Page 124 of Holding On To Good

The hair on the nape of his neck stood on end and he clasped a hand over it. “Five?”

She nodded. And started ticking them off on her fingers. “Urban, Miles, Toby, Silas, and Elijah. Urban runs J&K Homes with his partner Willow Kincaid. I live with him. Toby is the owner and head chef at Binge. Silas—Ian’s dad—is a Navy SEAL, and Elijah plays left field for the Drillers. And, of course, you already know Miles is a police officer.”

His head spun. She had five brothers. Five. Five older brothers, one who was a cop. And not just any cop, but the assistant chief of police, another who was a fucking SEAL which meant he probably knew a hundred ways to kill a guy who even thought about touching Verity.

Another reason for Reed to keep his hands to himself.

And any wayward thoughts locked down.

“Does the assistant chief of police know you’re here?” he asked. “With me?”

“I don’t run my social schedule by any of my brothers.”

But she looked over her shoulder as if making sure she wasn’t being followed.

“That what this is? A social call?”

Now she looked at him, quick and nervous. “It’s to pay you back. That’s all.”

Looked like he wasn’t the only one lying to himself.

Good to know.

They crossed the parking lot. Each of the six small, wrought iron tables scattered on Custard City’s L-shaped patio were occupied but when they stepped inside, the only people in there were a trio of pre-teens—two pretty, giggling girls and a red-faced boy—and a middle-aged woman behind the counter.

Reed skimmed his gaze over the huge board hanging behind the counter. There must have been over two dozen flavors listed along with sundaes, milkshakes, floats, ice cream filled cookies and specialty ice cream cakes.

“What’s it going to be today?” Verity asked Ian who had his face pressed against the glass of the display freezer.

He pointed to a tub of yellow ice cream. “The lemon one to try. Cookie dough to eat.”

“You got cookie dough last time. And the time before that.”

“I like cookie dough.”

She sighed and turned to Reed. “What about you?”

“Cookies and cream.”

She eyed him, all flinty and suspicious. Same way her brother the cop looked at him. “Do you usually get cookies and cream?”

“I like cookies and cream,” he said, mimicking the kid’s bland tone.

“Fine. I mean, it’s boring, but whatever. What flavor are you going to sample?”

“None.” Why would he sample a flavor when he already knew what he was getting?

“Aunt Vee says we have to try a flavor we’ve never had before,” Ian said, “then we can get what we like.”

“Sounds like Aunt Vee likes to boss people around.”

“She does.”

“Hey!” Verity settled her hands on her hips. “First of all, a little loyalty to your favorite aunt might be nice. Secondly, you don’t have to make it sound like I’m water-boarding you every time we get ice cream.”

Ian frowned. “What’s water-boarding?”

She waved it away. “Never mind. My point is it’s hardly awful trying new, delicious flavors of ice cream before settling for your same ole, same ole cookie dough. Boo hoo for you, being stuck with such a mean, horrible, ugly aunt.”

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