Protector Daddy by Taryn Quinn

SIX

Having a secret affair was exciting.

Knowing what I’d done with Christian was a secret little thrill I could hold close to my heart—like the X-rated lace panties and thong set I’d draped on my bed to wear later just for Christian.

I’d picked up the set since last Christmas in hopes I’d have a reason to use it. Now I was kind of glad I’d saved it just for him.

You’re in trouble, girl. He’s admitted he has baggage. Why do you want to make your life any more complicated? You already lost a good job opportunity because of this dude.

But my life wasn’t very complicated to start with. I mean, I had a few secrets like the next girl—that I had no intention of going back to college to get my degree, at least the degree I’d aimed for since I’d started, and yes, that I’d slept with a cop I “met”—sort of—at a job interview but that was it.

I didn’t have any other skeletons. My life was bland and boring. I was usually asleep by ten so I could get up early to work in the bakery and my idea of a fun night was babysitting my niece.

I was overdue to have a fun secret. Everyone else in this damn town did.

“There you are!”

I tried not to cringe at my mother’s voice as she called across The Spinning Wheel. The place was just starting to fill up with the afternoon crowd yet my mother had no problem making herself heard over the low hum of voices and laughter.

I felt a moment’s guilt when I flashed back to being bent over Christian’s couch. Not that sex was anything but normal and natural but my mom would not take kindly to his role in my life—or that I’d chosen to jeopardize a good position for…an even better one.

So I had a dirty sense of humor—sue me.

“You’re late,” my mother announced loud enough for half the restaurant to hear as I approached the booth she’d gotten for us. “But at least you showed unlike your brothers.”

“Not every day someone gets married,” I muttered, quickly realizing I’d not only put my foot in my mouth but also my wedge sandals and my leg up to the knee.

Holy shit, had my idiot brother not included our parents in his wedding either? He was skating on ice so thin that mine looked thick enough to be an iceberg worthy of taking down the Titanic.

“Who got married?” she demanded, rising halfway out of her seat so her chic silver bob swung around her cheeks. “That better be a euphemism.”

“For what?”

“I asked you a question, Honey Belle.”

I flushed down to my toes. “Can you keep your voice down? Does the whole restaurant need to know I was named for an orange?”

“You were not. Belle is a Disney princess.”

“Oh, that’s better. Why didn’t you name me Kojak or something? That would’ve fit you more.” My mother had a long-standing weakness for crime dramas from the seventies and eighties. Thanks to the many streaming services, she could watch them when she locked my father out of the bedroom, which happened at least once a week.

The rest of the week they boinked like damn bunnies. Even still.

“Blame your damn father. He’s the one who said your hair was the color of spun honey.”

“Babies don’t have hair.”

“You surely did. Sit down. We’re attracting attention.” Yet she was still half out of her seat.

We both sat and let out simultaneous sighs.

“Your brother did not get married last night.”

I zipped my lips shut, something I should have done before I entered the restaurant.

“He did not.” She pulled out her phone. “He better not. He didn’t even bring Vanessa for dinner yet.”

“He was too busy knocking her up.”

My mother’s head jerked up and I shut my eyes and wished I wasn’t so bitter he’d left me out. Maybe next time he’d at least buy my silence since he obviously didn’t care if his baby sister got to throw some damn rice.

“I mean, it’s the Cove,” I said weakly. “It’s just an educated guess. I’m not saying—”

“Honey Belle, don’t you lie to me.”

“I had sex last night.”

Maverick should feel guilty that I was willingly throwing myself under the parental bus to keep from sticking his head under the tire. Okay, fine, I was the one who sold him out in the first place, but I didn’t get much sleep due to said sex and thunderstorms and emotional turmoil. I was also on a spree of making questionable choices.

“Aha! So that’s why you were late. You’re never late. Who did you have sex with? Do your father and I know him?” She blew out a breath that ruffled her neat bangs. “Please tell me you used protection. Preferably multiple kinds.”

“I’m not a dummy, Mom.” All right, maybe I was a little bit of a dummy. But not as much as my siblings.

I hoped.

“No, but you’re of childbearing age. I can’t handle any more grandchildren now. I want them as much as anyone, but I’ve barely had a chance to dote on sweet little Presley.”

“Oh, sure, your precious Brady always comes first. Mav and I are always the ones pulling up the rear.”

Okay, now I knew I was sleep-deprived. What was I arguing for the right to do, give her unplanned grandchildren?

