Page 39 of Tempt

He holds her up and her chunky little legs start to bounce up and down as she squeals with excitement.

“She just ate,” Maddison tells him. “You keep letting her bounce like that and she is gonna puke sweet potatoes all over you and then you may not think she’s as cute as you do right now.”

Garrett bounces her higher. “She pukes and I’m spinning her around to Mike.”

I laugh when the two brothers start arguing back and forth about who Sarah is going to cover in vomit. I can’t help but smile at their interaction. It is times like this I’m sad that I am an only child. The bond they share, it's one I wish I’d gotten the chance to experience.

Garrett lowers Sarah to his lap, and she leans her head against his chest, grabbing his shirt and fisting her little hand around the material. He gives her the chance to snuggle in and I am in awe of the way he is with her.

“Colt thinks he’s her favorite, but look at this,” he brags.

“She’s that way with you because you remind her of her favorite pillow,” Mike states. “It’s a hairy monkey so I can see the resemblance.”

“I’m not hairy,” Garrett says with complete confidence. “I’m smooth and nothing about me is soft.”

“Eww,” Maddison gags. “Will you please never say anything like that last part again.” I cover my mouth to hide my laughter. “You will always be little Garrett, the sweet boy that plays with dump trucks in the dirt and I never want to think of you in that sense.” She waves her hand at him with her nose wrinkled. “You don’t do those things.”

“Oh I do,” he nods with complete confidence. “In fact I did that, just an—,”

“Nope,” Maddison picks up the couch pillow and tosses it at his head. “Stop right there.”

Garrett chuckles and stretches out his arm to place it on the couch behind me. Leaning in closer to me, Sarah stretches out and her legs end up on top of my lap. Without thinking about it, I start to rub her leg and the entire thing seems so natural.

I sit there, allowing my mind to wonder about a time in the future when this could be Garrett and I with our own baby and it gives me a sense of comfort of what my life could be.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

Garrett

I walkthrough the living room of my parents’ house toward the sounds of laughter and talking. Stepping into the kitchen I pause in the doorway and look around the table at all the familiar faces. Bud, my father, and Mike but it’s the fourth guy that has me searching through my younger memories. He’s familiar, and I know I’ve seen him before, but I can’t put my finger on it.

“Garrett,” my father notices me standing there staring at the man. “You remember my friend from Savannah, Warren Richards?”

“Yeah,” hearing the name, it all hits me. “A cop right?”

“That’s right.” Most would assume the guy was a huge asshole, he has that look. That, take no shit, dry sense of humor, but I remember my father always saying how honorable and loyal the man has always been to him. Dad was married before he met mom, he moved to Brooklet after that went south and from the way he shared it, Brooklet is where he finally found his heart. But through it all Warren remained in his corner.

“Your fathers been telling me all about Brooklet’s nuisance.” Warren leans back in his chair and lifts his beer to his lips. “Seems your local law enforcement may be a little preoccupied, allowing things to happen that shouldn’t be taking place. Maybe hiding the truth of some illegal activities and shady encounters?”

“It would seem so.” Something is up, I can feel it, I just wasn’t quite sure what that was yet.

“My wife’s uncle has been trying for years to get us to come visit this little town of Brooklet.” Everyone but me seems to know what is going on as they all smile knowingly while I stare at Warren trying to put it all together.

“So when I called your father and he started telling me all about your truck, the bakery and this Phil character I figured it was as good a time as any to come for a little visit.”

Still I stare at him, trying not to say something or do something that gives off how confused I am.

“Figure I may stick around a bit, look at a few houses, since your mayor and my wife's uncle, seems to think that there’ll be a sheriff’s job coming open real soon.”

“Are you serious?”

“Considering I’m uprooting my life from a place I’ve lived my entire life, it all better be pretty damn serious.”

I look around the table and everyone appeared to be pretty pleased with themselves.

“About right now, Miles is sitting down with the city council who is reviewing recent actions and events. I’d imagine he’s sweating his nuts off trying to explain everything.”

Warren doesn’t strike me as someone who will take shit from anyone, especially from the Loudry’s.

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