Page 64 of Waiting For A Girl Like You
Livy would have loved it here. She would have been the final touch to making this place perfect. “Yeah, I know.”
“My daughter is the same age as your kids. She’s taking a nap right now, but maybe I’ll bring her by tomorrow so she can meet the new neighbors,” Bryan said, whipping a second cigar from his pocket and handing it to him. “Brandy doesn’t have many friends because I don’t trust nobody.”
You’ll never know dear, how much I love you.
Leaning over, Charlie allowed Bryan to light his cigar. “I get it. I’m one of those overprotective fathers, too.”
Nudging him with an elbow, Bryan grinned when CeCe kicked at the lapping waves. “And it looks like our girls will get along. Brandy can be wild, but that’s good for girls. It’s good for them to have a little spunk early on. That way, when some dirtbag man tries to pull one over on them later in life, they can handle it.”
That was a problem he didn’t want to think about just yet. CeCe looked almost identical to Rebecca, which was dangerous enough, and he could only hope she wouldn’t grow up to act like her mother.
“I think you’re wrong. I think our girls need us to help mold them.” Charlie puffed on his cigar appreciatively and pointed at CeCe. “I don’t want that one turning out like her mother.”
Bryan coughed as he laughed. “I hear ya. My ex was a Cabot, and if you ain’t from Boston, then you don’t know that means spoiled rich bitch. Not mother material, you know? Anyway, I cut her loose, and now it’s just me and my little girl.”
“Probably for the best.”
Toby joined CeCe, the two of them finding absolute joy together without the noise of Haven House and the other children getting in their way. It hit Charlie then just how close they had become. A family unit.A real one and all their own.
“We’re going to be okay.” He hadn’t meant to speak, but Charlie couldn't hold it in with the sun setting in the background and the sounds of his children’s joy in his ears. “This is all going to be okay.”
“Of course, you’re going to be okay.” Bryan nudged him again, a little harder this time, and gestured to the expansive beach. “You’re in paradise, where nothing bad ever happens.”
Please don’t take my sunshine away.
“You know what, Bryan? I think you’re right. Nothing bad could ever happen here.”
Chapter 14
The small home of Emmett Watson stood solitary in the night, flashing red and blue lights washing over the dilapidated structure. Federal agents had roped off the area with police tape, the extra layer only amplifying the home’s macabre aesthetic. Between the ambulance, firetruck, and various police vehicles, Emmett’s driveway had likely never seen so many visitors. The clay road leading to this strip of land hadn’t been easy to traverse on his bike, and Rowan had given up about halfway down, catching a ride with Ben in his Rover.
“They have a half-hour jump on us,” Agent Klausen told the assembled group of law enforcement. “Maybe more, depending on how well he knows these woods.”
Toward the back of the group, a Hollingsdale detective held up a large photograph so everyone could see the man who shot Liam.
“The suspect’s name is Bruce Hughes, and he is a known domestic terrorist. Big guy, approximately six foot seven with brown hair…”
Rowan turned away, heading toward the ambulance. He didn’t need to listen to stats he’d already read a thousand times. It would only piss him off. They should have found these people by now.Heshould have found them.
And his failure had led to this.
“Sir, if you don’t hold still, I’ll have to take you to the hospital and finish.”
Holly, the paramedic, returned to stitching Liam’s arm after the warning. She’d agreed to treat him in the rear of the ambulance instead of making him go to the hospital and was probably regretting the offer.
“I’m sorry. I’ll do better.” Shirtless and grinning, Liam watched intently as Holly worked at the wound. The bullet had grazed his upper bicep, tearing the flesh wide enough to need a heap of stitches. “As much as I would love to ride in the whoo-whoo van, I would rather get this taken care of here.”.
Not only did Liam have a hole in his upper arm, but he was also heavily drugged. Poor paramedic Holly might have been willing to go above and beyond by stitching him up on the side of the road, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to give him something to relax.
And they were thankful for the sedatives. It was the only thing keeping Liam from tearing off into the night after Bruce. When Rowan arrived at the shack, he’d found Jamison sobbing while trying to restrain a bleeding, manic Liam.
“The whoo-whoo van?” Dr. Cohen shook his head. “Holly here must have given you the good stuff.”
“Yep,” Liam said, popping thep. He glanced around the crowd, eyes landing on Ben. “I’m sorry I suck at my job.”
The serious edge in Ben’s features softened slightly. “You don’t suck at your job.”
“Yes, I do.” Liam slouched in defeat, earning himself a dirty look from Holly. “I got shot, and now you’re probably not going to let me marry your daughter. I asked her again, and she said yes, but I don’t want to wait.”
