Page 79 of Love Takes Home

“So what about you?” Lottie asks, coming back into the kitchen at the tail end of the heart-to-heart. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to school. There’s only three days left and then we’re off next week, too. And I fully intend to enjoy my break.”

“How are we going to protect you?” Davis asks, concern in his voice. “You’re just as important as Lucas to this family.”

“We’re all family here,” I declare, “and family protects family.” I turn to Ginny. “I think you may need to call your friends. Everybody needs to keep an eye out. Everybody needs to be vigilant, and everybody needs to stay safe.”

“You think I need to call my teacher friends?” Ginny asks me.

“They need to be aware. All of you need to stay safe, because if he can’t get to you, what’s to stop him from going after them?”

“Nothing,” she whispers. “I’ll go call them now.”

“I ordered enough food,” Lottie offers. “Tell them to come on over, get something to eat, and we can fill them in on everything.”

We watch her stand up from the table and leave the kitchen. Trish, Lottie, and Elle all share a look of worry.

“I’ll go be with her,” Elle volunteers. “You all figure out the plan.”

When Elle is gone, Davis leans over the table, his eyes blazing. “You will protect her.”

“With my life,” I swear to him.

“That’s all I needed to know.”

“Tiny, you should call your brothers. See if anyone there knows anything about what Keith was giving out. Surely they still have some contact in that social circle?” I ask.

“On it.” He sighs, like he’s happy to have something to do.

“Lottie, you call Carter. See if anyone on the team has heard anything since there was the kid there that overdosed.”

“Will do.” She smiles at me.

“Lucas, this is going to be the hardest for you. I need you to do me a favor.”

“What’s that?” he asks.

“You can’t talk to anybody. None of your friends from school, no girls. Hell, don’t even talk to another teacher unless it’sGinny. If they text, you don’t respond. If you’re in a group chat, don’t leave the chat, but don’t reply, either. Definitely don’t talk to anyone on the team. Not a single player or coach. And whatever you do, delete nothing. We might need it later.”

“And if that fucker reaches out to you, you tell me,” Davis demands.

“And me,” I tell him.

“Okay.”

“I know it sucks, and I’m sorry, but avoiding everything is just easier right now, until you know who’s safe and who isn’t.”

“Because the last thing any of us wants is for you to get hurt,” Trish tells him.

“I understand.”

“Can we talk about how he got out of the school now?” Lottie asks.

He smiles. “I think I might be claustrophobic now. Also, Aunt Ginny is really, really strong.”

This makes us all laugh. “You’re lucky we didn’t drop you,” I tell him.

“There was padding.”

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