AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Wally snickered. “The festival doesn’t even have a Ferris wheel.”
Roe pinched his side, scowling when he only got muscle. “Hush you. You’re absolutely no help.”
He watched Mack throw a dart at a balloon trying to win prizes for Benji and Daphne while Tris cheered him on. The handsome man wore his faded jeans and a tight, thin black shirt. Roe’s mouth didnotwater. It was all Fergie’s fault. He was allergic to his dog. That’s all.
Fergie grinned up at him, tongue hanging out. The guinea pigs were quite comfortable in their new stroller, happy as could be as they munched on some green leaf lettuce. Mmrr, of course, insisted on staying home. She was a loner.
“I can’t believe you brought the guinea pigs,” Wally murmured, scanning the small crowd.
“When in Hobson Hills,” Roe said with a shrug. Caden carried his rabbit around everywhere, so Roe thought it was only right that he buy a stroller for the guinea pigs. They liked getting out in the sunshine and seeing the sights.
A lovely tall blonde woman ran past them and hugged Mack tightly. A shorter, pretty brown-skinned woman followed behind her, joining the hug.
“Lacey McKenzie and Renee Donahue,” Wally said with a grunt. “Both age twenty-seven. Best friends since elementary school, started dating in college, and are now engaged to be married August 26th. Both have decent credit scores and good jobs, though Donahue does have a few too many credit cards. They live together across town from Mack, and they are taking the classes to become foster parents.”
“You ran a background check on Ian’s daughter?” Roe frowned. “Why would you do that?”
Wally shrugged. “I run checks on everyone. Everyone has secrets, and you never know when some random bit of information will come in handy. For example, Cain’s buying a house near his parents here in Hobson Hills but hasn’t told anyone yet. I know all kinds of useful information.”
“To do what?” Roe asked, rolling his eyes. “Take over the world?”
“Keep you safe.” Wally slung an arm around him and steered them toward the others. “Now, stop procrastinating and meet Mack’s daughter. You know you want to.”
“You don’t know me,” Roe mumbled, pouting.
“No one knows, but you make a good living selling your art through two galleries—one in New York and the other in Savannah—using an alias. You’re a registered foster parent in Georgia and have been thinking about adopting. However, you want to wait until Benji is a little older. You’ve been researching realters back in Georgia because you’re thinking of selling the house and moving here. You kind of want a pet rabbit, but you don’t want to share it with the kids. You have a big ol’ crush on a silver fox sheriff and are nervous about meeting his daughter.”
“I hate you,” Roe said, no heat in his voice.
“Oh, and your favorite color is purple, and you sleep sprawled out diagonally across your bed.” Wally grinned. “Shall I go on?”
“Privacy-invading bodyguards are very irritating.” Roe sniffed, nose in the air. “Just so you know.”
Mack’s hug with his daughter and soon to be daughter-in-law was just ending when Roe and Wally reached them. It was only then that Roe noticed Benji had wiggled his way into the hug, clinging to Mack’s legs possessively.
“This must be Benji,” Renee said, kneeling down beside Roe’s son. “I hear you’re having a lot of fun with Mack.”
Benji nodded furiously. “Macky friend. We parsers.”
“Partners,” Daphne absentmindedly corrected him, eyeing a fluffy purple teddy bear.
“Hi,” Roe said, holding out his hand to Lacey. “I’m Roe, and these are my kids, Tris, Daphne, and Benji.”
Lacey smiled hesitantly but then quickly shook his hand. “I’m Lacey, and this is Renee.”
“Baby girl,” Benji said, patting Lacey’s leg.
Mack laughed. “Right, buddy. She’s my baby girl.” He picked Benji up and settled him on his hip. “Lacey, Tris here is planning on studying business at Harvard. Do you have any advice for him?”
Lacey whistled. “Harvard, huh?”
Tris flushed and ducked his head. “Yeah. My grandpa went there, too.”
“Nice,” she said, moving to stand beside him. “I would suggest double majoring in finance or economics, too. It’ll make you more marketable.”
The two started chatting, and Renee took Mack’s leftover darts. “You want that bear, Daphne?”
Daphne nodded. “My friend Birdie’s little sister loves purple. I want to give it to her.”
