Page 25 of Starting Over with You
“Well, if you don’t mind an older lady, I volunteer,” Bea tells me with a twinkle in her eye. Everyone is laughing, catcalling, and I keep my gaze locked on her. I love this woman; she has been a pillar in this community my whole life. She brought me juice boxes and PB&J sandwiches before and after games. A little innocent flirting to make her day is the least I can do.
She made a mean PB&J. I think she added honey.
“Ms. Bea, we both know I couldn’t handle you.”
The room explodes into mayhem at that comment. Bea’s face is darker than her hair, and I tip my drink at her. I’m about to walk out, knowing I made her night, when Kitty calls out, “I heard Kenleigh is back in town.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning like a fool. I haven’t seen her yet, but damn if I don’t feel her back in town. I feel the anticipation like the rumble of thunder before the storm descends. My chest is tight as I say, “I may have heard the same.”
“Hopefully, you two have grown out of getting arrested together,” Kitty teases, and I chuckle with a lift of my right shoulder.
“Listen, my record is clean. All that happened before I was an adult.”
“Doesn’t mean we all don’t remember,” Maggie reminds me, and I laugh at that.
“Oh, none of y’all forget a thing,” I confirm as the bell above the door rings, and we all look at the newcomer. My brother-in-law walks in with his hands tucked into his belt as his handcuffs jingle and jangle. He’s almost as tall as me, but way leaner. He’s stronger than he looks, but he’s lanky as all fuck. His dark-blond hair is buzzed tightly along the sides with a nice comb-over that makes him look like a put-together officer. But being married to my sister? He’s got to have a few screws loose. He nods toward me, and I do the same as he comes to stand beside me.
“You worried, Officer Jenkins?”
Matt fights back a smile as he looks over at Bea. “Whatever would I need to be worried about? I’m married to the most gorgeous woman in town, and we have three wonderful kids.”
Suck-up.
Bea waves him off. “Such a sweet thing you are.”
“But we all know how wild Sadie can be,” Maggie reminds us, as if we could forget. “With Kenleigh being back in town, Lord almighty, everyone better start hiding their livestock and all the liquor.”
More laughter follows, and I mean, they’re not wrong. Matt lets out a booming laugh before shrugging. “I’m not worried a lick, Ms. Maggie. My girl does no wrong.”
I scoff at that and hook my thumb at him. “Says the guy who didn’t grow up here.”
That brings about all kinds of hooting and hollering. The place fills with stories of how the girls did so many things to torment everyone. Sadie stole a car once when she was twelve. She couldn’t even reach the pedals, but Missy could, so Sadie sat in Missy’s lap while she pushed the gas. Kenni was in the back, grinning the whole time. Then Kenni stole her daddy’s handcuffs and used them to handcuff Michael Riggs to the flagpole outside of school. Naked. All because he told people that Sadie gave him head after a football game. I would have kicked his ass, but everyone seeing his small dick was enough of a punishment, really. Kenni would have been caught by the cameras, but Missy shot them down with herdaddy’s gun while Sadie stood beside her, grinning like she was holding the gun herself.
I snort at the memory, until Matt leans in. “Jasper called.” He’s the owner of the Thirsty Pine. “They’re at the Thirsty Pine, seven sheets to the wind and dancing on the bar.”
I close my eyes, shaking my head.
“Let me guess. They’re doing theCoyote Uglydance?”
Matt’s eyes widen. “Yes, and I heard Sadie singing ‘Can’t Fight the Moonlight.’”
Fucking hell. Kenni’s been here, what? A couple hours?
I look over at him, and I see the worry etching his face. Before I can reassure him this is normal for those three, my phone starts to ring.
I don’t even have to look at it to know who it is.
I let my head fall back as I groan out, “Hello?”
“Deannnnnn!!!!”
Fuck. My. Life.
CHAPTER
TEN
Dean