I grabbed a menu from behind the napkin dispenser. “I’m thinking a margarita. What say you?”

“It’s not even one pm.”

“So? I need tequila.” Possibly a vat of it.

My mother waved her phone. “I’m calling Mav.”

“It’s rude to talk on the phone when you’re having lunch with me.”

Which is how the brother I was barely talking to and my new sister-in-law ended up cramming into our booth a half hour later, looking entirely sexed and happy and very annoying.

“You told her?” Mav demanded, staring at me as if I’d committed a huge betrayal. “We were going to tell you, Mom, but Van’s pregnant—”

“Jeez, a little subtlety, hey?” Van said out of the side of her mouth. “He didn’t marry me because I’m knocked up. I actually asked him first.”

“Only because I didn’t want to rush you.”

“Yeah, well, tell your kid I need space and time, huh? Seems like he or she doesn’t much care. Also, I don’t need any space or time. I’m perfectly happy with our pace.” She held out her hand, wiggling her ring finger for us. It was a larger piece done in silver and turquoise with a bejeweled hummingbird. “Custom made for me. Isn’t it perfect?”

I made a noncommittal sound while my mother sat there stoically as if her last child had just been sent into battle and she didn’t know if he’d be found alive.

“Can you two give us a break? We would’ve loved to have everyone with us but we had to get a favor from the Chief just to get the court manager there so we could get it done legally. And Tab and Brady brought Presley so you know there was enough chaos—”

“Glad to know your sister, mother, and father represent chaos to you, Maverick. But I’m sure you have your reasons. You know, on second thought, Honey, I’m feeling like salad. We should try that new salad bar down the street.”

“Sounds fab to me.” I nudged Van and she slid out of our side of the booth to give me room to leave.

But she didn’t slip aside quietly.

“Honey kissed Christian yesterday! And he had his mouth on her boob in the police station!”

A few things happened at once.

First, the restaurant grew deathly quiet. I must’ve imagined all sounds of conversation and eating stopped immediately. Then without warning, nosy busybody Mrs. Gunderson popped up behind the pool table and put her hands on her ample hips. “So that was why there was a Closed sign on the door yesterday when I went to pay my parking ticket.”

Shirley Busbee let out a cackle. “You don’t pay parking tickets at the police station. You have to go down to the courthouse.”

“I wasn’t going to pay it, I was going to argue my case with Officer Masterson.” Mrs. Gunderson laughed behind her hands. “Guess he had other appointments to handle yesterday afternoon.”

The whole restaurant wasn’t laughing at us. Me. It just seemed that way. But that didn’t stop me from escaping from the booth and heading for the nearest exit.

My stomach growled and I ignored it. My eyes burned from embarrassment and hurt and probably tears but I ignored that too.

I’d probably gotten Christian in trouble now just because I’d wanted to get back at my stupid brother for not giving a crap if I was at his quickie courthouse wedding.

So much for more sex. So much for a chance to get to know each other.

Next time, try that before you lose your clothes, genius.

“Honey, wait.”

Mav’s voice didn’t slow me down. In fact, I walked faster, pushing through the door at a rate of speed that almost assured Mav would get nailed by the door.

Passive aggressive, maybe just a tad.

But he only charged after me as I hurried around the back of the building to the lot where I was parked. “C’mon, Honey. Talk to me.” He grabbed my arm once I’d cleared the sidewalk, bringing me to a halt. I expected him to yell at me for spoiling his “surprise”, but all he did was peer down at me in his big brotherly way. “Are you okay? What’s going on? I just want to make sure you’re all right.”

His altogether too caring eyes made my shoulders slump in defeat. “No wonder you didn’t want me at your wedding. I’m acting like a complete brat.”

“Well, if the hair tie fits…” He gave my braid a tug like he’d done a million times since we were kids. “And of course, I wanted you at my wedding. Who do you think I’d want more? I mean, other than the bride, and she’s kind of essential.”

I sniffled through a laugh. “You wanted Brady to be your witness.”

“Well, I’ve known him longer.” He tugged again, making me smile. “Squirt.”

I lowered my head and let out a sob as he drew me into his arms. And then I may or may have not wrapped my arms around him and given him the biggest hug ever before I whacked him in the back a time or three. “Jerk! Do you have any idea how much it hurt me to find out from the Chief my big brother was married?”

“From the Chief?”

Whoops. Wrong thing to say.

I ducked my head and hoped for a sudden fissure big enough to hold a body—mine—to open up in the earth.

