Page 69 of Reformation

“What did you just say?” I ask, something about her words striking a chord.

“They will find a way?”

“Son of a bitch!” I yell, shooting up from the chair. “The clinic. Mark, you remember? Someone tried to break into the clinic on the day of the carnival. What if… Could it have been her mom?”

“It’s possible,” Mark said. “Get me the security footage and I’ll have my guys look through it. Do you want me to put someone on Paige?”

I nod. “Yes. But I know she’ll hate it.”

“No one likes it. I’ll make sure my guy is discreet. She will barely even know he’s there.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it. I just want to make sure Paige is safe.”

“Is Miss Blackstone OK?” I didn’t even hear Cullen coming down the stairs, still in his Transformers pajamas. Shit, I hope he didn’t hear too much.

“No, buddy,” I say, lifting him to sit next to me on the couch. “It’s just… Miss Blackstone and I have become very close. And just how I want you and your sister safe, I want her safe too.”

“Is she your girlfriend?”

My nephew is way too perceptive.

“Would that be OK if she is?”

He stops and thinks about it for a second. “Does that mean she’d be around after she’s done being my teacher?”

I laugh. “As long as she doesn’t break up with me.”

He sits up a little straighter, trying to look much older than his six years. “Well, then we better make sure she doesn’t do that.”

We all laugh at Cullen, who doesn’t realize why we are so amused at him. Or why we are grateful that he broke the tension in the room.

“I’m serious,” he continues. “We need to do something nice for her. Have you done anything nice for her, Uncle Garrett? Because good boyfriends do that.”

“What would you know about being a good boyfriend?”

“Because I am one. Penelope tells me all the time.”

I laugh. Charlie rolls her eyes. Mark has never looked more proud.

“OK, Captain Boyfriend, what do you suggest that I do to make sure she doesn’t break up with me?”

A devilish grin forms on his face. “You need to listen to everything I have to say.”

What have I got myself into?

* * *

Paige

Something is not right.

Cullen is being… good.

I noticed it first thing this morning when he came right into the room. He didn’t stop to talk to any of his classmates, hung up his jacket and book bag, and sat down like a perfect little gentleman.

Cullen Dixon is a lot of things, but a perfect gentleman he is not.

This has now lasted the whole day. He hasn’t said a bad word once. In fact, he’s barely said anything. He’s raised his hand every time to speak. He hasn’t whispered anything to Penelope. He even offered to pass out the afternoon activity packets.

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