Page 29 of Mr. Flirt

Shep smiled. “So what you’re telling me is that I have a shot?”

Chapter Eleven

A Bun in the Oven

Shep

Lucy was the most beautiful woman I’d ever met.

The smartest.

And the most confusing in history.

I smiled to myself as I glanced at my sister, Winter, who was happily hugging her husband in between eyeing me. We were sitting in their kitchen while they finished making breakfast. They’d invited me over for a late brunch, but I was pretty certain there were strings attached that came in the form of babysitting or dog sitting... basically, some sort of responsibility that they wanted to throw my way.

Winter spun out of her husband’s arms, caught my gaze, and narrowed hers. “Why do you look so suspicious?”

I winced. “Suspicious?”

Her hands whipped to her hips. “You heard me.”

“I was trying to tally my chances on whether I could eat breakfast and bug out before you asked me to babysit or watch your dog.”

She waggled her finger. “I know you better than that. What are you really thinking?”

“Seriously. That was it.” I laughed and walked over to her husband, Brad, as he pulled a jug of orange juice out of the fridge. “Has she been getting more paranoid than usual?”

Brad laughed and poured the juice into several glasses. “I plead the fifth.”

Winter barreled over and flung her arms around me. “You’re just the best brother ever.”

I chuckled, hugging her back. “Okay. Now I know you want something out of me.”

She traded a mischievous glance with my brother-in-law as she let go of me. “Fine, if you won’t tell me why you’ve been so quiet since you got here, I’ll just make up reasons and start the rumors flying.”

I helped Brad carry a platter of bacon and sausage to the table when their son came barreling toward us with their two dogs, Berry and Larry, right behind him.

“Hey, Uncle Shep,” Hunter shouted.

“Hunter, my main little dude,” I said, picking him up. He’d just turned five and was full of energy, but nothing compared to their dogs.

“Did Mommy tell you?” he asked.

I put him back on the floor and grinned. I could always count on Hunter to reveal family secrets.

Cocking my head, I glanced at my sister, who rolled her eyes.

“No, they didn’t tell me a thing. All I know is that I’m being fed like a king.”

Hunter scowled and grabbed a piece of bacon. “A king? I eat like this every Saturday. Does that mean I’m a king?”

I chuckled. “I think it does.”

Hunter wandered off toward the family room while I was left without answers.

“Wait a sec, Hunter. Didn’t you want to tell me what Mommy was going to tell me?”

He crawled onto the couch and watched us while he snacked on the bacon. “Nope. I’ll wait.”

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