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“We’re splitting our time between our houses, so Abe will be there too if that’s okay with you.”
“Abe should move in with us full-time,” Alex said. His support meant the world to me, and my heart swelled like a balloon. “The two of you aren’t getting any younger.” His little dig was a sharp pin andpopwent the balloon.
“Ouch,” I said, rubbing a hand over my chest. “Low blow, son.”
Alex laughed. “We can upgrade Abe from godfather to stepfather.”
“I love how supportive you are of my relationship with Abe, but maybe let us decide when we’re ready to get married.”
“Fine,” he said. “But seriously, why doesn’t he just move in? Abe loves our house, even though it’s a work in progress.”
“I would like to point out that I’d be further along with the renovations if I had a few more hands.”
“But you’d look weird with more than two.”
“Hardy har har,” I said dryly. “If this baseball thing doesn’t pan out for you, maybe you can fall back on stand-up comedy.” I could picture Alex rolling his eyes on the other end of our connection, which made me smile. He didn’t like it when Alyssa and I mentioned having an alternative plan to becoming a major leaguer. Our boy had single-minded focus that rivaled even mine. “Abe and I have talked about him selling his house in Pembroke and moving in here someday, but I’m not sure Abe is ready yet. He feels a responsibility to live in the county he serves. How would that look to his constituents?”
Was that why Abe hadn’t submitted his paperwork to file for reelection? We hadn’t talked about it much, but I knew his campaign manager was blowing up his phone like the sales associates at the car dealership trying to repurchase my truck. I bet they wouldn’t be so keen to make me a deal now that she’d been shot up. God, I missed my truck. My city-issued SUV was nice, but I would be glad to get my baby back from the body shop. Thoughts about my truck would lead to deliberations about the shooting, and I’d mulled it over relentlessly since the incident but was no closer to knowing what had happened. Gunderson was more than ready to chalk it up to misfortune, but I wasn’t so sure.
“Coach Steve just pulled up to the school, Dad,” Alex said. “We’re doing indoor batting cages and working on defense drills. I should crawl through the door around five.”
“I’ll be home soon after you. I’ll make a big pot of spaghetti.”
“Carbo load,” Alex said eagerly. “Let me or Abe handle the garlic bread, though.”
“Smartass.”
Alex’s laughter rang through the connection before he disconnected. I smiled and shook my head as I called Abe.
He answered on the second ring with a “Hey, baby.” His voice, deeper and huskier than usual, felt like a caress down the length of my spine.
“Hey, sexy,” I replied.
“Is this another call for an afternoon quickie?”
I wasn’t proud of myself for the urgent request I’d made the day before, but I didn’t regret skipping lunch so Abe could bend me over the couch in my living room. He fucked me until pleasure overrode my stress. It hadn’t been a permanent solution, but I’d faced the rest of my day with a clearer head and had stopped anticipating threats lurking around every corner.
“Not this time,” I said regretfully before explaining why I’d called.
“Spaghetti sounds great. Do you have the frozen meatballs I like, or should I stop and pick some up?”
“Of course I have them.” I’d been adding Abe’s favorite foods to my shopping cart long before I realized I was in love with him. “Have you filed your reelection papers yet?”
Abe snorted. “Not you too.”
“Is Ham pestering you?” I asked.
“He’s as relentless as the auto warranty people. Has he recruited you?”
“Nah,” I replied. “Alex suggested you move in with us now, and I said you might not be ready since you feel obligated to live in the county you serve. Am I the reason you might not run for reelection?”
“You’re part of the reason,” Abe admitted. “I prefer your house over mine, but I do feel obligated to live in Bryan County if I’m the sheriff. But that’s not the only reason I haven’t committed to run again.”
I leaned back in my chair and said, “I’m ready to listen if and when you want to talk about it.”
“I’m running out of time to make a decision, so maybe I should stop putting it off and just air it all out.”
“Oh, baby,” I moaned. “Take it off.”
