Page 111 of Your Soul to Keep

“I like my job,” he confessed. “I’m happy with how things are.”

“Then we keep things the same. I can help you with the paperwork at the garage when your dad retires.”

“I don’t want to have to depend on you,” he admitted tightly.

“I’ll be your sexy assistant,” I teased.

“You’d be the sexiest,” he grunted, squeezing my hands with his.

“We’ll have an illicit workplace affair.”

He snorted. “How can I resist an offer like that?”

Still tension wracked his frame. Finally, he sighed.

“It’s more than that. When I dropped Dylan’s papers off, they took one look at the mess I made then looked at me. All they see is ripped jeans, tattoos, and the grease under my nails. They look at me like it’s my fault she’s chaotic. And it is. I see so much of myself in her.”

A thought occurred to me. “You know Daire is the kindergarten teacher at Sage Ridge Elementary. He’ll love her. I promise.”

His eyebrows rose. “I knew he was a teacher, but I didn’t know he was the kindergarten teacher.”

He didn’t know Daire as well as I did, but he would. I’d make sure of it. And then he’d breathe easy.

Softly, so softly I barely heard him, he confessed, “I don’t want them to break her like they tried to break me.”

I tightened my hold on him. “We won’t let them.”

He scoffed and looked away for a second before immediately twisting back. “Yeah?”

I pressed a kiss to the middle of his broad back. “I swear.”

30

Remember Yet?

TheBeaverDamencapsulatedthe entirety of Sage Ridge’s party scene. A heavy dark oak bar held up one entire wall. Booths lined both sides of the restaurant, becoming darker and more intimate the further back from the bar they stretched. A smattering of tables dotted the area between the bar and the smallest stage in the western hemisphere.

For once, it was in use.

It wasn’t often The Beaver Dam managed to snag a band. Apparently, the bass player grew up in Moose Lake and had invited his former band down for his bachelor party. What better way to celebrate than jumping at the chance to play together?

They were fantastic. The lead singer of Drivetrain, a sexy Viking, belted out song after song in a deep raspy voice that fairly disintegrated panties.

I eyed the thick gold band around his finger, internally cheering for the lucky woman who bagged him.

Noelle and Harley, both pregnant and professing fatigue, had bowed out of the night’s festivities to stay home with their doting husbands, Hawkley and Daire. Which sucked because I really wanted Gabe to get to know Daire better.

Maybe I’d invite them over.

I sat up straighter. Invite them over to Gabe’s house. Like we’re a real couple, living together, me hosting.

I set my glass of what tasted a lot like strawberry punch down on the table.

Gabe slung an arm over my shoulders. “What’s up, Shae-baby?”

I turned my head to meet his eyes. He swam in front of me for half a second before coming into focus.

“Hey!” I grinned at him. “My God, you are handsome.”

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