Page 17 of Cajuns. Love. Curves.

“Fell in love with his youngest daughter.”

“What’s the problem then? Did you knock her up?”

“Not that I’m aware of. Here’s the problem.” I tell Drake about how Reynolds and his wife treat Ava and how I can’t, in good conscience, leave her with them. I tell him about how amazing Ava is and how she’s gonna change the world, and then I tell him about how he threatened my job to try to manipulate her.

“I hate fuckers like that,” Drake mutters.

“Exactly. How should I proceed?”

“What matters most?” Drake asks. But I swear I hear a woman’s voice muffled in the background.

If it were any other member of my team, I’d give him shit for having a woman there in the middle of the night. But the truth is Drake doesn’t date. Ever. He never brings women home. So if he’s got one there, she must be special, and knowing now what that feels like, I swallow my quip and answer his question.

“Honestly, if you had asked me that question even five days ago, I would have said our team. Hands down, our team was my priority. But now,” I scrub my hand down my face. “Nothing is more important than her.”

“Then you do what it takes to make her yours, Guidry. And don’t worry about the colonel. I’ll take care of it if he starts causing trouble. Though it’s doubtful he can do anything. After the successes our team has had, the President has been singing our praises.”

“If it comes down to it though,” I say. “I’ll ride the desk until my duty is served.”

“Understood.”

I’m about to hang up, but I hear my CO take a deep breath.

“Oh, and Remy, don’t pull any of that retribution shit like you did for Lowe’s sister.”

I smile. I can’t help it. It’s on my tongue to ask him how he knows I might have hacked into some douche wad’s life and messed with his credit and grades at the University of San Diego. But the truth is, Drake always knows. He’s our team leader, our CO, and it’s for a good goddamn reason. “That fucker deserved it,” I say.

“Agreed. But this time…” Drake warns.

“I know. I won’t. Still hoping that son of a bitch will be my father-in-law.”

I’m almost ready to go back out and check on my girl, but I want to check in with my buddy Nick first. He’s definitely my closest friend on my team. We went through BUDs together.

Me: If you are currently engaged in naked activities with my sister, please do not answer, nor tell me.

Nick:

Me: Jackass.

Nick: What’s up with you? Why are you texting me in the middle of the night?

Me: You still in Belize?

Nick: Uh, not exactly. We’re in Vegas.

Me: No shit? Oh man, Mama is gonna kill her.

Nick: You okay not being here?

Me: Normally, I’d be pissed missing my little sister and my best friend’s wedding. But I’ve got something else here that is frankly more important.

Nick: More important than me? Say it ain’t so.

Nick: Is it the assignment you took for your brother?

Me: Yeah.

It hits me then in a way I hadn’t thought of before just this moment. What if Wade had been Ava’s escort? Would she have fallen for him? Would he have fallen for her? Would he have even bothered asking any questions before dumping her with her parents?

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