Page 48 of Barrett

“I would have told you.”

“Uh huh. Sure.”

“Barrett North,” I said and accepted her hand so we could shake. “It’s nice to meet you as well.”

“You’re the reason my son lit up like a firework the moment he heard your voice.”

Now, it was my turn to stare at Reghan. My lips curved into a smile. “You did that?”

“Shut up,” he grumbled.

Raiden fucking lost it and began laughing out loud. Only a few diners watched us. Then Reghan’s dad stood, and they all went back to what they were doing.

“Come have dinner with us,” Lily said and led me to the table. She grabbed a chair from a nearby empty table and pushed it between her and Reghan.

I wasn’t sitting until I introduced myself to Reghan’s dad. The man was nearly the same size as his sons. Same height but not as broad. He was still muscular and big though. I wouldn’t want to get on his wrong side.

“Barrett North,” I said. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“Is it?” he asked.

Lily lightly smacked him with the back of her hand. “Knock it off.”

“Thane Sutton,” he said and smiled. We shook. “It’s good to meet you, son.” He sat, not understanding what that word did to me. The last time anyone called me son, it was with hatred. My father didn’t give a shit about me or my brother and let us know it.

Reghan giving my hip a squeeze snapped me out of my head so I could take a seat. A waitress came by the moment I was in the chair with the drinks Reghan had ordered for me.

“Thank you,” I told her, my mouth suddenly dry.

Reghan’s hand went to my thigh when he had his chair pushed in, a subtle comfort I hadn’t realized I needed.

They had already ordered, so I glanced at the menu quickly and put mine in.

“Raiden told us you’re a detective with the East Dremest Police Department,” Thane said. “How does that work with you dating my son? Jordan hasn’t blown your head off yet, so that must count for something.”

“We shouldn’t be talking about guns during dinner,” Lily stated, then turned to me. “But seriously… You’re a cop, and he works for Jordan. I don’t have a problem with it. In fact, I love how much my son seems to care for you, but that can’t be easy.”

I took a drink of the lemonade, letting the sweetness of the sugar make my taste buds happy. “I keep my personal life separate from work.”

“Jordan knows,” Reghan said. “I already talked to him about it, and he’s fine with it.”

Thane leaned his forearms on the table. His thermal ivory shirt had the sleeves rolled up, showing off tattooed forearms. “I’d tell you not to bring trouble to my boys, but I think it’s the other way around. They cause trouble for you, don’t they?”

“No, sir. It’s more of a mutual shit-stirring on both sides.”

He grinned. “I like you, even if you’re a cop. Just keep my boys out of prison. Jordan’s on his own.”

“I don’t think Jordan has any problem with handling himself.”

“No, I doubt he does.”

It wasn’t long before dinner was brought out. The conversation after that was kept lighter. They didn’t dig into my past, and I didn’t ask intrusive questions. In truth, I probably would have told them about Marshall if they’d asked. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I felt like I could trust them.

“So, this must be serious then,” Thane said once our plates were cleared. “Between you and my son.”

I opened my mouth to answer, to say what I wasn’t sure, but Reghan beat me to it.

“It is.” His hand was back on my thigh, a warm presence reminding me he had me and wasn’t letting me go. I didn’t mind being caught by him.

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