Page 63 of My Three Hometown Hard Hats

What did he say?

As Grayson puts Mom’s car in park in the garage, I hear the crunching of gravel as Conrad parks his truck in front of the house.

Grayson glares at all three of my men, but he keeps his mouth shut and lets them help get Mom situated in the house. She’s exhausted and just wants to sleep, so we get her settled in her bed with ice packs on her hip.

“I need to run to the firehouse for a bit and check in,” Grayson tells me. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

“Okay, sounds good.”

He glances at the guys standing on the other side of the living room, then finally strides out the front door to where he left his own truck across the street early this morning.

Well, I guess that’s better than yelling at them.

“Do you still think he’s going to kill us?” Brooks says, staring as Grayson drives his truck up the street.

Austin shakes his head. “He’ll come around. I was honest with him about…stuff. He doesn’t hate you or any of us. He just cares about his sister.”

I quirk my brow at the “stuff” part, but don’t say anything.

“There’s some dinner in the fridge for you guys,” Conrad says. “There’s a lasagna and a salad.”

My eyes suddenly feel watery again. “Thank you, “I whisper, not wanting to cry anymore.

My mom made it through surgery just fine. I have all three of these men. No more secrets. Somehow, it’s all going to be okay.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Brooks

These last twoweeks have been torture.

We’ve barely been able to see Hadley. We stopped by a couple of times to see her and to check on her mom, but it wasn’t nearly enough.

I miss her. I miss her a lot.

Maggie is finally doing better, though, and Hadley is going to spend the entire weekend with us. Grayson is staying with his mom in case she needs him to give Hadley a break.

He’s still being a growly bear about all of us seeing Hadley, but I think we’re wearing him down. He’ll see eventually that we’re perfect for each other, and that all of us would do anything for her.

Spinning around, I pace back down the length of the warehouse.How many more times do I have to do this until it’s time to pick her up?

I need to do something.

I poke my head into Austin’s office, where he’s typing away on his computer. “I’m going to get Evelyn from school,” I tell him.

He looks surprised. “Okay, sounds good.”

“Then, Evelyn and I will go get Hadley.”

A smile ghosts over the corner of his mouth, but he just nods. I turn, walking across the warehouse floor, but he shouts after me, “Take care of our girls.”

Our girls. Both of them. Hadley and Evelyn.

I had no part in creating Evelyn, but I love that girl. She is my girl in every way that really matters. My heart doesn’t know the difference.

I double-check that the booster seat is secure in the backseat, then drive toward the school. A huge smile crosses her face when she sees my red truck.

“Brooks!” she screams, climbing in.