Page 25

Carter

One week later, I stood there, trying to hold it all in as the preacher did the eulogy.

My family had stayed with me and Harlee.

They had attended every funeral in the area with us.

And we were all back in our state, standing by the graveside of Granger Harris Rogers.

His headstone read his name, the date he was born, the date he passed, and gained his wings.

Then below that it read, ‘ Beloved Brother. Beloved in Heart .’

Harlee cried softly at my side.

Tatum’s boyfriend I had recently found out about, stood there with his arms crossed as Tatum sobbed at his side.

I didn’t bother hiding my lifted brow as Garrick had apparently had enough of it.

He shoulder-checked the fucker out of the way and then gathered Tatum in his arms.

Giving her his strength to get through it.

When it was over, none of us batted an eyelash as Garrick spoke softly to her.

And when we all headed to our vehicles, I didn’t miss Garrick standing there with his arms crossed over his chest, glowering, as Tatum’s boyfriend didn’t open her door for her.

Things had slowly returned to as normal as we could get, as we all waited for me to heal.

And thankfully, Harlee had taken off work for three weeks, and offered Everly the same time off, but paid.

She was a damn good boss.

Speaking of things, she was good at, what she wasn’t good at was letting me have my way.

I couldn’t walk up the stairs. I couldn’t stand for a long period of time. I couldn’t make love to my woman. She informed me that once we had an all clear from the doctor, she would lighten up.

I highly doubted it. I knew my woman.

I had also noticed that more and more of her things were showing up at my house, and when she started to walk out the door to get a few more things, I growled, “Stop.”

She stopped, then turned to me and lifted a brow, “What?”

“Leave it. Brothers and I will move you in this weekend.”

And my woman, being my woman, simply smiled and nodded.