Page 104 of Sergeant O'
“Yeah, it’s been kind of rough not having a set of wheels.”
“Makes going across town a little more difficult, ‘eh?” Adam quipped with a smirk.
“You can use my car,” Lainey offered as she plated Adam’s food. “The keys are hanging on the hook by the back door. Feel free anytime you need it.”
“Thanks, Lain. I’ll probably take you up on that.”
“That’s why I offered.”
She set Adam’s breakfast down and gave me a familiar smile that made me lose the eggs off my fork.
Fuck, I missed Jade, already.
“You’re always welcome to ride to work with me, too,” Adam chimed in as he took a bite of bacon—although I noticed he didn’t volunteer to let me drive his Bronco.
“I still have to talk to Angus about when I can come back.”
“Annnnyway,” Lainey interrupted while she returned to make herself a plate. “Back to your parents coming to visit! They’re going to stay here, right?”
“I don’t know, baby. Between them and Alan, I think this place might get a little crowded.”
“Alan can stay with me,” I offered before taking another swig of coffee. “I mean, it only seems fair. I did just stay at his cottage for a week.”
Lainey exclaimed, “Oh, that’d be perfect!”
Adam looked at her. “Are you sure? We could probably find them a bed and breakfast nearby.”
“Adam Callahan, don’t you dare even think about putting your parents in a bed and breakfast!”
“Awfully big talk, considering you haven’t met them and think I was raised by wolves.”
She messed up his hair as she walked by to take a seat. “You know I was just teasing. I’m sure they’re lovely people—they shaped you to be the man you are, didn’t they?”
“Well, I think the Marines played a part in that, too.”
“Yeah, but I think the Marines could only do so much if they didn’t have a good foundation to work with. I can’t wait to meet them!”
“They’re excited to meet you, too, baby. And Conor.”
“Speaking of my godson, where is he?”
“Oh, he’s still sleeping.” Adam glanced at his watch. “We’ve probably got another thirty minutes before he gets up.”
I loved that Adam knew that.
Okay, time to see if my bullshit would fly. “Look… about me and Jade.”
Lainey froze with her fork in midair, while Adam leaned back in his chair with his coffee, waiting for me to continue.
“What do you think about this: We both make sure to tell people things are not what they look like. We just gave Rachel something to gossip about at the bank, and it obviously took on a life of its own. So, when we noticed people following us aroundat the Cape, we decided to just keep the ruse up. That’s all. We are not dating.”
For a beat, neither of them spoke. Then Lainey slowly nodded. “I mean, it could work—if you both stick to the story and you manage to not get caught coming out of her house at dawn again.”
Adam just shrugged. “I don’t know the town well enough yet. But if you both think it’ll fly, I guess it’s worth a shot.”
I nursed my coffee while I thought through the next step.
“I just need to plant a few strategic seeds, and the story’ll be all over town in no time.”
