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“Okay, I am assuming there is quite a story here.”
“Yes, a very long one,” Candy added.
“Well, you can tell me later. Pizza has been ordered, and Evan is picking it up on his way home.”
I tensed, wondering what Evan would threaten me with this time.
Downstairs, Candy went to get us drinks while Laney showed Harley around the garden. He was mesmerized by everything and was quickly down on his hands and knees, trying to catch the fish in the stream.
“Just don’t fall in, buddy,” I told him.
“I won’t!” he called back as Candy handed me a beer.
“Famous last words. You know that he will be sopping wet in five minutes flat,” Candy said with a laugh.
“Good thing we have more clothes for him in the car.”
“Yep.” She tapped her bottle to mine and then took a long draw. I stared at her profile as she did, and then she turned to me and raised a brow in question.
I shook my head and quickly looked away. There was no way I would tell her that I was memorizing her features for the next time I was lonely.
Evan arrived a few minutes later, and while he glared at me for a moment, his attention quickly diverted to Harley. “Well, if you look at that. You did something purposeful with your life.”
“Nice, Evan,” I muttered under my breath for him only, and he chuckled.
While we ate, we did a very quick cursory story of how Harley had come to be with me and how we were staying at Candy’s house for the time being. Evan frowned slightly, but I saw Candy glaring at her brother, and finally, he shrugged like it was no big deal.
I hoped that was the end of them giving her a hard time because we were—I paused. What exactly were we? Friends with benefits? More than friends? Just lovers? Was Candy my girlfriend? Could she be? Did I even want her to be?
I choked on my food as I swallowed, and she turned and slapped my back a couple of times. I put my hand up to tell her I was alright, swallowed my food, and then took a long drink of my beer while I stared at my plate.
Since Candy and I connected, she had been on my mind constantly. She had helped me out more than once, and goddamn, the sex was fucking out of this world. I peered at her profile as she laughed at something and felt my heart clench in my chest. She reached over to Harley, helped him with his juice box, and then went back to eating.
There was no doubt that I wanted Candy in my life, and partner or not, I wanted that woman in my bed again, not just for one night. I felt that my entire life had changed the moment my son had materialized in the bar.
Life wasn’t just about me anymore. It was about my son and having a family, and my gaze popped to Evan. Holy fuck, was it possible that one day he might be my fucking brother-in-law?
Somewhere inside, I was laughing hysterically, especially as I thought that if—for some off-the-wall reason—Candy and I did work out and our relationship progressed, Evan would be my brother-in-law, and so would Detective Ethan Winston. Now that was fucking hilarious.
Not that I was expecting it to happen or wanted it to, but yesterday if you had told me I would have a son, I would have fallen over laughing. That had happened, so who knows what could happen next.
* * *
It was two hours later when we finally left. Candy carried a very tired Harley out to the car because he was still shying away from me. There was little doubt that he would be asleep before we reached the main road.
I turned around, and Evan was there behind me. He stuck his hand out. “Don’t hurt my sister, alright?”
“I don’t have any intention of hurting her, Evan.” I shook his hand. “I’m not sure what I would have done without her today.”
“Yeah, I bet. Take care of your son, and we will see you later.” He stepped away, and Laney shocked me by giving me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
On the way back to Candy’s house, I glanced in the back and found Harley sound asleep. “He’s out.”
“Yeah, I figured he would be,” Candy replied softly.
“I can’t believe your brother shook my hand.”
“What did he say to you?”