He gripped my shoulders and held me at arm’s length. “You went to Christian’s, didn’t you?”

“Maybe?”

“Christ, Honey, what the hell are you thinking?”

“I can’t say I was thinking a whole lot at the time.”

He turned away from me and shoved his hand through his hair, not unlike Christian did several times overnight. I must bring out that reaction in men.

“Were you safe at least?”

“No. He roughed me up a little between rounds. See?” I mimed like I was rolling up my shirt and Mav batted away my hands.

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

“Not sure if you’re aware, I’m 24. Also known as barely younger than your new bride.”

“But Christian? Seriously? I get hormones. Obviously, I do.” He held his arms out wide at his sides. “But he’s basically a robot. I don’t even think he has hormones.”

“Trust me, he does,” I said drily. “And he knows what to do with them.”

He immediately plugged his ears with his fingers. “Nope. Not listening. I did not hear you.” He dropped his hands and gave me a cross look. “I have to work with the guy, remember? You have to work with the guy, assuming you got the job. And of course you did, because you’re perfect for it, and the Chief would be a fool not to hire you.”

I scrunched up my nose in a futile effort not to get misty again. I absolutely needed sleep. “You’re sweet, but no. If somehow I get offered the job, I’m not going to take it.”

“Why the hell not? Who would be better for it than you?” Mav crossed his arms across his chest in his best big brother demonstration.

“We started making out during my job interview.”

“Honey!”

I shrugged. “Mistakes were made. I didn’t actually have an interview, at least for work.” I held up my hand. “And I don’t want to hear it. You got caught up at the Lookout Point by your fellow officer so you’re hardly better.”

“But you’re my sister. And Christian—dear God, you have to swear you won’t marry him. Van will kill me. She can’t stand the guy.”

“Marry him? Has marriage knocked loose a few of your marbles? I guarantee neither one of us had anything in mind other than pleasures of the flesh.”

He groaned and threw back his head. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“Why should you feel better when I probably screwed over his whole career?”

“How did you do that?”

“Well, actually, your new wife did that because she has a giant mouth and clearly doesn’t want anyone but the two of you to have any guilt-free naked recreation.”

“Van knew?”

“She walked in on us, waving the ticket you left her yesterday. She came in to chew out Christian because she didn’t even recognize your handwriting.”

“I didn’t leave her a ticket.”

“No, just a note, but she assumed it was a ticket at first. Then she tucked the paper away in her purse for safekeeping because you’d left it for her. Sweet. Sappy but sweet.” I rubbed my chilly arms. “She barged in on us and read Christian the riot act.”

“Did she? Good for her. He needs something read to him. What the hell was he thinking, going after you? Wait until Brady finds out.”

“He doesn’t have to find out.” I huffed out a breath. “Well, I guess it’s probably inevitable now, thanks to Van trying to get the spotlight off the two of you and onto me. Some sister-in-law.”

“Give her a break. She’s only been your sister-in-law for half a day. But wait a second, she knew you and Christian were…” Mav pinched the bridge of his nose. “Since yesterday? And she didn’t tell me? We’re about to have our first fight.” He shifted to stalk inside, giving me a narrowed-eyed look over his shoulder. “This conversation is not over.”

“It sure isn’t, Dad, since you’re the one who left me off the wedding guest list.”

He headed back inside without another glance.

I tipped my head back to stare up at the cloudless sky. Not even two p.m. and this day was already a shitshow.

I dug my phone out of the pocket of my jeans and remembered I’d have to go in for my purse. Lovely. As if one tour through The Spinning Wheel today wasn’t enough.

While I was frowning down at my phone, it buzzed with a text.

Wireless caller:

How do you feel about haunted hayrides? Well, it’s after Halloween, so just hayrides.

I frowned. What the heck?

Who is this?

Wireless caller:

Take a guess. You woke up in my bed this morning.

Not smiling wasn’t an option. I quickly added him to my contacts.

How did you get this number?

Christian:

A little birdie. I might have checked the Captain’s database.

Wait, Christian Masterson breaks the rules? Since when?

Christian:

Since he got a taste of the sweetest Honey. So? Hayride?

I wanted to say yes. An actual date? I hadn’t been on one of those in forever. Especially one so public. Younger guys I’d gone out with usually liked to stay in and not just for sex. A pizza and beer seemed perfectly acceptable to most of the men I’d hooked up with.

But I couldn’t say yes until I told Christian he might not want to be quite so visible with me—at least if he wanted to keep his reputation as a stern, no-nonsense man of the law.

