Page 25 of Stripped Bare

“Exactly,” Shep confirmed.“Damon also changed his last name to Daniels after the wedding.Then there’s Chetan.I can’t remember if you met him when you came to Midnight, Inc.”

“Briefly,” Stace said, remembering the other man.“Dark ponytail and gray eyes?”

“That’s him.He’s a great guy.Charlie and Miranda Tate are recent additions to our group.”

“Daniels or Madigan?”Stace asked.

“Neither or both, depending how you look at it,” Shep said.“Both are detectives.Charlie is close friends with Gil and Ben while Miranda is partners with Jack’s wife, Julia.Miranda recently gave birth to twin boys.”

“That’s a lot of people and growing.Three babies and both Moria and Cas pregnant.”

“Jack’s ecstatic.So is Catherine.I think both of them have been waiting for grandkids to spoil,” Shep offered with a laugh.

“Anyone else I should know about?”

“Ben’s grandfather, Thomas, and his girlfriend, Bertha, visit as often as they can.If you go by the gym Moira owns, you’ll meet several people there.Tyler Andrews shows up every now and again.We were in the Army together.There are always a few others here and there, but I’ll introduce you to them as they join us.”

The easy way he said that, as if she’d be there for those rare occasions, as if he had no doubts where all this was headed between them, made her breath catch for a moment.

“Shep, I—” Stace broke off as a doctor finally came into the room.

“Anders?”he asked.

“Over here,” she called, gripping Shep’s hand tight and moving toward the doctor stood.

“Your sister is being moved up to a room now,” the doctor told them.“We’ll be keeping her for a few days, so we can rehydrate her while the fever breaks.She’s fighting an infection.We’ve run several tests, and I’ll be able to tell you more as soon as I get those results back.Do you have any questions?”he asked.

“How long until I can see her?”Stace asked.

“Give us time to move her up to a room,” the doctor told her.“She’ll be on the third floor.There’s a waiting room up there where you can wait.I’ll have someone get you when you can go in to see her.”

“Thank you,” Stace said, and when he walked away, she turned to Shep.“And thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Shep offered, shaking his head.

“I do,” Stace disagreed.“I really do.I couldn’t have done this without you, without Ally.My sister would be out there, sick, without medical care if not for your help.”

“It’s what I do,” Shep said.

“I know,” Stace said.“But I also have a feeling you don’t call Ally in on all your cases.You’re too protective of her.You did that for me, didn’t you?”

He nodded.“You’re special.I’m not sure what it is about you.No, that’s not true.It’s everything about you.I couldn’t walk away if I wanted to, which I don’t.”

“I don’t want you to, either,” Stace replied.

“That’s good since I just took told Jack I was taking some vacation time to stick around and see what I could do to help you,” Shep told her with a smile.

“What did Mr.Madigan say?”Stace asked.

“He said to be sure to let him know when I’ve convinced you to come back to Legacy with me,” Shep chuckled.“He informed me to tell you that you have a job when you want it, as long as we promise he won’t find us going at it in an office somewhere.”

Stace laughed.“Why would he think something like that?”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about this wild Madigan-Daniels family I’m lucky enough to be a part of,” Shep said.“But I’m hoping you’re willing to stick around and find out.”

“I’d like that,” she said.“I’d like that a lot.”

Chapter Twelve

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