Lord Have Mercy (The Southern Gentleman #2)(18)

Her intelligent eyes turned to me. “That’s actually a really good idea. You kind of surprise me.”

I winked. “I can surprise you quite a bit, honey. Would you like me to show you how?”

She looked like she was contemplating saying yes when Carmichael and Croft strode up, pushing their way into our circle.

Instead of pushing away from me, though, she went toward me.

I kind of liked that she chose to stand next to me and not Croft.

Carmichael also looked happy.

It wasn’t lost on me that the two were friendly. I could see how Croft would be a bone of contention between the two women.

Luckily, Camryn showed no signs of acknowledgment as she continued to glare at me.

“That’s not really something you should be saying to one of the women in your boot camp,” she pointed out, not missing a beat.

“What?” Carmichael asked.

“Nothing,” both Camryn and I said at the same time.

She snorted in disbelief. “Go away already. I thought you had to work tonight.”

I did have to work tonight, which was why I was so interested in whether Camryn was going to be at the football game or not.

“You’re working the game?” Croft asked, sounding bored.

“Yes,” I said, glancing at Camryn out of the corner of my eye. “Just have to go home and change. I’ll be there about an hour before kickoff.”

“That’s like thirty minutes from now,” Camryn said.

I looked at my watch, then nodded. “I have my uniform in my office. And a shower.”

“Please?” Raleigh batted her eyes. “I don’t want to sit by myself.”

Camryn blinked. “You’ll have your baby with you.”

Raleigh crossed her arms. “So what?”

“It’d take me too long to get all the way home and back. I have no clothes.” She paused. “And I’m sweaty as fuck.”

I looked at the light sheen of sweat that was bathing her neck and chest and felt other things inside of me start to stiffen once again. Jesus Christ, what was it about this girl?

“You have a basket of clothes in your car,” I pointed out. “And there’s a shower here.”

Raleigh started laughing. “See? Zero excuses.”

Camryn flipped her off.

“I’d invite you to my house, but we’re remodeling the bathroom and I’m currently showering in the RV we bought…it’s not very spacious, nor is it very nice since it’s also a work in progress,” Raleigh apologized.

Croft snorted. “A work in progress is a generous term for that hunk of metal.”

“It’s an old-fashioned Air Stream. Trust me when I say it’s worth more than it looks like it should,” she countered.

Camryn started walking away.

“Where are you going?” I called out.

“I’m going to get my clothes so I can go get some food before going to a stupid football game,” Camryn grumbled. “Raleigh, all I have to say is your ass better not be late.”

Raleigh squealed and started out after her. Carmichael and Croft followed behind, but at a much slower pace.

“Carmichael, are you going?” I asked casually.

“No.” She shook her head. “I have to work at my other job tonight.”

Her other job wasn’t a normal job. Her other job was actually really quite a cool concept, but her business hadn’t gotten up and running just yet, so she was trying to supplement her income by also substitute teaching in her spare time.

“Any luck pairing the Malamute?” I questioned.

My sister started a website a few months ago that paired men and women with their prospective pet, just like a dating website but for animals. It was a great concept that paired the rescue animal with a human that would fit them perfectly.

Want to be able to find a canine that’ll run with you as well as keep you safe? Sally, the Doberman was the perfect high-energy fit.

I knew that because my sister tried to pair me with Sally, and I’d had to decline because Sally and Dooley did not get along.

She shook her head sadly. “I haven’t found the right person just yet, but I will.”

Danger, the Alaskan Malamute, was a scared little peach of a puppy who didn’t like anyone. Not even me, and I was a dog person.

She hated men, women, and children equally. I hadn’t seen one single person that’d been able to get that dog to come out of her shell.

“You’ll figure it out,” I said.

“Is it a puppy?” Croft asked.

“No. More a teenager. She’s great, really. House-trained. Great manners. Sweet-tempered…she’s just deathly afraid of everything. She was abused as a puppy, and at this time, I’m not sure she’ll ever get to the point where she trusts people.” Carmichael sounded so sad that I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her into me.

“You’ll find someone, Mikey,” I told her. “Be careful going home, okay?”

Carmichael winked at me. “You’re not going to ask me to text you when I get home?”

“If I thought you would, then yes. But since I know you’ll forget the moment you walk into your animal shelter of a house, I’ll just look at the camera feed to make sure.”