Page 41
Chapter Nineteen
“It’s official. It’s the end of days.”
Foster chuckled as Mac flopped down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling as if it held all the answer. It had been two weeks since she’d nearly died, and he’d barely left her side for more than an hour or two.
If only Keaton could see him now, his cousin would bust a gut laughing. Not that Foster would blame him. Love had never been part of Foster’s long-term goals until Mackenzie had breezed into his life like a damn hurricane and blown away all his plans.
He shut the door then made his way to the bed, standing in front of her. “Something on your mind, sweetheart?”
She huffed, motioning to the door. “My dad just spent an entire night hanging out with you and your buddies, playing poker, eating pizza, and he didn’t threaten to kill you once. And that includes when he caught us kissing in the kitchen.”
“We’re adults. We’re allowed to kiss.”
“Not in front of him.”
Foster went to his knees so he was level with her. “Should I be worried you sound disappointed?”
She frowned. “Do you have any salt? Maybe some holy water? Iron? Because we need to make sure that’s really my father and he hasn’t been body snatched or something.”
Foster grinned. God he loved her. From her tousled mass of brown hair and sexy blue eyes to her unwavering conviction and adorable bare feet. She was more than just his heart. She was his soul.
He leaned over, loving how her pupils dilated as she gave him a thorough once-over. “Have you stopped to consider he’s happy for you?”
Mackenzie cocked her head to the side. “I did, but that would make him human, and I’m not sure I can venture that far outside the natural order of things.”
He laughed. “Damn, I love you.”
“You’d better, because I officially cancelled that rental cabin, today.” She levered onto her elbows, a slight tightening in the corners of her mouth the only indication her shoulder was still healing. “You aren’t regretting giving me that key, right?”
“Do I look like I’m having second thoughts?” He silenced her with a finger across her mouth. “The answer’s no. Especially if you plan on waking me up, again, like you did this morning.”
“You needed to know I’m not broken because you’ve been handling me with kid gloves since we left the hospital.”
“That’s because you were literally broken. Though, I get the feeling we can take things up a notch.” He bent over her, eating at her mouth when someone rapped on the door, the eerie echo effectively shattering the sensual atmosphere.
Mac glanced at the door as she raked her hand through his hair. “Ten bucks that’s my dad.”
Foster laughed. “You’re on.”
He offered her his hand, then they headed for the door, cracking it open as the knocker sounded a second time.
Greer jumped, shaking her head as she placed a hand on her chest. “Sorry to just drop by, but…”
Foster waved off any concern. “Never a bad time to talk to the new sheriff. Come on in. Would you like a beer?”
Greer stopped just inside the doorway. “I’m pretty sure Atticus rigged that impromptu election.”
Mac gave her a gentle shove. “He did not. He just made sure everyone knew you were the catalyst behind catching Thompson and his asshole drug smuggling ring. That you nearly died in order to put him behind bars.”
“Except you and Foster’s team did that.”
Foster shook it off. “We just cleaned up the mess. So, beer?”
“Sadly, I’m on duty.”
He checked his watch. “Haven’t you been on duty for seventy-two hours straight?”
Greer raked her hand through her hair. “Something like that, but I’m a bit short staffed.”
“No, shit. Any luck hiring replacements for Thompson’s crew?”
“Still going through extensive background checks. Though, Bodie’s agreed to lend a hand until I’ve got some reliable backup.
I’ve forgotten what it’s like to have people I trust guarding my back.
Which is one of the reasons I’m here. I wanted to thank you, again, for saving my ass.
I still can’t believe you two pulled me out of my Bronco. ”
“You wouldn’t have gotten hurt if I hadn’t asked you to do that deep dive, so consider us even.”
Greer looked at Mac. “Is he still going on about that?”
Mac gave his hand a squeeze. “He’s a work in progress.”
“Aren’t all men?”
“Ouch.” Foster palmed his chest. “Why do I suddenly feel as if I need backup?”
“Easy there, big guy. I’m just yanking on your chain.
” Greer shifted on her feet. “And for the record, it wasn’t my deep dive that got me noticed.
It was running a search on that truck Jordan saw driving past the café that day.
When Thompson saw me trying to track down a white Tacoma with California plates, he thought I was on to him and his involvement with Vexarin and that asshole Voss.
