Page 30 of Sofa King Wanted

“What are you doing?” I accuse right back.

“Getting you your donut and milk with a side of fries. You're supposed to be resting your feet.”

“I'm only giving out stickers.” I hold them up.

“Move it,” he orders, nodding back toward the station.

“Fine,” I huff. “You're always bossing me around.”

“You love it.”

“When did I say I didn't?” Neil leans the open bag toward me so I can reach in and snag a French fry. I shove it in my mouth, then grab another. “These are so good.” I let out a small moan. “But there is no salt.”

“Your feet keep swelling.”

“All of me is swelling.” I motion down my body. I'm five months pregnant with our second.

“I know the feeling.” Neil smirks.

“Watch it.” I point a fry at him. “You’re swelling.” I point my fry at his crotch. “That is why I’m swelling,” I remind him.

“I can’t keep you off of it.” I snort a laugh, shoving the fry into my mouth.

He’s not wrong. I’m actually shocked this isn’t our fourth baby. I got pregnant rather quickly with our first, Corby. How that ten-pound baby came out of me, I have no clue.

Neil opens the door to the sheriff's office for me. My deputy, Meowficer, jumps down from off my desk.

“Were there any problems while I was gone?” I ask, scooping her off the ground. She nudges her head under my chin, letting me know she held down the fort while I was gone. I put her down on one of the chairs, giving her a treat.

“What the hell?” Neil mutters. I follow his line of sight to see what he's talking about.

“Oh! It's here.” I clap my hands, running over to the jail cell. “I knew the Stitch ladies would come through.”

“Why is that alligator in the nursery?”

We might have converted the cell into a room for Corby. It was convenient. It's not like we closed the door, and he could still slip through the bars if we did. I mean, it's right freaking there. I did take down the pink Valentine's Day lights, not because they're pink and Corby is a boy. That's silly. I did it for safety. Can't have him getting hurt inside his cell…I mean nursery.

“This alligator is going to win me this election.” I have come up with a plan. It's going to be a grand slam.

“I can't wait to hear this.” Neil puts my food down on my desk before taking a seat in my chair, ignoring his own desk. He pats his lap. I walk over to him, and he pulls me down, positioning me so that I am straddling him. Neil's hand comes to rest on the small bump that is our baby girl.

Neil has been a hands-on dad from the start. He was kind of better at the baby thing than I was. I was an only child. It also helped that he now did freelance work on investigations, so he got to be home a lot except for random trials he might have to testify in. Normally, Corby is with us, but my mom scooped him up this morning.

“So tonight?—”

“The movie in the park?” Neil questions.

“Yes.”

We had the park overhauled, cleaning it up and setting up this outside movie area. We completed the overhaul a few days ago, and tonight marks the town's first movie night there. It's going to be an every-other-Friday-night event.

“Don't tell me you're going to set that gator up in the park tonight?”

“Of course I am!” Neil shakes his head, his fingers going to the buttons of my uniform shirt to start to undo them.

“You'll scare everyone, and no more movie night.”

“Oh, I'm going to scare them.” I let out an evil laugh. “That alligator will come out, and everyone will scream. I'll rush over and pounce on it, ending its life and saving the day.” Neil lets out a chuckle. “Think about it. They have to reelect me then. I'm a hero.”

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