Page 34 of Shelter for Morgan

A voice inside Rhett's head added on a little addendum. 'She is fine. Gorgeous even.'

He wasn't used to his own mind arguing with him. Maybe it was another side effect of having Morgan living in his apartment.

"Okay. Then you just called to talk?"

Jacob didn't sound dismissive. He sounded curious.

"No. I had something to say, but I'm just not sure how to do it."

"Huh. Okay."

Rhett opened the front door of his apartment and stepped out into the hallway. "I want to date your sister."

He turned around and locked it behind him and started walking for the elevator.

He was waiting for the elevator when Jacob finally spoke.

"Uh. That kind of came out of left field."

"It's what I had to say to you."

"Yeah. You said it alright."

The elevator dinged and the light over the control panel lit up.

"Jacob? I'm about to step into the elevator. I might lose you, I-"

"Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"You can ask her out. She's an adult. She can do what she wants, man. But if I get a call and she's crying or tells me you did something that crossed a line, I will drive down there and bury you."

"Okay." The elevator door opened up and Rhett stuck his foot in the door to keep it from closing before he finished his call.

"Okay? You understand me?"

"I know, Jacob. I'm not that kind of guy."

"Yeah. I know. But she's my sister, man. She's all I have left of my family."

"I know. I won't do anything stupid. I hope you know that I'm a better man than that."

"Yeah. That's the problem. I'm just not ready to give her away, if you know what I mean. Take your time with her, okay?"

The elevator dinged and the doors shuddered around his foot. "Okay. I need to get to work."

"Firefighters," Jacob grumbled. "You just want to get to work so you can eat and sleep on the job."

Rhett pushed his way into the elevator and sighed. "What flavor of donut did you pick up this morning, beat cop?"

"You fucker..." Jacob was laughing so it was impossible to take him seriously. "I'm a detective, asshole!"

"Sorry, can't hear you... losing the call."

Rhett ended the call and found himself smiling on the way down to the lobby.

He was still smiling when he pushed through the front door of the lobby, but it didn't last long.

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