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“I have the first analysis on the body.” Coy held up a large manilla envelope and announced to everyone while they were finishing making breakfast.

“Is this really appropriate breakfast conversation?” Dillon nodded to the children.

“It’s okay. These guys have full bellies now, especially after all those berries they picked. I think we’ll head upstairs for some quiet time. They’ve had quite the morning already. Thank God they thought it was all part of Dev’s counting game and are unfazed.” Nora stood, placing her hand on her back as she did. “I think I have too.”

“Everything okay?” Cut asked with concern.

“Oh, it’s… fine. Just not used to all this action-adventure behavior. Mama needs quiet time, too.” Nora smiled. “It’s certainly been an exciting morning, but this baby is reminding me I don’t have the energy for exciting and that I need to rest.”

“I’ll come with you,” Charlotte said. “We can check on baby real quick, and I’ll take care of the little ones so you can put your feet up.”

“I don’t want to put you out…”

Charlotte took Tuck from his highchair and placed him on her hip while Nora reached for Dally’s hand. “You aren’t. I’m offering, remember? Take the help while you have it. You’re about to be outnumbered times four.”

“Don’t remind me. I’ve already forgotten what sleep is.” Nora teased. “Let’s go upstairs, Beau. Miss Charlotte wants to have a playdate with you.”

The little boy jumped up from his seat with excitement and grabbed Charlotte’s hand, pulling her along behind him. “C’mon Miss Char… Char…”

“You can call me Char, buddy.” She smiled.

“C’mon, Charlie.” He said.

“Charlie works, too.” Charlotte giggled.

“I’ll bring you a plate,” Nash said as they left the room.

“I’ll be fine. I’ll have something later.” She said over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

“Isn’t she perfect?” Nash asked the remaining family.

“She is pretty great,” Dillon admitted. “I keep looking for things… wrong with her, but nothin’.”

“Yep. Perfect.” Devyn chided. “Can we discuss this analysis on the human remains found on our property, or are we going to start Charlotte’s fan club first?”

“Someone’s having a bad morning.” Nash ranted.

“Actually, yeah. I am. And maybe whatever information is in that envelope might make things a little less stressful around here.” Devyn took a seat at the table, a stack of waffles in front of her, and groaned, “No strawberries. Great.”

Rip walked through the back door, holding the metal bowl Devyn had dropped earlier. Diesel ran to Devyn’s side, as soon as he and Rip breached the door, and sat obediently. All eyes were on Rip when he approached Devyn and sat the bowl down in front of her. To her surprise, it was full of berries.

He looked around the room, noting they were sitting down for a meal, “Sorry to interrupt. I thought maybe you needed these for something since you were out there picking them so early. Guess I was right.”

“Have a seat, fix a plate,” Dillon said, grabbing the bowl and taking them to the sink. “There’s plenty.”

“I, uh, don’t want to intrude,” Rip replied, eyes fixed on Devyn.

“You’re not,” Coy said. “Sit. Eat. I’m sharing the analysis you brought down with you. Thought maybe you’d like to be part of the conversation.”

Rip turned his attention back to Devyn.

“For God’s sake, sit.” Devyn grabbed a plate, covered it in a stack of waffles, and slid it in front of him. “There. Eat.”

Rip took a seat across from her and nodded, “Thank you.”

Dillon put a bowl of quickly sliced strawberries in front of Devyn, who proceeded to cover her waffles with scoops of the berries. She held the bowl up in front of Rip and raised her brow as if asking if he would like some as well, to which he nodded. Agitated as she was, Devyn was attentive to Rip, even if it was in a less-than-friendly manner. After topping his waffles with berries, she then topped both of their plates with whip topping.

“How do you know I want whipped cream?” he asked.

“Because you said yes to strawberries. Everyone knows you can’t have strawberry waffles without whipped cream.”

“I actually eat mine with just berries and syrup.” Rip was challenging her.

Devyn stared him down, then grabbed the syrup and poured it over the top of his plate, “There you go. Syrup. Everyone good?”

“I don’t know if I’m supposed to say thank you or gross,” Rip said, reaching for the syrup and pouring it over the top of her waffle stack.

“Why did you do that?” Devyn asked calmly.

“Same reason you did it to mine. Just being helpful.”

“That’s… disgusting. Syrup over strawberries and whipped cream?”

“Yet, you thought I should eat mine that way.” Rip rebutted.

“You said you like syrup.”

“No, I said I preferred syrup with my strawberries.”

“And I gave you syrup.”

“Only as part of a tantrum after taking it upon yourself to add whipped cream to mine.”

“Everyone likes it that way.” She shrugged.

“Sorry, but that’s an assumption. And rather than say sorry or offer syrup, you just… doused it with syrup. So, if I’m eating my waffles with strawberries, whipped cream, and syrup… you should, too. After all, it was your idea, Princess.”

“You chased me with a vicious dog at your side.” Devyn reached down and patted Diesel’s head, “No offense, handsome.”

“You shot me!”

“You had your gun drawn.”

“To protect you. You were screaming for help.”

“Help to get away from you.”

“I didn’t hurt you.”

“Don’t call me Princess.”

“Don’t put whipped cream on my waffles.”

“You’re ungrateful.”

“You’re spoiled.”

“You’re… big.”

“I don’t think that’s an insult.” He grinned. “But thanks for noticing.”

“Are you two done?” Coy asked. “Or do we need to send you two over to the children’s table?”

“I’d say put them in the corner together until they can get along like Mama used to do, but somethin’ tells me that’d be a bad idea.” Nash snickered.

“Eww.” Devyn sneered.

“Eww?” Rip flexed his pectoral muscles, making them bounce, and winked at her.

“That’s enough, you two,” Coy warned. “Dev, it isn’t his fault you were scared. It was mine. I didn’t tell you he was going to be here because you were outside with the kids when I got word he was on his way up to the house.”

“You should’ve told me, Coy.”

“You’re right, and I intended to. But to be fair, I did let everyone know I had help coming in, and Rip is the help. He is much needed around here and will be an asset while we get to the bottom of this shit. So, play nice.”

“Fine,” Devyn said, glaring across the table at Rip. “Just stay out of the woods next time –– I won’t aim for the jacket next time.”

“You only get to shoot me once before I shoot back.” He warned.

Her brow raised, “Noted. Let’s eat.”