I glanced down at my clothes covered in dirt and grass stains. I knew I was a mess, but I hadn’t wanted to waste time stopping at home to clean up. I just wanted my girls.
“You could say that.”
She moseyed over further. “You have a delightful daughter.”
“Thank you.” I liked Paige, but at the moment, I wanted nothing more than to soak up Bristol’s strength and warmth to chase away the mess I’d come from. “Was there something you need?”
“Bristol was really hurt last week.”
“I know. We talked it out. She knows better now.”
“Bristol doesn’t get hurt by many people.”
“We’ve worked it out.”
“She’s let you in. She doesn’t do that with many people.”
Aha, now I got where she was going. “Look, I like that you’re looking out for her, but I don’t think she needs you to do that. She’s strong. She’s fought for where she is, and I find that sexy.”
Paige smiled. “Good. That’s what I wanted to hear, Deputy. Carry on.”
I shook my head, chuckling under my breath as Paige went back inside, and I was finally free to get to where I really wanted to be.
I knocked on the door, eager to see both of my girls. When no one came to the door, my concern grew. I knocked again and was reaching for the knob when I heard the lock unlatch, and the door finally opened.
“I’m surprised you didn’t just barge in,” Bristol said. Her smile dropped as she took in my appearance. She pulled me inside. “Looks like someone went mucking around and forgot to invite us.”
“Trust me, it wasn’t anything fun,” I responded.
“What’s wrong?”
“Not here,” I answered as Lexi ran into the room and hugged my legs, not caring about the dirt. Buddy wasn’t far behind her. He sat at my feet, looking at me expectantly. I scratched between his ears, earning a tail wag. He was looking much stronger and healthier than the last time I’d seen him.
“Daddy, I had the best time!”
I knelt in front of her, touching the tiny silk flowers that wound around her head on a thin band. “Wow. Don’t you look beautiful. Is that what they do at auto garages these days?”
“No, silly. Miss Paige did it.”
“That’s really nice. You ready to go?”
“Do we have to?”
“Well, I’m kind of a mess. We should get home so I can clean up, and you’ve taken up quite a bit of Bristol’s time.”
Bristol dropped a hand on Lex’s shoulder. “We had a great time together. And if you think this house hasn’t seen worse messes, you’re sorely mistaken.” She looked more closely at me, making me acutely aware of how tired and dirty I must look. “Have you eaten?”
I shook my head. “There wasn’t time.”
“Then stay, Deputy. I’m not the best cook, but we have some leftover soup, and I’ll make you a grilled cheese sandwich. My grandma always said you could never go wrong with that combination at the end of a long day.”
I only had a small smile to offer. “That sounds great, actually.”
Bristol’s eyes narrowed momentarily before smiling down at my daughter. “Lex, why don’t you go warm up the soup like I showed you earlier? You can also get everything out to make some more sandwiches.”
“Okay,” she answered. “I know when adults want to talk. They always kick the kid out of the room.”
Bristol snorted. “Smart kid.”