Page 67 of Outlaw

All right, Ms. Jimmie. Enough of memory lane and making this something it isn’t.

It seemed Garrett had left out the part where my daughter had been kept from me and Branwen had tried to make someone else her dad.

“Is Garrett here?” I asked, ready to move this along.

“Yes. He and Fawn are out back. They’re expecting you. You know the way. I’ll make sure your luggage is taken to your rooms.”

“Thank you,” I told her, then glanced over at Branwen. “This way.”

As we walked through the home, taking the east hallway since it bypassed more—and with Stevie’s curiosity, we’d never make it to the patio before nightfall—I worked on putting the memories of that girl back in the corner of my mind, where they belonged. She wasn’t a kid anymore. She wasn’t sweet and innocent. Me feeling anything other than lust and detachment from her was dangerous. I couldn’t trust her.

When we reached the tall glass doors leading onto the back patio, Stevie let go of my hand and rushed outside. This wasn’t the side where the pool was, but rather the side where they entertained. I followed her out, not looking back for Branwen.She was a big girl and could manage.

They’d gotten new furniture for out here since I’d seen it last. There was a large U-shaped sofa with plush cream cushions that sat at least a dozen people. In front of it was a table that looked like it was made of stacked slabs of stone. It held a silver pitcher, glasses, several trays of finger foods, and two glasses of whiskey. The flat screen television that he’d had out here had turned into three. One hanging over the white stone fireplace and the other two on the back side of the house. The sofa was placed so that all three were easy to view.

I heard the sounds of a race and knew there wasn’t a race happening today—at least that Hughes Farm had a horse in—so that meant he was watching a race that had already happened.

Garrett was in the center of the sofa with Fawn sitting across his lap. They looked to be kissing or talking with their faces very close to each other. Garrett’s hand was gripping her ass. I cleared my throat loudly. I doubted he wanted me to get a glimpse of his wife’s asscheek, and the way he was pulling her dress up, it looked like I just might.

He stopped and began to smooth the fabric back into place as she straightened. She snapped her head around, looking like a thoroughly kissed woman, and then a smile broke across her face.

“I see them!” Stevie called out, pointing over to the sofa.

Smirking, I raised an eyebrow at Garrett as Fawn stood up, and his gaze found me. An amused look made his mouth quirk, but his attention shifted immediately to Branwen. The pleased expression as he stood annoyed me. Why was it that he seemed to not see what she had done to me?

Thirty-One

Branwen

Garrett, like Linc, had aged well. You’d think that men who lived the kind of lives they did would look haggard and old. But nope. It seemed the Hughes and Shephard genes were excellent. There was a touch of gray in his temples, but he still had all his hair, and those bluish-gray eyes of his were still striking.

His wife, like I had already guessed, was stunning and young. The smile on her face was genuine. I didn’t know about the wives in between, but I did know that his first wife had not been a nice person. He’d gotten wiser with age when it came to choosing women.

The pink sundress she wore fluttered in the breeze, as did her platinum-blonde hair that hung straight down her back. She was headed directly toward me, then stopped as she reached Stevie and bent her knees as she lowered herself.

“You must be Stevie,” she said with a thick Southern drawl thatI had not expected. Then, she held out a hand to her. “I’m Fawn, and I am so happy you’re here.”

Stevie looked at her hand and grinned, then bit her bottom lip as she glanced over at me. I nodded for her to go on, and she giggled as she put her hand in Fawn’s and shook it.

“You have a weally big house. It’s biggah than my dad’s house, and I thought he lived in a mansion,” she said matter-of-factly.

Fawn appeared to be fighting back a laugh. “Yes, it is very big. But you want to know a secret?”

Stevie nodded her head vigorously.

“I used to live in a camper. Have you ever seen a camper?”

Stevie’s eyes widened, and she nodded again. “I have a Bluey campah, but it’s a toy, and I can’t live in it.”

“I imagine not. But I lived in mine with my daughter, who was once little, like you. We didn’t move into this house with Garrett until she was grown up.”

Stevie’s shoulders rose and fell with a sigh. “She gwowed up alweady?”

I had a feeling she’d been hoping for a friend to play with. I needed to get her to the park or something.

Fawn laughed. “Yes. I feel that way too. I miss having a little girl. But don’t you worry. We will have fun. We have a pool, a theater, and you saw the horses when you arrived. And…I don’t have a little girl for you to play with, but I do know of a little boy who would like to come swim with you.”

She nodded, seemingly happy again. “I like boys! My dad has a pool too!” she said, pointing at Linc.

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