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“Nope. But you’re not my favorite anymore.” Rett stares at him seriously. “When Aunt Avery marries Carter one day, he’ll be my uncle. Dad said so.”
I choke on air. Lucas laughs and Chris pretends to be outraged while he slaps me on the back as hard as he can. Or at least, that’s how hard it feels like he’s hit me.
“I’m okay,” I gasp, more from the slap to my back than anything else. “Stop. Hitting. Me.” I swat his hand away when he raises it again. “If you do it again, I’m gonna sic Rett and Lucas on you.”
Both boys, who’ve become closer than I imagined possible in the last month, immediately sweep in like superheroes.
Rett hops on Chris’ back, dragging him down to the ground while screeching. Lucas, on the other hand, grabs a massive pile of leaves and picks it up. Then Rett runs away and Lucas drops the leaves on Chris’ face.
I watch both of the kids take off, and I turn to see Chris staring up at me from the pile of leaves that have been dropped on him. The smile vanishes from his face, and he stares at me like he has the worst news in the world.
“What?” My heart lurches in my chest, imagining him fighting with Liam. Or maybe his sister getting back with Casey Matthews without thinking it through. “What happened?”
“Karen Zucker is back in town.”
Six little words that decimate every happy feeling I’m possibly feeling in the present or near future.
I croak. “How do you know?”
Chris sighs and then rolls over so that he’s flat on his back, with his arms under his head as he stares up at me with sad truth in his eyes. “I saw her at the grocery store. She looks terrible and like she’s completely out of it. You haven’t heard anything from her through Carter or Bria, have you?”
My heart thuds against my chest, every beat making it harder to breathe. “No.” My head aches, a migraine starting to form at my temples. “Carter doesn’t have the case because it’s a conflict of interest. I don’t want to put Bria in a compromising position with her being my friend and Lucas’ case worker. He’s more important than me having information about what’s happening.”
I knew Karen coming back into town had a very real chance of happening. She’d been arrested, released on her own recognizance, and then bailed on the town and her responsibilities. All of it without ever even requesting to see her child again.
Headlights appear at the edge of the driveway, and I start to panic until I see Carter’s truck pull up next to my car.
“Hey, babe.” Concern etches every corner of his face. “I got a call from Bria, and we have to talk.” All of that he says before ever getting to my side, and I blink in response. “Babe.” Carter puts an arm around me after sitting down, his utility belt pressing into my side. “Talk to me.”
“I don’t want to hurt him,” I finally admit. “He’s doing so well here, with you. And if she’s here, he’s going to get hurt. I can feel it in my gut. She’s going to try to get him back.”
Carter snorts. “Ms. James, I am very disappointed in you. I can’t believe you’d doubt me or the BPD like that. We did everything right. You reported the abuse. We arrested her. In the time that she’s been out, Bria’s done a hell of a job with the investigation, teaming up with our guy to make sure that Lucas is taken care of.” He rubs my back soothingly, but I never take my eyes off Lucas and Rett, who are now busy climbing a tree.
“Everything is going to be fine.” Carter pulls my hand to his mouth and kisses it, then lays it to rest on his chest. “I promise.”
We sit there for a few minutes, watching the boys play, until Chris coughs awkwardly. I’ve completely forgotten he’s still here, too.
“I’m gonna go. So… enjoy yourselves.”
He is gone in the next moment, and Carter starts laughing. “I didn’t even know he was here.”
Rett and Lucas come running.
“Hey, Carter.” Lucas sits down next to him, breathing deeply and trying his best to catch his breath. “Are you back for the night?”
“Actually.” Carter kisses my forehead and pushes up off the ground. “I’m supposed to meet someone about a case for a few. Will you be okay with them?”
His absolute concern for me is touching but completely unneeded. Which I tell him a moment later.
“No,” I bite off sarcastically, rolling my eyes for dramatic effect. “I’m completely useless when it comes to two of my most favorite kids in the entire world. Utterly helpless. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I might just wither away and die.” Every single word out of my mouth comes out completely deadpan, and I watch Rett elbow Lucas out of the corner of my eye.
“She’s about to give him his butt,” Rett whispers loudly. “Just watch. That’s how she sounds right before I get in trouble.”
“There’s a difference between you and me, buddy.” Carter turns his attention away from me. “I’ve got Aunt Avery wrapped tight around my finger.” He starts to walk away. “I’ll just reschedule. I think I’d rather hang out with you guys tonight instead.”
That man puts spending a night with me and the two terrors ahead of his work. I can see lots and lots of blowjobs in his future.
“Come on, guys.” I get up and wait for the kids to come with me. “Let’s get that sucker to buy us Chinese food tonight.”
