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"Oh," Brenda said with a small frown. "Well, maybe Raith's his brother then."
But Willow shook her head again. "No. He didn't have a brother. Just a... a sister." She frowned, suddenly recalling Kathie Becker, Raith's one sister, from the night they met at the musical.
Before she could question her mother further, Raith walked into the room, decked out in full uniform.
When he saw Willow's mother, he paused. "Good. You're already here." Both women turned, staring oddly. He paused and said, "What?" as he lifted his hand to his face as if he was checking to see if he had any toilet paper squares on his chin.
"Wasn't your father Pete Malloy, the deputy?" Brenda asked.
Caught by surprise, he blinked. "Yeah. Why?"
"He was the officer killed in the line of duty at a routine traffic stop, right? Over twenty years ago."
Raith visibly drew back at Brenda's words and nodded. "Twenty-two years ago," he corrected.
"Then who's Peter junior?" Willow demanded.
He turned and frowned at her. "I am." When she merely stared at him, he sighed and pointed at the nametag on his uniform. "P. Malloy, Jr.," he read aloud. "Raith's my middle name."
"Oh, my God." She turned woodenly and stared open-mouthed at her mother. "That was him."
Brenda looked a little smug. "Told you so."
Raith glanced between the two women. "What was me?"
"I met you at your father's funeral," Willow said, looking awed as she stared at him.
He shifted uncomfortably and couldn't quite meet her gaze. Then he shook his head. "There were a lot of people there. I don't remember—"
"She made you cry," Brenda offered helpfully, her voice dry.
Raith shifted his glance toward Brenda and then turned back to Willow. He blinked as his face registered surprise. "You kept asking me why I wasn't crying and then you hugged me when I finally did." He snorted. "God, you were a pain in the ass back then, too."
Willow could only beam. "You remember?"
"Yeah. I think that's about the only thing I remember from that day. You smelled like grape bubble gum."
"Oh, Lord." Brenda groaned. "Willow wouldn't do anything unless you bribed her with a piece of gum. The girl practically lived on the stuff."
Raith smiled as he glanced at Willow. The two shared a look. When something hot and urgent surged through her, he jerked his gaze away as if he felt her response to him. Clearing his throat, he turned his attention to her mother. "I need to head out. Are you sure she's good with you?"
Brenda nodded. "She'll be with me the entire day."
"Great. Make sure she doesn't try to talk you into letting her go somewhere by herself. She can be stubborn, but—"
Brenda arched her eyebrow. "Boy, are you telling me how to take care of my own daughter?"
Raith had the grace to flush. "No, ma'am."
"I know exactly how stubborn she is. I butted heads with her myself about a million times when she was growing up."
Raith glanced at Willow and quirked a brow. "I'm sure you did." Willow stuck her tongue out, and he rolled his eyes before glancing back toward her mother. "I'm sorry for sounding so—"
"Well, now, I know just how you can pay me back," Brenda said, not even letting him apologize.
He inched backward as if he knew he'd just stepped into something dangerous. "And how's that?"
"You'll escort her to her father's birthday party tonight."
