Chapter 13
Dax
They’re at the secluded booth just as I requested. While the server brings their water, I observe Cori rolling her eyes before she glares at her father.
Not wanting to add to the drama, I decided to leave Finch at home. After a deep breath, I walk through the restaurant until I get to their booth.
Leander Lamb bounces a baby on his lap. She fusses, so he hands her to his wife, who kisses the baby’s cheek. I notice Cori is sitting in the middle of the booth. She texts something on her phone.
“Cori, put the phone down,” her father says. “You can text Eden and Selene later.” She puts the phone away, then looks up. Our eyes collide. She looks away and shakes her head as if she can’t believe what she just saw. Then, she looks at me again. I wink at her. She huffs and looks away.
“Mayor Lamb.” I make my presence known. Leander stands and offers me a firm handshake. “Mrs. Lamb.” She blushes.
“Annette,” she says.
“Yes, this is my wife, Annette, my daughter Cori, and son Devin.” He takes the baby from his wife and kisses her fat cheek. “And this little angel is Ruby. She’s Devin’s.” Ruby gurgles at me, and I run my hand over her curly head. “Everyone, this is Mr. Hunt.”
Cori’s eyes narrow. She looks from her father to me. Leander gives the baby back to his wife, who then hands the baby to Cori. Cori passes her off to her brother without a word.
“Daxton, please.” I make a show of looking around. “I was meeting someone for dinner, but they canceled.” I look at my phone and gesture at it. “Now, I guess I have to either eat alone or take it to go.”
“Bye,” Cori says under her breath.
“Join us.” Leander gestures at the booth, just like I knew he would. He’s not a bad man, but he’s a politician, which makes him an opportunist. Besides, I’ve been paying for his campaigns for the past two elections in exchange for his expediting any licenses that I need.
Leander Lamb is a leader in Shadow Cove, and he’s known about me and my operation for as long as I’ve been here. I needed him, and he was easy to buy, unlike the sheriff, who needed a firmer hand. Out of the two, I respect the sheriff more.
“There’s not enough room at the table,” Cori speaks up. “And I thought this was a family dinner.” Her nostrils flare.
“Don’t be rude, Cori,” her mother chastises. I’m not sure what Annette Lamb knows about me, but I’m certain she knows something. “Please join us, Daxton.”
The server returns and offers us a larger booth on the other side of the restaurant. I manage to sit next to Cori, but she moves far enough away so that our bodies do not touch.
I can practically see the wheels turning in Leander’s head. He’s probably wondering how he can benefit more from me. What he doesn’t know is that I’m the one who will benefit. Leander Lamb is about to give me everything I want.
The baby cries, and Devin appears at a loss for what to do. He tries to pass her off to Cori, but she ignores him. When he tries again, Cori puts her hand to her cheek and sticks up her middle finger.
“Corine Lamb!” Her mother reaches over and yanks her hand down. Devin then goes over to her to give the baby to his mother, but Ruby cries louder.
“Let me try.” He shoves her into my arms before the words are entirely out of my mouth.
“I have a little sister. Well, she’s an adult now, but I helped my mom raise her.
Our father died when she was small.” Instead of putting Ruby on my lap, I hug her to my chest, and she puts her head on my shoulder.
I rub her back until her cries subside and her breathing evens out. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” I whisper.
Cori doesn’t seem impressed by my ability to calm an upset baby. She pulls out her phone and texts again while huffing.
“Dad, what is this dinner about?” Devin asks. “We never eat out.”
“Well, I want to officially welcome you home and talk about your plans. You need to find a job, Devin.”
I hear Cori snort, but she doesn’t say anything.
“Yeah, but my problem is childcare.”
“Your problems are more than that,” Cori mutters under her breath.
“Cori, that’s enough.” Leander points at Cori, who seems unfazed by her father’s annoyance. “That’s why I wanted to have this meeting. Your brother needs us now more than ever. You can help him out by watching Ruby while he works.”
“Works? Works where? He has no job, and I’m not a babysitter. I work too,” Cori says with a bit of an attitude. “How am I supposed to babysit when I have a full-time job and a small business? And don’t make plans for me, please.”
“Well, I could work if I had help.” Devin insists.
“Devin, you never worked at any place longer than six months before you became a father. Who are you kidding?”
“This is why we need to come together as a family, Cori.” Annette Lamb has a calming way about her.
She’s a pretty woman, but it’s clear her kids get their looks from her husband.
They both have darker skin compared to her lighter tone.
Despite being in a wheelchair, I can tell she’s short.
Cori is tall for a woman, and her son is at least six feet tall.
“Whatever. Do whatever you want as long as you leave me out of it.”
“Cori, can you tone down the damn attitude for a minute?” Leander points at her again. While I agree the attitude is unnecessary, I don’t appreciate his tone with her.
