Beautifully Broken Pieces (Sutter Lake, #1)(10)

Taylor rolled her eyes. “Austin, would you quit it?”

I waved a hand. “No, it’s a smart thing to ask.” Austin wore a triumphant grin, while Taylor scowled at us both. “On the whole, Sutter Lake is an incredibly safe town. Most people don’t even lock their doors. Though I wouldn’t recommend that. There’s a small drug culture, but as long as you don’t mess with that stuff, you’ll be fine.”

I placed one of my business cards on the coffee table. “My cell’s on the back of that card. Call me anytime. I’m happy to help if you have any questions or concerns.”

Taylor’s shoulders straightened. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

It appeared that Taylor had an independent streak. I fought a grin as I stood. “Well, we should get going. It was great to meet you all.”

“Aw, do we have to?” Noah moaned, still clutching the hat Austin that had signed for him.

I pulled Noah to his feet. “We do. I need to get you home, and then I have to get some work done.”

Austin stood. “I’ll walk you out.”

Taylor didn’t rise from her chair but gave Austin a searching, slightly suspicious look. He ignored her and headed for the door. Noah followed as Carter and Liam called their farewells.

Something told me that Austin wanted to discuss something, so I bent to whisper in Noah’s ear. “Why don’t you go wait in the truck, I need to talk to Bulldog for a minute.”

Noah’s face took on a pout. “Aw, man. I always miss out on the good stuff.” But like the good kid he was, he headed to my rig.

Austin chuckled. “He’s a great kid.”

“The best.” I studied Austin’s face, but his expression was unreadable. I guessed that was a skill he would’ve had to master as a cage fighter. “What’s up? Are you having trouble in town?”

“Oh, no. Nothing like that. I have a favor to ask.”

“You’ve made my nephew’s year, so if it’s within my power to give, it’s yours.”

“I was hoping you’d say something like that.” He paused, seeming to search for the words he wanted to voice. “I want you to look out for Taylor.”

My brows furrowed. “Are you just worried about her being here alone? Or is something else going on?”

“Taylor’s been through a lot the past few years. She took care of her mom through two battles with cancer. Lost her a couple months ago.” My chest tightened. It was grief I had seen in those pretty eyes.

Austin pushed on. “She’s shutting us out, and I’m worried that by moving up here, she’s only going to isolate herself more.”

“That’s a heavy load.”

Austin ran a hand over his buzzed head. “It is. And she doesn’t have any other family. Her dad’s a deadbeat. A rich one, but still. She’s alone in the world except for us. She’s family, and I hate the idea of leaving her up here while we head back to LA. You seem like a stand-up guy. You’re a cop. You take good care of your nephew. You’re the best option I’ve got, other than moving my entire family to middle-of-nowhere Oregon. No offense.”

I chuckled. “None taken. The peace and quiet isn’t for everyone.” Austin grunted an agreement. “I’m happy to keep an eye on her. And if she’s working at The Kettle, my sister will look after her, too. I’ve got a big family who’d love to bring Taylor into the fold. But that means she’s gotta say yes to things.”

Austin pursed his lips. “You might have to get creative on that front.”

“I sensed that. All I can do is give you my word I’ll try.”

Austin grasped my hand in a firm shake. “Thanks, man. And I’ll send you some tickets to the next UFL fight in Portland.”

“Not necessary, but certainly appreciated.”

“Happy to do it. Glad to meet you, man.”

I squeezed his hand back. “You, too.”

As I descended the porch steps, Taylor’s haunted blue-gray eyes flashed in my mind.





6





Taylor





I collapsed in the rocker on the back deck of my new home and took in the scene. Fields rolled out before me for what looked like miles until forests of pine trees sprang up. A creek cut through the pasture directly in front of me, snaking through the grass and providing the handful of lazily grazing horses water to drink.

My friends had left late that morning, but not before Carter had stocked my fridge and freezer with groceries and dishes she’d prepared over the last couple of days. I was pretty sure they all thought I was going to starve to death, and that Walker would be calling to tell them that he had found my malnourished body.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved my friends. So much so, that it freaked me out. Because the depth with which you loved someone determined the amount of pain you felt when they were gone.

I let out a long breath. This would be good. Quiet, but not overly so—solitude, peace. The cabin itself was perfect. Two bedrooms, including a master suite that had an amazing soaking tub, an open-concept living area that transitioned into a kitchen with all the appliances I was determined to learn how to use, and a back deck that I could sit on for hours.

Except I was already getting twitchy. Already eager to get back to my workout routine. I craved the feeling of my muscles crying out for mercy and passing out into a dreamless sleep each night. It was the only high I needed.