Page 21 of Jag

“That will work.” Sami chuckled. “I wasn’t trying to warn you off or take up for him. I just wanted you to know that isn’t his normal behavior.”

“Okay, so should I meet you and the others somewhere for the outing?”

“Oh, I’m glad you’re coming. It’ll be fun. Why don’t we meet you here, say ten?”

“I’ll be ready.”

“Fantastic. Well, I better get back to Sue’s and get the girls. See ya, River.”

“Bye, Sami,” I said and watched as she walked to Sue’s house before I closed the door. Once in the kitchen, I pulled out the things I needed and started on dinner.

“I’m stuffed. That wasgreat, honey. Thank you,” my dad said, and I grinned as he pushed his plate away.

“Well, that is terrible. Who’s going to eat the pie?” I asked as I got up from the table, picking our empty plates up. Once I placed them in the sink, I grabbed the pie off the counter and set it on the table.

“If you keep feeding me like this, I’m going to need bigger uniforms.”

I smiled when he pushed his chair back and went to the cabinet, grabbed a couple of small plates and a knife before he joined me back at the table. After I cut us each a slice, I set my dad’s piece in front of him, and he groaned when he took his first bite.

“I’ll remember that next time I cook and leave out the dessert part of the meal,” I said as I scooped up my first bite.

“Hey! Not on my account. I could use new uniforms.”

I shook my head as I brought the next fork full to my mouth. We finished the pie in silence, then my dad insisted on helping me clean the kitchen.

“Want to sit on the patio for a bit, or do you need to head home?” I asked as I handed him the last pan to dry.

“I’d love to. Need to let that delicious meal settle.”

After pouring us each another glass of tea, we headed out the back door to the patio.

“This is nice,” I said and used the toe of my shoe to kick the patio swing in motion.

“It is, for a number of reasons,” my dad said and put his arm around me and squeezed. “Having you here is the best part, River. I know the circumstances that brought you here suck, but I refuse to dwell on them. I’m too damn happy that you’re here. I’m tempted to call Thomas and thank him for fucking up.”

“Dad,” I said and rested my head on his shoulder. We rocked back and forth quietly, not sure how long we stayed in our own thoughts.

“So...” Dad began, then cleared his throat, “How did the rest of your day go?” His tone had me lifting my head to look at him. What I saw made me smile.

“Boy, that face and your eyes just gave me a brief look at what growing up here with you as the sheriff would have been like. I wouldn’t have gotten by with much, would I have?”

“What, you think because you’re grown it makes a difference?” I watched his jaw tighten while he stared back at me. I couldn’t imagine anyone holding up under his scrutiny.

“You can’t be serious?” He lifted his brow at my question but didn’t answer.

No way could he know what happened at lunch or in front of the bakery. For once I did what I said and hadn’t thought of Dom.

“Gee, okay. Dom showed up at lunch, and it didn’t go well. But if I’m going to be honest, some blame is on me. The man gets under my skin and then I act like a spoiled teenager. Then I wanted to get your favorite pie, and I almost took out Dom’s dad, Flyboy, in front of the bakery. And he and I might have said a few smartass things to each other. There, happy?”

“You wouldn’t have gotten away with anything,” Dad said and laughed when I stared at him. “Don’t feel bad, honey. A lot of people crack easily.”

“You knew nothing, and I told you?”

“I didn’t say that. I knew basically what happened at Soft Tails because Dom stopped by the station to pick some paperwork up from me. He told me, and he took all the blame. Said his behavior was rude and he had no excuse for it. But running over his dad—that I didn’t know.” Dad chuckled. “God, River, his father? Should I be worried that you have it out for the Amara men?”

“It isn’t funny.” I plopped back on the swing and crossed my arms over my chest. “The other men accused me of that, too.”

“Other men?”

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