The server arrives, and Cori addresses her instead of her father. “Can I have a margarita with an extra shot of tequila, please?"
“A sparkling water for me, sweetheart.” I wink at the waitress, and she blushes. “You’re doing a great job.”
Cori glares at me with a smirk on her face. She looks away much too quickly.
“You have a beautiful daughter,” I tell Leander, who puffs out his chest in pride.
“She’s single,” Annette says.
“Mother!” Cori gasps.
“Are you single, Daxton?”
“As a matter of fact, I am, Mrs. Lamb. And looking, but it’s hard to find someone who checks all my boxes.”
Devin snickers.
“Don’t look at Cori. She’s mean,” he warns.
“Only to those who deserve it,” Cori says back.
“And she gives off masculine energy,” Devin adds.
“At least one of us does,” Cori responds.
“Okay, she-man.” Devin cackles at the insult.
“You two stop embarrassing your mother and me in front of our guest,” their dad hisses.
I rub the baby’s back, who has now fallen asleep. I take her off my shoulder and rest her in the crook of my arm. I look down at her, and she resembles her father, who resembles Cori.
The server returns with our drinks, and Cori downs half of hers before setting her glass down.
“Cori, I would love to take you to dinner and a movie sometime.” She freezes, but Devin laughs and snorts like I just told a joke.
“Dude, look elsewhere. She’s single for a reason.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “No man wants to deal with that.” Devin jerks his thumb at his sister.
“How do you know what a man wants?” Cori snorts.
What I don’t announce to the table is that Corine Lamb won’t be single for much longer. I keep that to myself for now, but everyone, including her, will know soon enough.
“Why don’t you shut up, loser?” Devin replies.
“Isn’t your baby mama serving twenty to life?” Cori snaps at her brother. “At least I’m not a useless single dad with a felon baby mama.”
“Cori, that’s enough,” her dad warns. “Devin, shut your fat trap.” Leander points at his daughter. “I believe Dax asked you a question.”
“What question?” The little vixen picks up her water glass and sips.
“I would be honored if you’d give me the privilege of taking you to dinner and a movie.” Her eyes narrow at me, and I know the wheels in her duplicitous little head are spinning.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you guys.” Cori looks around the table. “I’ve met someone. He’s great, and um, I’m waiting for the right time to introduce you to him.”
Devin clears his throat and says, “Liar,” while fake coughing. “Liar.”
I tilt my head to the side, but the baby whimpers, so I look down and rock her.
“You’re so good with her,” Mrs. Lamb says before she purses her lips and looks at her daughter in displeasure.
“I love babies.” It’s the truth. I do. “I’d love to have about half a dozen.”
“Half a dozen?” I nearly laugh at Cori’s shock. “I hope you have a good, strong uterus.” She snorts into her water glass.
“Cori,” Annette admonishes.
“A man stating he wants six kids is a bit presumptuous, but okay. Whatever.” She shakes her head in dismissal. “I mean, is it a uterus or a clown car?”
“Cori, that’s enough.” Leander does all he can to hide his smile, but fails.
“Or maybe it’s a slip and slide. By number six, the baby just lets himself out. Slips out with ease.” Cori shivers at the thought.
“Cori, I said enough with your nonsense.” Leander gives up on hiding his smile and lets out a full belly laugh.
“Leander, don’t encourage her,” Annette snaps her fingers at Cori as if that would get her to behave.
“I read somewhere that a woman’s womb can sometimes turn hostile and kill sperm. That’s probably Cori’s.” Devin, who thinks he’s clever, laughs and cringes at the same time. “She should come with a warning label.”
“I guess not everyone can be as perfect as you, Devin.” Cori saccharin voice betrays the anger in her eyes.
“Look at you. Unemployed. Single father. Broke. Tell Mr. Hunt where Ruby’s mother is.
” She pretends to think. “Oh, yeah, she’s serving hard time.
Fed time from what I heard.” Devin’s nostrils flare. “But yeah, my womb.”
“You’re such a—”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” I warn Devin, who is smart enough to keep his mouth shut.
“Both of you shut up.” Leander points at both of them.
“So, Daxton.” Annette clears her throat and does her best to regain control of the table. “I believe you asked Cori a question.”
Cori’s mom practically salivates at the thought of her daughter and me. Her husband definitely told her something about me. “So, I’ll pick you up Friday night, Cori.”
“I won’t be home, but sure. Whatever.”
“I’ll make sure she’s there.” Leander purses his lips and narrows his eyes at his daughter.
“Hold on.” Cori raises both hands. “You’re going to force me to go out with him?” She points at me. “I’m sorry, but what is happening here?”
“He’s a nice man who is interested in you,” Leander hisses under his breath. “Stop all this nonsense.”
“Nice man?” Cori makes a show of looking around. “Is the nice man in the restaurant with us?”
“See what I mean?” Devin points at his sister and pretends to slice his throat with his hand.