Rather than keep texting, I called him.

“Before I say yes, you might want to hear what just happened at The Spinning Wheel.”

Briefly, I recounted the whole mess for him—including the fact that I was tempted to have my brother get my purse for me so I didn’t have to walk in there again.

So I was a coward. So what?

“I’m sorry that happened. So what does that have to do with the hayride?”

“Other than half the town is probably talking about us by now and the rest of them will be by dinnertime? Oh, nothing. No big deal.”

“People talk, Honey. Who cares?”

“Who cares? You’re a man of the cloth.”

“Think that’s priests.”

“Yeah, probably. Still. If people don’t respect you…”

“Some people don’t respect me now. For some, it’s a game to see if they can get away with stuff. It doesn’t change how I do my job.”

I let out a sound of frustration. “This day has been a cluster.”

“All in how you look at it. In my view, last night was the best since…ever.”

I squeezed my eyes shut so the sun couldn’t sear my eyeballs and also so I didn’t start happy blubbering now that my teeter-totter of emotions was tilting the other way. “Really?”

“Yes, really. So I wanted to see you again. But not just, you know, naked. Though I have absolutely no problem with the nakedness, just it’s not all I’m about.”

“Well, obviously not, since you know, very long break.”

“Worth it. But if you’re not into hayrides, we can just get some apples and hard cider and walk around the orchard. They’re closing soon and the weather’s pretty perfect.”

“I know you say you don’t care about gossip, but I know how seriously you take your job. I don’t want to cause problems for you.”

“Let me worry about that.”

I had to admit, even if my inner feminist squawked about him saying “there, there,” another part of me liked how he took charge. I was so tired of my thoughts circling round and round.

And dammit, I wanted some hard cider. I hadn’t gotten my margarita.

Or my lunch. I absolutely was not eating here.

“What time do you have to work?” I blurted.

“Hang on. I’ve got another call.”

“If it’s Mav, don’t answer it. He’s on a tear.”

Too late. He was already gone on the other line.

I was about to call my brother and ream him out when I realized, hey, I could just go back in The Spinning Wheel. Why not make my embarrassment complete?

I yanked open the door and stomped across the restaurant, well aware of all the gazes focused on me. I didn’t care. I hadn’t broken the law. Christian hadn’t broken the law. But I might be arrested depending on what my brother said on the phone—assuming that was him.

Rounding the corner of the bar, I pocketed my phone and quickly realized the booth of my family was still full and now there were a few additions—namely Brady and Tabitha. Baby Presley was MIA. Good thing. I didn’t want to go off in front of my impressionable niece.

I stopped beside the booth and five pairs of eyes swiveled my way. And yes, Maverick was on the phone. “Hi, Brady. Have you come to question me on my life choices?”

“No,” he said slowly, setting down his breadstick beside his salad. “Should I?”

I pressed my lips together. Okay, so he was playing cool. Fine. I’d focus on the real problem. “Mav, get off the phone.”

He lifted his brows and didn’t set down the phone.

“Did you hear me?” I snatched his cell out of his hand and spoke into it. “Sorry, Christian, Mav doesn’t know how to mind his own business and stay out of my personal life. I will sleep with who I want to sleep with, so he better just get that through his thick skull.”

The line remained silent. As did the table full of my family.

My first clue that my assumption about who Mav was speaking to was very, very wrong was when Vanessa covered her face. My next was when my mother closed her eyes.

“Hello, Honey. This is Chief Brooks. I’m guessing I’m not who you thought you were speaking to.”

I’d never had a near death experience before. First time for everything, I supposed.

“Hi, Chief. Here’s Mav.” I tossed the phone back at my brother and decided the only way I could redeem this day was to be alone in my apartment with no access to any human.

“Honey, sit.” My mother’s tone was no-nonsense. “Brady, grab her a chair from that empty table.”

He already was. I sank into the chair he indicated at the end of the table and thanked the waiter for bringing me over napkins and silverware and immediately requested the largest margarita on the menu.

“Oh, jeez, now she’s drinking. It’s a party now.”

I frowned at Van. “Do you blame me for needing a drink?”

“No, I do not.” She patted her nearly flat belly. “I just wish I could join you.”

My mother’s gaze darted to Vanessa’s stomach and then back to Mav, but the topic deflection from me and my bed-hopping was painfully brief.

A moment later, Mav set down his phone and cleared his throat. “The Chief would like to talk to you this afternoon if you’re free, Honey.”