Meet Me Halfway(24)

I hummed a random children’s song to myself and scooped in the butterscotch-flavored grounds. I was filling up the water reserve when I heard the patio door shifting and creaking and stepped back, looking over the bar to see Jamie. “You got it shut all the way?”

“Yeah.” He rubbed his eyes, readjusting his crooked pajama pants and stomping his big feet into the kitchen. I wasn’t any happier about being awake on a typical day off than he was, so I decided to give him a free ride on the sassy train.

Tossing some bagels in the toaster, I began mixing up a big glass of chocolate milk to help pump up his mood. “Layla won’t be home, so you’ll be staying the night at grandma and grandpa’s tonight.”

He dropped into a chair, crossing his arms over the table and laying his head on them. “I know, she told me.”

I offered up a small smile, hoping he wasn’t too mad about me and her both being gone on our hangout day. “This won’t happen often, I promise. I just have to go in for training today.”

The bagels sprang up, and I plucked them out, tossing them on the counter and sticking my semi-burnt fingers in my mouth. “You’ll have fun, and I’ll try to swing by and see you before I head out tonight.”

He nodded over his arms but said nothing, and the guilt that had eaten me up last night hit me again like a speeding bulldozer. I swallowed it down, putting a smile on my face and telling myself I was doing the right thing.

I handed him the chocolate milk and an apple, the guilt I felt thicker than the topping for his bagel. “Regular cream cheese or strawberry?”





A half hour later, I herded him out the door, amazed we’d managed to walk out on time. We’d both lazed about, daydreaming about our pillows rather than actively getting ready.

We each zipped up our jackets and walked out front. Technically we had a one-car garage, but the door sounded like a herd of stampeding dinosaurs, and I was scared of it breaking and trapping my vehicle inside, so we didn’t use it.

“—so nice. I wish you’d come out more often, you don’t have to stay home all the time.”

My head swiveled to the side at the sound of a woman’s voice. Jamie and I paused mid-walk, looking at the three individuals also walking out of the house next door.

Garrett wore gray sweatpants that hung off his hips in a way that felt indecent, and a black tank that showed off every ripple of muscle all the way to his shoulders. It was unfair how attractive he was without even trying.

His hair was tousled like he’d just rolled out of every straight woman’s wet dream, and when my wandering gaze finally made it to his face, those hazel eyes were fixed on me.

I’d been right, the vehicle belonged to the woman from last night. She stood next to him in the same clothes she’d worn the night before. Normally, that would’ve indicated they’d had a one-night stand, but the third individual threw me off.

He was older than Garrett, maybe around his early fifties. He had what society would label a “dad bod” with a salt-and-peppered beard and matching hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. He stood with a similar air to Garrett and had his arm wrapped around the woman’s shoulders.

Had they all spent the night together? My eyes widened of their own accord. I hadn’t heard a damn thing, and the wheels of my mind were working overtime. How did one have a threesome quietly?

Ignoring Garrett’s continued stare, and the now two extra sets of eyes on us, I opened the passenger door, setting my purse and Jamie’s overnight bag on the seat.

“Are you heading to work?”

The deep, gravelly voice slid up my spine, stopping at the base of my neck. I turned to find him a few steps closer, arms crossed over his chest, glowering at my slacks and work shoes with such intensity that I subconsciously stepped back.

It was only one step, one small, singular movement, but I might as well have quaked like a leaf and waved a white flag to my observant, overprotective son. By the time I’d finished the lone step, Jamie had shoved in front of me, crossing his arms and mimicking Garrett’s stance back at him. “Who are you?”

Oh my God. Darting forward, I wrapped my hands around his shoulders, pulling him back against me. “That’s Garrett, he lives in the other half of the duplex.” Jamie’s face didn’t relax. If anything, his frown deepened.

Addressing the glowering man, I answered, “And yes, I work today.”

I sneaked a glance back at the Jeep, about to pull Jamie toward his door when the woman reached out and smacked Garrett in the back of his head. “Fix your face.”

A chuckle tried to burst out, and I hastily sucked it back in, a choked, wheezing sound escaping me. He didn’t flinch at her parental-like assault, his eyes just traveled up my body before he turned his glower on her instead.

I exhaled, feeling like I could breathe again. The woman, unfazed by his irritation, tsked at him and shook her head. Walking toward me, she waved her hand in his direction and said, “Don’t mind him.”

She extended the same hand to me as she continued, “We met yesterday. Kind of.” She laughed, like the memory from last night was a treasure she was savoring. “So, you’re the neighbor. I’m Sarah, Garrett’s sister-in-law.”

Attempting to mask my surprise, I reached past Jamie, who remained statue-still in front of me, and took her hand. “Yes, that’s me. I’m Madison Hartland, it’s nice to meet you.”