As he headed inside, he gazed up at the Cape Renovations sign above the back door and felt a sense of pride that Preacher not only trusted him with his daughter but also with his clients and one of his vehicles. He and Zeke and Zander made a good team. He’d missed having friends to shoot the shit with. It was a strange and wonderful feeling to go from years of days blurring together to the first few months after getting out of prison, when the days of the week didn’t matter because he was just so damn happy to be free, to looking forward to evenings and weekends with Madigan. He’d been surprised to realize he looked forward to work every day, too.

He went into the office to hang up the truck keys. Reba’s door was ajar, and he heard Preacher talking low and Reba giggling, followed by sounds of kissing, more low voices, giggling, and kissing. Shit. It was no wonder Madigan was so openly affectionate. When they met at the shop in the mornings, Reba greeted each of them with a special comment or a hug and a smile as bright as her daughter’s. Tobias had noticed how touchy-feely she and Preacher were with each other and how they made a point of saying goodbye with an I love you and a kiss every time they parted ways. He wanted that with Madigan, and he hoped her eyes never stopped lighting up when she saw him.

A man is only as good as he makes the people around him feel. His grandfather had drilled that into his head when he was young. No truer words had ever been spoken, which was why he was on a mission to make things right with Blaine.

Tobias quickly hung up the keys, and his phone vibrated with a text. He stepped out of the office and into the hall as he pulled out his phone and saw Madigan’s name on the screen. He opened the message and Thinking of you appeared. Another message popped up, a picture of a card that had five gold stars across the top and EXCELLENT PENIS. HIGHLY RECOMMEND beneath. He chuckled as he thumbed out, I’ll see your five stars and raise you five more. Mesmerizing Mouth. TEN Stars. Can’t wait to revisit. He added a devil emoji and sent it off.

“Tobias.”

Startled, he pocketed his phone and looked up, meeting Preacher’s serious gaze and Reba’s sweet smile. “Hey, Preacher. Reba.”

“Hi, sweetheart,” she said. “You look a little harried. Is everything okay?”

“Yes, I was just”—sending your daughter a dirty text—“on my way out.”

“I’ll walk out with you.” Preacher leaned in to kiss Reba. “Love you, darlin’.”

“Love you, too. You boys have a good afternoon.”

“Everything go okay this morning?” Preacher asked as they headed outside.