Page 63 of Out Of A Fix

So she’d known about the planned exodus as well. Interesting.

I’d seen pictures of Caitlyn Duchesne, and she had long, dark-brown, wavy hair that was always wild, an olive complexion, and lovely hazel eyes. There were freckles across her nose and over her cheeks, and all that, combined with a smile that lit her face, made her a knockout. I was betting that people, both men and women, had probably stopped on the street to look at her. It was that indescribable it factor that some people simply possessed. Her friend, in comparison, seemed devoid of any spark at all. And of course she was, at the moment, mired in grief, but regardless, I suspected the two women were not the same.

I would add this, silently, to the harm Caitlyn had done. She’d broken the hearts of her kids, extinguished love in her husband’s heart, and alongside that, built up the hopes of her friend to slip seamlessly into her life, into Luke’s bed, and be on the receiving end of the adoration of Griff, Darwin, and Tatum. Ready-made family, all hers for the taking. She had been promised a lie, and it was terrible.

“Okay.” I exhaled and smiled. “What would you like me to do?”

“You need to go away, now, and put your keys in my hand, because Luke just told me my old set won’t work and⁠—”

“I don’t think you understand what I’m doing here.”

“You’re taking care of the kids and⁠—”

“No, ma’am. I’m here to protect them in case the men Caitlyn is testifying against try and pressure her by hurting them.”

She stared at me.

“I’m a fixer, and one of my roles is bodyguard. That’s why I’m here.”

Her mouth fell open, and then she quickly covered it with her hand. I waited because I wasn’t at all certain what was going through her head.

“Ohmygod,” she gasped. “I had no idea. You’re here for—I’m so sorry. I thought you were in my way or trying to take my—forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive.”

“I have to go tell Luke that this coming Saturday is my mother’s funeral. I know he’ll want to come and bring the kids.”

I couldn’t speak to that.

“I had no idea you were the bodyguard. So then you don’t really care about these kids at all, do you? It’s just another job.”

She was missing the fixer part and my plan to leave this family better than I found it, because that was our commandment. “There’s a bit more to it than that, but yes, I will be going.”

“I see. So when do you think that will⁠—”

“Nash,” Tatum said, rushing up to me, leaning into my side, arms around my waist. “Griff said to tell you I want the tuna casserole for a late lunch, but I don’t actually want that. I want the yummy lasagna Griff promised.”

“Your brother’s a jerk, and you can go tell him I said so.”

She cackled evilly and ran to deliver the message.

“Griffin cooks?”

“Apparently for a while, but now he gets to show off for all of us.”

“But Caitlyn said I could take care of all of⁠—”

Griff suddenly burst out in an evil laugh on the other side of the room. I so wanted to flip him off, but I didn’t because I was an adult, keeping my focus on Shelly instead.

“In the meantime,” she was saying, “I should have a set of keys, don’t you think?”

“That’s Luke’s decision, not mine.”

“I—”

“Oh, sorry,” Tatum said, having returned. “Is it okay if I tell Nash one thing and then I’ll let you finish your talk?”

“Yes, my darling, of course,” Shelly said sweetly.