Page 77 of Sheltered by the Lawman

Chapter 26

KACE GRABBED A handful of cheese doodles and stuffed his mouth, then belched loudly. His football team scored and he came out of the seat, cheese doodles flying everywhere.

Cull squinted. “Do you make this mess at your own house?”

“Are you kidding me? Tyler would have my head. That’s why I’m here. Enjoying some bro time.”

Cull shrugged and opened another beer. “Does she know you’re here?”

“Yup. She told me I needed to get out of the house for a while.”

“And you didn’t think that was a bit odd?”

“I didn’t ask. Since she’s pregnant she bites my head off if I get in the way.”

“And yet you’re still a lucky man,” Cull said.

“You’re right, man. I love that woman so damn much.” He grabbed another fistful of snacks and chewed noisily. “Kiersten told me what happened with Monica.”

“It’s Sally. And our sister has a big mouth,” Cull moaned.

“Ah, she just thought you needed a shoulder to cry on,” Kace admitted.

Cull blinked. “So Tyler knows too and that’s why she told you to come here.” Cull should have known.

“Hell, the rest of the clan would be here too, but I thought I’d give this support thing a chance. How am I doing?” Kace asked.

“Well, outside of getting your orange stained hands all over my chair, drinking all my beer and spending this bro quality time staring at the TV, I’d say you’re doing just fine.”

“You don’t really want to share your feelings anyway, right?” Kace lifted a thick brow.

“No.” He guzzled half the can of beer. “I wonder how she’s doing?”

“Who?”

“Sally, you dumbass. Who else?” Cull refused the urge to throw the can at his brother’s head.

“I don’t know. Call her and ask.”

“Are you joking me? I can’t do that.”

“Then watch the game. It’ll help the blues.” Kace gestured toward the TV.

“Fine.” He stretched out his legs. “I did a background check on the guy and he checked out, but what if he’s a jerk in disguise? Not every douchebag has a record.”

Kace tossed the rest of the doodles in the bowl. “Listen, whether you can admit it to yourself or not, you know this is the best for her. She had another life, man. That poor guy has been looking for her. Probably worrying his head off about her.”

“I see your point. I know it’s the right thing, but why doesn’t it feel right?” Cull emptied his can of beer and reached for another, popping the top.

Kace shifted his body to look at Cull. “Seriously? Did you go and fall in love with her?”

Every cell in his body wanted to say “no” but Cull found he didn’t have it in him to deny her. “Yeah, I did.”

The beer can slipped out of Kace’s hand and splattered everywhere. “Shit!”

Cull didn’t even have the energy to bitch about the mess.

“And you let her leave?” Kace moaned.

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