Page 78 of Until the End

“You okay?” Ryan asks, handing me a beer. I haven’t had my allotted one drink yet tonight, which I’m sure he’s aware of, otherwise he wouldn’t have brought this over to me.

“Fine.”

He gives me a look that says he knows I’m full of shit. Thankfully, he doesn’t push. He’s gotten pretty good at reading when he can get away with forcing me to talk. Tonight is not one of those nights.

I’m restless.

My skin is crawling with the need to do something.

Anything.

I might take my bike out tonight. I don’t ride it a lot. Being a police officer, I’ve seen my fair shareof motorcycle accidents. But when I start to itch with impatience, I’ll ride around for an hour to help ease the restlessness.

“Did you hold baby Nina yet?”

I look across the room, where Carson is holding their little girl while Ginny talks with Lottie and Gia. I shouldn’t be surprised that they went with the name Ginny loved the most. Carson would walk over hot coals to give her whatever she wanted.

“Not yet. I’m not sure I’m cut out to hold a newborn.”

Ryan gets a soft look in his eye as he stares at the couple. “They’re not so bad. It’s sort of like holding a potato.”

I snort. “Interesting comparison.”

“Shut up. I just meant that they don’t really do anything other than sleep.”

“I’ll probably wait until she’s a little sturdier.” Maybe. I have a hard time with touching people and them touching me in return. I’m not sure how I would react to holding a baby, and I don’t really want to risk it. Over the years, touching others has gotten easier, but it still makes my skin crawl when I’m not ready for it. Even when I am, it makes me uncomfortable.

This family is a bunch of huggers, so I didn’t have much choice but to get used to it. Although that’s not entirely fair. They’re always careful not to touch me unless I initiate the contact. And I try to do it when I can. I don’t like seeing their understanding faces when I’m not up for a hug.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out, expecting to see dispatch trying to get in touch with me. I’m always on call since I don’t have a wife or kids or anything. I don’t want the other deputies in town to give up their family time when I’m capable of taking the call instead.

My stomach flips when I read the caller ID. I walk up the stairs of Lottie’s parents’ basement to find a quiet place totalk.

“Adalaide.”

“God, just listening to you say my name makes me hot.”

I frown. “What?”

“There’s something about your deep, sexy voice that gets me every time.”

“Are you drunk?”

She giggles. “Yep. It’s wonderful.”

Before I can respond, a man’s voice can be heard through the speaker. “Here you go, sweetheart.”

“Adalaide. Do not drink that. You have no idea what could be in it.”

“Pshhhh. It’s fine. I watched the bartender make it.”

“You’re drunk. You’re not perceptive enough to know if he put something in it.”

“You’re an asshole. A big, sexy, handsome asshole.” She sighs.

Fuck.I run my hand through my dark hair. “Where are you, Adalaide?”

“At a bar.”

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