Hetch (Men OF S.W.A.T #1)(45)

I flick through the mess of paperwork on my desk, trying to decide how I’m going to figure this out.

“Well, crap. Where else could we hold it?” She steps into the office and takes a seat across from me.

It’s Saturday afternoon and once again, I’m in on my day off, dealing with this mess.

“There are a few places I can call. I know the gas station down on Parkton may let us use their lot at short notice.” I flick through the folder holding all our fundraising information.

“What about your dad’s car yard? That would be perfect.”

“Yeah, it would be, but after what happened with Mitch the other week, I’m not sure it’s wise to let him around the boys right now.” I shut the idea down right away. It’s bad enough I have to deal with Mom and Dad checking in on me every day. I don’t need my dad getting in my business, or in the boys’ business.

“Things still tense with the parents?” She smirks, knowing full well since she’s fielded calls all week from both my mom and dad.

“Don’t try to be funny.”

The start of an argument in the recreation room at the same time the doorbell rings cuts our conversation short and has both of us out of our chairs.

“You want the fight or the door?”

“I’ll take the door.” I opt for the easiest option and exit first, making my way through the house to the front door. I can hear Sue sorting out the boys, just as I open the door to find a very pissed-off Mitch and an equally pissed-off Hetch standing there.

“What the—” It takes a second to register the man who’s spent every night in my bed over the last two weeks is not here for me, but for something more serious.

Mitch.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t freak out.” Mitch shrugs off Hetch’s hand from his shoulder and pushes past me into the house.

“Hold on there, buddy. What’s going on here?” Mitch ignores my question, stomping his way down the hall into his room.

“Ahh?” I turn back to Hetch, my mind running a million miles a minute wondering what sort of trouble Mitch has found himself in now.

Keep it together, Liberty.

“We picked him up over in Redlands. He was hanging with one of Dominic’s boys.”

“Jesus Christ.” I run a hand over my face, completely frustrated. I feel like we take two steps forward, then three back. One day he seems to be on board, and the next I have the police bringing him home.

“Can I come in and talk to you for a second, Lib?” he asks, pulling me from my freak-out and back to him.

Shit, he has more news.

“Ah, yeah, of course. We’ll go to my office.” I step back, letting him in, and directing him to my office.

“Let me fill Sue in real quick.” He nods and I leave him there, heading into the rec room. Sue has the boys calmed down now, all arguments diffused by the time I find her. I quickly fill her in on the Mitch situation, telling her to keep an eye on him, before heading back to Hetch.

When I get back to the entrance of my office, Hetch is standing in the corner reading one of my textbooks on child behavior. He doesn’t notice me right away, so I take a second to check him out in his uniform. A skin-tight navy T-shirt stretches across his back and biceps. Black military-type pants, which fit better than any pair of jeans I’ve ever seen on a man, and black kick-ass combat boots that for some crazy reason do something to me, complete his delectable ensemble.

Jesus.

“You okay?” Hetch turns, either sensing my presence or hearing the soft moan I let past my lips. Judging by his dimples, I’d say the moan.

“Ahh, yeah. Sorry. Umm, can I get you a drink or anything?” I ask as I step into my office.

“I’m good.” He closes the book, places it back on my bookshelf, and then pulls up the seat in front of my desk.

“Right.” I close the door behind me, then quickly move to my desk to tidy up a little, suddenly conscious of my mess. “Sorry about the mess. We have a lot going on around here this week with the new Big Brother program starting up in a few weeks. I wasn’t expecting anyone.” I know I’m rambling as I try to sort the paperwork into some sort of controlled chaos, but I can’t stop

Hetch in front of me on a normal day makes me nervous. Hetch in front of me because of issues with Mitch makes me a wreck.

“Liberty, sit down and just breathe,” he orders in his special Hetch kind of way I’ve come to like. It’s the reprieve I need to take stock of everything.

“I’m sorry, you’re right.” I fall into my chair, forcing myself to stay calm. “Okay, how bad is it?”

“The kid we picked him up with was carrying enough cocaine to be charged with intent to distribute.”

Fuck.

“What about Mitch?”

“He was clean. But who knows what would have happened if we didn’t pick them up.”

“Oh, God. How could he be so stupid?” My breathing skyrockets at hearing how deep Mitch is getting involved. “After everything we’ve talked to him about, I don’t get it. I’m trying so hard here, Hetch. I don’t know what else I can do to help him.” I reveal more than I probably should.

“Seems to me you’re doing everything right, sweetheart.” I ignore the soft flutter in my stomach at the sound of his name for me and try to stay focused on the issue at hand.