Page 77 of Playing With Temptation

“That’s not gonna happen,” I growled. “She already asked if Lucas can still be her best friend if he becomes her brother. I said, yes. However, tonight I’m retracting that.”

Shay laughed.

Which was strange in and of itself because before this conversation I hadn’t heard Shay laugh in a really long time. And the only time I heard it was because she was laughing at one of the kids. It was never aimed at me.

That was twice in one conversation.

“I don’t know why you’re laughing,” I grunted.

“Because you’re funny when you turn all protective, over-the-top dad.”

We’d see how funny she thought it was when we went head-to-head when it came time to discuss when Juni was allowed to date.

Thankfully, that conversation wouldn’t happen for another eight years.

“Right. Good talk. I’m hanging up now.”

“Have fun at dinner. Give my babies my love and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“I will. See you in the morning.”

The call disconnected.

I drove.

But I did it thinking that call went a fuck of a lot better than I thought it would go.

The only downside was I’d agreed to a blended family dinner. The plus side was we were all at a place where a dinner like that was possible.

Now my mother.

And I knew she was going to give me a ration of shit because she already had over text. But she loved me, so she wouldn’t nag me, too much.

I made my call and was surprised when I got my mom’s voicemail, especially after the four texts I’d received earlier in the day for me to call.

“Mom, it’s me. Call me back.”

I disconnected that call and calculated the time I’d have to change my clothes before we had to leave to make it on time to Barb’s. Thankfully, I’d have time to squeeze in a quick shower. Unfortunately, that shower would not include Rainy.

But tomorrow after I dropped off the kids with Shay, Rainy would be dropping Lucas off at Barb’s and we’d finally have a full day and night together—alone.

We’d had two family dinners at my place—Wednesday and yesterday. Wednesday, Rainy and Lucas came over for pizza at Juni’s invitation. Rainy had also met Kayla who’d stayed to chat for a bit but left before we ate, even though she was invited to stay. Yesterday, Rainy picked the kids up from school. This was at Lucas’s request because he wanted Juni and Cole over to his house. Which meant I got to live the dream all over again. This time getting home to Rainy and Cole cooking dinner, while Juni and Lucas played some game called Patchwork at the kitchen table.

Like when I walked in my front door on Monday, Rainy had music playing on low. Unlike at my house, she had candles burning, making the house smell like nutmeg and cinnamon. I’d filed that away to purchase candles the next time I was in a Target so Rainy could light them at my house.

All three dinners we’d shared had been great. I knew we’d hit rough patches with the kids. Juni and Cole bickered and one day those arguments would include Lucas. But we were building a strong foundation, so when the fights happened, they wouldn’t cause damage.

I was pulling into my neighborhood when my phone rang.

Dylan’s name appeared on my dash.

Tuesday after we’d retrieved the video footage from the homeowners that Dylan had given us and viewed the files, Ethan and I were officially removed from anything having to do with Tyler Mercer. I couldn’t investigate the man who was suspected of shooting me and neither could Ethan.

And since Tyler Mercer was in close proximity to Ashley Monroe’s dead body when he shot me, we were yanked from her case as well.

Since there was no official connection between Ashley Monroe and Samantha Williams, Captain Anderson was allowing us to continue to work her case with the condition we share our files with the detectives who had taken over the Mercer and Monroe cases and the caveat that if there was the barest hint or evidence connecting Samantha to Mercer or Ashley, we were going to be immediately removed.

I didn’t like losing those cases. But it wasn’t about me or Ethan or our desire to get justice for the woman who died.