It was just ironic timing that Voss tried to eliminate me the night I was coming over to talk to you about Carrington. ”
Foster nodded. “I appreciate the sentiment, but we still should have had your back before Voss blew your SUV off the road.”
“Men.” Greer toed at the floor, looking oddly nervous, and Foster knew whatever else she had to say wasn’t going to be pleasant.
“You might as well just spit out the real reason you came over before you tap a hole in the floor.”
She grunted, glancing at Mac before reaching into the inside pocket of her jacket then handing Foster an envelope. “I found Thompson’s secret stash of all the cases he’d covered up. I thought you might want to see the actual evidence from your parents’ accident.”
Foster took the folder, staring at it before opening the end and fishing out the papers.
Greer pointed toward the sheets. “I know there was some speculation on whether he planted an identical bomb on your dad’s vehicle like the one you found on mine, but it looks like that was Striker.
There was an eye-witness account in the report that Thompson buried.
An older woman saw someone matching Striker’s description standing on the edge of the cliff that night.
But when she pulled over to ask if he was okay, he jumped in a white truck and took off.
She didn’t get the plate number, but she spotted the wreckage and called it in. ”
Greer sighed. “I don’t know if that helps or hurts, but I thought you should know the truth.”
Foster nodded as he held up the file. “I appreciate it. Thank you.”
Greer shook his hand. “You can keep that, and I’m around if you have any questions.
I don’t know if there’s anything else hidden in the office, but I’ll let you know if I find additional intel.
” She smiled at Mac then stepped outside.
“Anyway, I just wanted to give you that and say thanks for everything. Though, it was probably overkill insisting I crash here after you captured Voss.”
“We don’t believe in overkill. And we could have missed some of his crew. Striker mentioned something about additional forces to Mac, so it’s always better to plan for the worse. Besides, Chase would have had a coronary if you’d camped out at your place, alone.”
“He’s definitely unique. So, with most of the renovations done, are you planning on opening this place up anytime soon?”
“Honestly, I was thinking I’d hold off for a while. Keep it in the family for a bit. See if we might need a few more of the rooms for ourselves.”
Mac’s jaw dropped, her gaze clashing with his as a red blush crept up her cheeks.
Greer laughed. “And that’s my cue to get the hell out. Glad we all got to see which side of that coin your finally landed on. Oh, and I need a lift up the coast later in the week, Beckett, so don’t be calling in sick because you want to stay home and do nasty things to Mac.”
She gave them both a salute then headed for her truck, her headlights bouncing down the driveway a few minutes later.
Foster closed the door, watching Mac as she stared at him. Eyes wide. Her foot tapping on the floor. He locked up then joined her in the middle of the room, taking her hand in his. “Are you okay? Because you look as if you’re not sure whether to jump me or get my Sig and shoot me in the ass.”
“You thought you’d wait to see if we needed more of the rooms? Is that your subtle way of saying you might want kids?”
“It wasn’t subtle.”
“Foster…”
He smiled, then pulled her close, smoothing his hand down her back and onto the top of her ass. “I never thought I’d ever fall in love, let alone find someone like you. So, yeah. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it. Not that it’s required, but if it’s something you’d like, too?—”
She kissed him. No warning or hesitation. Just her mouth crushing against his as she all but climbed into his arms.
Foster wrapped his hands around her, holding her close as he started walking toward the stairs. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“There’s only one condition.”
“Is this where you try to get out of owing me ten bucks? Because that wasn’t your dad.”
She palmed his face, holding his gaze when he placed her on her feet at the side of his bed. “If we end up having a boy, we name him Sean Joshua Rhett Beckett.”
Foster choked on his next breath, then kissed her, keeping her close once he’d eased back. “You know, if Rhett ever wakes his sorry ass up, his head won’t fit through the door once he hears that.”
“I’ll chance it.”
“I really don’t deserve you.”
“I know.”
He arched a brow. “And if we ended up having a girl?”
She frowned. “I hadn’t thought that through.”
“How about we call her Parker Beckett?”
Her eyes teared over as she tiptoed up and kissed him, again. “Were you always this charming?”
“The guys would say no.” He smiled. “I love you, Mac. And you’re on.”
“Love you more. Now, what do you say we get started? Because I’ve got big plans, and it’s only a matter of time before the rest of your team barges in, and I’m not sure I’ll be willing to stop.”
Table of Contents
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- Page 41 (Reading here)
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