Page 55 of The SEAL and the Sheriff

“Then stop distracting me.”

“I’m moral support.”

She snorted. “You’re in the way.”

He kissed her again anyway, before finally retreating.

Sarah smiled to herself. Some things in this house never changed.

Caleb waved from where he leaned against the counter, stealing carrots off the cutting board. Sophie swatted his hand away with the wooden spoon without even looking.

Through the open kitchen door, Sarah spotted Josie shrieking with laughter somewhere near the living room floor, where Grace chased her on hands and knees. Wyatt was sitting on the couch, Jen beside him, her feet tucked up under her.

“No Ryder and Ivy?”

“Ryder was called out this afternoon—boat took on water off the point,” her mom replied. “Ivy’s got Ellie down for the count at their place. She’s having an early night.”

Sophie turned and smiled at Sarah. “Wash up, honey. We’re eating soon.”

“Smells incredible.” Sarah leaned in and kissed her mom’s cheek.

“It always smells incredible. Ty, we’re out of logs.”

“We are?” Her dad craned his neck toward the wood stove in the dining room.

Her mom’s hands landed on her hips. “We are. We have a guest tonight.”

Ty smiled. “I’m married to the only woman who can run out of firewood before dinner.”

“Yet somehow you’ve stayed all these years.”

“Food’s good.”

Sophie pointed toward the back door with the wooden spoon. “Logs.”

Still smiling, her dad grabbed his jacket and hat. “Yes, ma’am.”

As he headed for the back door, Sophie’s expression softened. “I heard about Petey, sweetheart.”

Sarah nodded. “He’s shaken up, but he’ll be okay.”

“Poor boy.”

“Louisa and Harold have taken him in until he gets used to managing with the cast. He’ll probably put on ten pounds before they let him leave. Louisa is convinced pie is a recognized medical treatment.”

Caleb snorted. “She’s not wrong.”

Sophie smiled. “He’s in good hands.”

Sarah crossed to the sink, bumped shoulders with Caleb, stole one of his stolen carrots, and felt the tightness in her chest loosen another notch.

She hadn’t realized how much she needed this. Especially with Hudson joining them for dinner, which she refused to examine.

She didn’t look at the clock. She washed and dried her hands, then leaned against the counter with a glass of water, just to have something to hold while she let herself sink into the familiar noise of Meyer life.

Grace scooped Josie up to put her in the high chair, then pulled a face. “Oh, wow, that’s—okay. That’s a big one.”

Her mom wiped her hands on her apron. “You can change her upstairs.”