Page 16 of Chasing Shelter

My frown morphed into a scowl. Small towns.

Kye

By little birdie, you mean one of Sutton’s mom-friends, don’t you?

I knew he was right because a boy Luca’s age lived down the street. The next time I saw his mom doing thirty in a twenty-five, I was giving her a speeding ticket.

Rhodes

I’m sorry, I’m still stuck on the striptease part of this.

Fallon

No, it’s the striptease AND Trace part of that sentence.

Jesus.Did my siblings seriously think I was that much of a stick-in-the-mud?

Me

There was a fire situation.

Kye

And you put it out with your shirt?

Me

It’s a long story.

Cope

It always is. *wink wink*

Me

You’re the worst. I need to go check on Keely.

Arden

Lolli would be so proud of your striptease, T-money!

Fallon

Remember, make good choices. And if someone tries to pull down your G-string, just say no.

Shep

That was a mental image I did not need.

“Daaaaaaddy!” Keely’s heat-seeking-missile voice was back. But this time, it was followed by thundering footsteps that were far louder than a six-year-old’s should be. The drumroll of feet hitting the stairs was followed by a stampede toward the kitchen.

“Keels, what is the rule about running on the stairs?” I called before she appeared.

“Don’t do it ‘cause I could get hurt,” she yelled back.

“That’s right. So, let’s put that into practice, okay?” I always tried to be gentle with my girl, but I needed her safe above all else. Setting my phone down, I pinched the bridge of my nose. It was going to be a long day, and it wasn’t even eight a.m. yet.

“But it was an emergency.” Keely skidded to a stop in the kitchen’s new threshold. Shep and his construction company had taken it down to the studs and rebuilt it, blending modern elements with the history of the Craftsman. But I wasn’t thinking about what an incredible job my brother did with the remodel. I was too busy gaping at my kid’s hair.

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