Lead Me Home (Fight for Me #3)(38)

Frankie rambled on as if what she’d just let on was no big thing. As if she didn’t have my entire being jarring back from the shock.

My attention whipped to Rex. A guilty expression rode on his too-handsome face. “Excuse me, but what did your daughter just say?”

Frankie sighed and lifted her voice. “I SAID, my daddy is gonna build you a new house.”

A frown pulled across my brow, one I tipped in Rex’s direction. “That’s what I thought she said.”

Rex scrubbed a hand over his face. “Not like that . . . was gonna talk to you about it once I had some more details.”

My frown lifted. “More details? Sounds like there were plenty of details to me.”

Kale laughed. “Don’t get those knickers all up in a twist, Nik Nik. Haven’t you ever heard not to look a gift horse in the mouth?”

“You mean, punch a gift horse in the mouth?”

He busted up laughing. “Feisty.”

Not feisty.

Angry.

They didn’t get to go making decisions for me.

I should have known Rynna was gonna say something to him. I knew she meant well, but that didn’t mean it didn’t make me feel as if they all thought I was helpless.

I turned back to Rex. “We’re going to talk about this.”

“I figured we would.”

“Nothing to talk about.” The husky voice hit me from behind.

Shivers raced, and I bit back the irritation that wanted to fly from my tongue. The rest of my friends were just worried about me, even if they were sticking their noses in my business where it didn’t belong.

But Ollie . . .

I knew Ollie would be a whole different issue.

I tucked the conversation away for later and pasted on a grin, doing my best to change the subject, the direction of their thoughts so I could figure out a way to get out of there with the least bit of attention aimed at me.

“So, what’s with all the hotties at the ice-cream shop with their kids? Breaking a million hearts just by being here. You guys are nothing but a danger to society.”

Kale laughed. “Danger to society?”

“Um, yes.” I gestured with my chin across the shop to the three women sitting together with their kids.

“The only thing left of those poor women over there is a puddle of drool and a mess of wet panties. It’s a sad, sad state of affairs.”

“Panties?” Frankie’s nose was all scrunched up in confusion.

She was getting way too clever for her own good. I was going to have to watch that.

“Oh, I was just joking,” I told her. “Your daddy and your uncles are just so good-looking, they break hearts without having to say a single word. Good thing your daddy only has eyes for your mommy.”

Evan grabbed the notepad sitting in front of his dad and scribbled across it.

My chest squeezed.

Painful, perfect affection.

My daddy doesn’t break hearts. He fixes them.





This kid.

“Of course, your daddy fixes hearts,” I told him, wishing I could sign it because it meant so much, Evan’s heart now beating strong because Kale had saved him almost two years ago. I could never quite imagine what kind of bond that might forge.

Unshakeable.

At least that I knew.

“Because your daddy is the best.”

A rumble of something echoed from Kale’s chest. “All right, all right, no need to get carried away. We already know I’m awesome.”

“Ish,” I told him.

Couldn’t let it all go to his head.

He winked at me.

I took a step away, ready to bolt, to get away from the energy that crawled over me from behind. “Well, it was so nice to see you all. Hopefully we can get together soon. I’ve been missing my little pumpkins. I need some Auntie Nik time.”

“Yeah.” Chills flashed with the single word. With the rough caress of Ollie’s voice. “I was just heading out, too. I’ll follow you back to my place.”

“I walked,” shot from my mouth. If Caleb was keeping tabs on my car? The last thing I wanted was it sitting out front for him to see when I was inside with Brenna.

“Then I’ll give you a lift.”

My head whipped that way. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

He stuffed his big hands in his pockets. “Well, I think it is.”

I could argue with him right there in front of everyone. What good would it do? It would just prolong the inevitable. But at least that would have bought me some time to figure out what to say.

I said my goodbyes, and Ollie said his. Frankie jumped into his arms and gave him a big hug, peppering his bearded face with little girl kisses that he didn’t seem to know how to take yet reveled in at the same time.

The man a twisted dichotomy.

Ollie headed toward the door, and I followed.

Chained to him in some profound, inexplicable way.

Because honestly, I owed him no explanation. But there I was, following right behind him as if I didn’t have a choice.

Bound by these zaps of awareness.

Electricity tapped.

Both of us feeding off the other until it became so big we were consumed by it.

We ducked out into the blazing heat. Instantly, we were washed in the overpowering scent of honeysuckle and blazing stars, the air so thick it was almost sweet as it slicked our skin in humidity.