She nodded, tucked her hair back behind her ear. Her palms were dirty and so were her jeans at the knees. “You?”

I ran a hand over my face, tried to calm down. “Fuck. That was a mess. Now you’ve met Mandy,” I said, then laughed, but there was no humor in it. “She’s out of the picture for good. It’s over.”

“Good. Because we’ve got plans.” She hooked her hand behind my neck and kissed the heck out of me. “I think her car’s gonna need a tow. Know someone?” she asked when she finally pulled her lips from mine.

18

SARAH

In the end my father was called to tow Mandy’s car. He was the shop on record with the department. For now. Based on the way Huck wasn’t wild about my dad, that would probably change, even if I didn’t set up my own business. All I knew was that I hadn’t been the one to tow it. I wasn’t sure if Roy had been scraped from the bottom of a liquor bottle, but I didn’t care.

Huck and I had been long gone from the scene by then and settled at the station. I’d had to write up my statement about what had happened, but Alice had offered to come and collect me when I’d finished. I’d refused, even though Huck had reports of his own and had to book Mandy into custody. Being with Huck, even in the same building, was important, although I’d gone to the deli down the street to get sandwiches for everyone.

We finally left around eight and stopped at my house—as originally planned—to get a few of my things before heading back to the ranch. Claire hadn’t run out to meet us as she had earlier, but when we went inside, we found her coming down the steps with damp hair and pale blue pajamas.

“Daddy!” she squealed, then launched herself off the third step and into his arms.

I panicked for a split second, sticking my arms out to catch her, but it was obviously a move they did often because he squeezed her close and tickled her. He made growly bear sounds and she giggled.

“You’re back,” she said to me once Huck stopped winding her up.

“I am. Is that okay?” I asked, setting my overnight bag down.

She nodded vigorously. “You can sleep with Daddy in his room. That’s what mommies do. My friend Lizzie’s mommy and daddy share a bed, and she says they make funny noises in it.”

I could feel my cheeks heat, and I glanced up at Alice, who’d followed Claire down the stairs but at a slower pace. By the smile on her face, she was amused. As Huck had said, he was thirty-two years old, but still… I didn’t want to be disrespectful since this was her house, too.

“I bathed and brushed and it’s books time. Will you read to me, Sarah?”