Page 28 of Smooth As Whiskey

My brothers picked up the song at my back and were singing right along with them.

Wanting to take part in this, I toed off my boots, and the moment Bob Segar said, “Still like that old-time rock & roll, I slid into the fray and started singing with them.

***

We pulled into the clubhouse after finding jack shit about Kendra.

It was almost as if she had faded off the face of the planet.

I checked my phone, wondering if Sutton had sent me a text or anything, but there was nothing.

Everyone gathered around Asher’s bike, he ran his hand through his hair, “I gotta get home to Stella, so this is going to be short. Let Charlie see what he can find out. Irish, don’t worry about any runs we need to make, all that’s on hold. Your daughter is what’s important. I’ll see y’all tomorrow.”

And like that, we separated.

I climbed back on my bike and headed towards my house.

And the whole way, I did nothing but think.

My fucking house.

Sure, I knew I wouldn’t live in the clubhouse forever.

But I didn’t know it was going to be this soon.

Yes, I had a lot of money in the bank, so buying the house wasn’t the problem.

The problem was I didn’t know the first thing about turning a house into a home.

But the first thought about the house I had was that Sutton would love it.

Why, why couldn’t I make up my mind?

Almost every waking thought I’d had since I met Sutton had been about the woman.

I sighed as I climbed off my bike and walked to the front door.

Once I had it unlocked, I walked inside and closed the door.

And when I saw the pink boots sitting by the door, I had only one thought.

I was a father.

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

My gaze went right to the couch.

Sutton was right. She did look just like me.

Right down to the tips of her toes.

She was my mini-clone in every sense of the word.

My gray eyes, my dark brown hair, my nose, my fingers, my toes, my ears.

Jesus.

And as I stood there staring at the couch where Sutton and Maisie were curled up fast asleep, with some movie in the background playing on low... Had you told me last month that I would be here right now, I would have called you a liar.

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