Page 104 of Riding the High

“Is she gone?” she asks.

“Yep,” I say back, trying to figure out how she’s feeling from the look in her eyes.

“Can we go see Daddy?” she asks. “I really missed him.”

I smile. Cole was supposed to sneak out of work to be here when Mabel got home but there was a massive accident on Highway 6 and he had to go to the scene an hour ago to help out. I assume he’ll be back at the office by now.

I smile down at her. “Sure,” I say. “That’s a great idea. Let’s bring him some lunch and then we’ll come back for some swimming.”

I reach for her hand, trying to forget the fact that Cole’s ex-wife is a heinous bitch and I’m going to have to spend the evening with her. Right now, Mabes is my priority.

The sheriff’s office is bustling when we arrive ten minutes later. I warned Cole we were coming before we left the house. He said he was run off his feet, but wanted us to come anyway.

Cole’s office administrator, Bev, is running multiple phone lines, so Mabel and I sit and wait in the reception area of the station. She gives us a friendly smile and waves through the glass wall. I teach her niece tenth-grade English.

We’re here.

HUSBAND

Just on the phone, be right out.

I look down at Mabel with a grin. “He’s coming.”

I tap my fingers on my thigh with one hand while we wait, and hold Mabel’s hand with the other. The street outside is full of visitors shopping in Laurel Creek’s quaint stores, and I watch as a little girl skips down the street carrying a stuffed toy version of the town’s mascot, Archibald the Tiger, while holding her dad’s hand. I smile at the scene; it reminds me of Cole and Mabel.

I turn my attention back to watch for Cole when something catches my eye on the other side of the glass, behind Bev. I realize that what’s grabbed my attention is Brent, who seems to be milling about in the mail area. Maybe it’s just my mistrust of him but he always seems suspicious to me. He looks around and down the hall toward Cole’s office before he starts riflingthrough the open mail slots on the wall. He pulls out a pile from one slot and takes it out of sight, below the half wall. Only, just a moment later, he puts it back where it came from. He looks around again and my spidey senses tingle as I count the mail slots. Second one from the left. Top row.

“Girls!” I hear Cole’s voice call out as he comes out from the door that leads to the offices.

“Daddy!” Mabel springs up and runs to him, launching herself into his arms and squeezing tight. He showers her with kisses as she giggles, and it gives me the tiniest glimpse into a future where there are children of our own running around. You know, the ones we aren’t planning but that I can’t stop thinking about. This fatherly side to him, totally separate to who he is as a man, is intoxicating.

Cole asks Mabel all about her week, and I struggle to tear my eyes away from his strong arms, their shape emphasized by his short-sleeved uniform that clings to him in literally all the right places.

“Come with me,” he says as I approach. “Let’s have some lunch.”

He rests his hand on the small of my back as he looks down at Mabes in his arms.

“Lunch with my favorite girls. There can’t be anything better than that.”

Mabel smiles. “The whole team!” she says happily.

As she snuggles into his neck, Cole’s eyes meet mine.

“Damn good team,” he says as he squeezes my hand.

Mabel grins. “My first dollar.”

“Right. Guess now’s a good time to tell you Ginger’s been cussing the whole time you’ve been gone,” Cole says.

“I’m going to be rich!” Mabel giggles.

I laugh with her. And, as I follow the two of them down the hall to Cole’s office, I’m definitely feeling as rich as can be, almost like everything is perfect.

CHAPTER FIFTY

Cole

Ibutton up my suit jacket and look in the mirror.

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