacingQueen: Sounds like a perfect guy. Just have to sprinkle in a heavy dose of thrusting.
I nearly fall over with laughter.
“Girl, watching you is like riding on a roller coaster of every emotion,” Lori chuckles, leaning away as Char picks up her other sleeping infant.
“So, back to my original question.” Char’s voice drops to a whisper. “When are you meeting him?”
“I’m not. This is just fantasy. It’s like getting to know an actor of your favorite movie, they’ll be nothing like what you’ve envisioned.” I can feel my smile slip.
I don’t want to let in anyone who I don’t trust. I learned that lesson the hard way.
My lips brush Jack’s temple.
Letting Cash get too close, even against my better judgement, put everyone at risk.
Including my little brother who’s snuggled into me.
It’s a responsibility I don’t take lightly, especially after so many awful things have been happening around the ranch.
But there’s a part of me that wouldn’t mind a night of fun if I knew it was safe.
The mystery man is getting an insight into my favorite books, and what I secretly want more than anything.
A family of my own, with a man who wants me, would kill for me, and can’t keep his hands off me.