Ignite (Cloverleigh Farms #6)(68)

Or would he be old and frail now? White-haired and stoop-shouldered, just another old man shuffling toward death, burdened by the weight of regret. Maybe I wouldn’t even recognize him.

Tyler frowned at his computer screen. “Can you text me a short bio by the end of the day?”

“Sure.” Maybe Winnie would help me with that.

“Thanks. Before you go, I’ll take your picture.”

“Okay.” I ran a hand over my hair. Had I even brushed it today?

“Don’t worry about your hair, Matthews. They’re all going to be looking at those guns.” He grabbed a shirt from a file cabinet drawer and tossed it at me. “Here. Put this on. It’s a medium, so it’s probably going to be a little tight, but that’s the idea.”

I laughed. “Okay.”

After the guy at the desk took a picture of me in a very fitted Bayside Sports T-shirt, I shook Tyler’s hand, thanked him, and told him I’d get the bio to him later tonight.

“Perfect,” he said, giving me a smile. “Welcome to the team.”





On my way home from Bayside, I stopped by my sister’s house. I hadn’t spoken to her all week, and I felt bad about it. She and I were close, and even though I had no intention of changing my mind about seeing our dad, I didn’t want that to come between us.

I let myself in her side door just as she was coming into the kitchen. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“I don’t know.” I ran a hand over my hair. “I was in the neighborhood, thought I’d stop in and say hi.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “I just got the kids down for a nap. Let’s go outside.”

“Okay.” I went out to the deck and dropped into a chair, slipping my sunglasses on. Bree came out a minute later with a baby monitor, setting it on the table before she sat next to me.

“Justin around?” I asked.

“No. He’s at a dentist appointment.”

I nodded and looked around their yard. “Tell him I said he should mow the lawn.”

She nudged my leg with her foot. “Tell Hallie I said you should stop wearing her clothes.”

Glancing down at my ridiculously tight shirt, I chuckled. “My new uniform.”

“You got another job?”

“Just part-time. I’m going to do some conditioning sessions over there. Give them a little taste of boot camp.”

She laughed. “I’m sure they’ll love it.”

We sat in silence for a moment. On the monitor, Prescott made a few fussy noises, but settled again.

“How’s the first week of school going for the girls?” Bree asked.

“Good.” The tension in my jaw eased a little. “They really like their teachers, and Naomi says Hallie hasn’t had any anxious mornings.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful.”

“Did I tell you they conned me into getting a cat?”

Bree laughed. “How’d they manage that?”

“They ganged up on me. Sneak attack. But it turns out a cat will be fine alone for twenty-four hours, so I won’t need anyone to feed her while I’m at work.” I paused. “Although Winnie offered to feed her.”

My sister glanced at me. “How’s that going?”

“Fine.”

“Justin said you were going to apologize to her for something you said.”

“Justin has a big mouth,” I muttered.

“Well, it was obvious something was wrong on Monday. I didn’t need to be told that. I just wondered what it was.”

I exhaled. “I was a dick. I said I was sorry. It’s done.”

“What were you a dick about?”

“None of your beeswax,” I said.

“Let me guess.” Lifting herself on the arms of the chair, Bree tucked her legs beneath her. “She noticed you acting like a bear with a thorn in his paw and asked what was wrong, and you gave her the finger and told her to mind her own beeswax.”

“Something like that,” I said with a one-shouldered shrug.

“You know, it wouldn’t kill you to tell the truth every once in a while when someone asks if you’re okay.”

I clenched my jaw again. “I made it right with her.”

“Good. So when will you get this cat?”

“Not sure. I don’t know how long the adoption process is or even where to go, but Winnie knows a few places.” Her name was out of my mouth before I could think.

My sister shook her head. “You’re really gonna be lost without her when she moves away, aren’t you?”

“I’ll be just fine.” But I shifted in my chair, and the silence that followed bothered me.

“So what was it you wanted to talk about?”

“Dad, I guess. Did you see him?”

“Not yet. But we spoke again on the phone.”

I kept my focus straight ahead and said nothing. Part of me was curious about the conversation, but I refused to ask.

Bree sighed. “I’ve decided I’m going to visit him next weekend. But you don’t have to see him, Dex. I know he was much harder on you, and your memories are different than mine.”

“I know I don’t have to see him,” I said. “But I’m having a hard time letting you do this alone.”