Page 38 of When You Blush

Blake: I’m so, so sorry, sugar. Bridger’s coming to give you a ride home. I feel like a dick.

With a grin, I type out a reply.

Me: Stop. I told you, I’m honestly fine. I understand, Blake! Bridger will take me home, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

I set the phone aside as the server picks up my card.

“You’re very calm about this,” Bridger says, and I can’t help but laugh.

“The man has a job. It’s not like I think he had someonefakecall him to get him out of here, leave me with the check, and high and dry on a ride home.” I eyeball him. “Wait, he didn’t, did he?”

Bridger scowls, and I laugh.

“I’m kidding. How’s Bryce, by the way?”

That has Bridger’s face softening sweetly. “He’s great. No issues at all. And I want to thank you for everything you did for us in the hospital. Dani, in particular. She trusted you and felt at ease with you, even when she was terrified.”

“It was honestly my pleasure. I’m so glad he’s healthy. You have a beautiful family, Chief.”

His eyebrow kicks up.

“As if anyone doesn’t know who the fire chief is around here.”

He laughs. Once I’ve signed the credit card slip, we walk out of the pub to his truck.

I arrived with one Blackwell brother, and I’m leaving with another. It’s been a fascinating evening.

Bridger chats about the kids and his gorgeous wife on the way to my place, and after thanking him for the lift, I walk inside, set my stuff down, and sigh.

I’m wide awake, and it’s still relatively early, so I walk to the kitchen and decide to do the week’s meal prep and some baking tonight.

I turn on some music and link my phone to the speaker system and dive in.

I shared a lot with Blake tonight. More than I normally would, if I’m being honest. He’s easy to talk to and doesn’t make me feel awkward. His face showed no pity when I told him about my parents.

I don’t need or want anyone’s pity. I have an awesome family.

Suddenly, I hear the front door open, and then Xander and Easton, the third Hendrix brother, come walking in.

“Holy shit, you’re home!” I run over to Xander and jump in his arms, hugging him tight. Aside from Ava, I’ve always been closest to Xander. Maybe because he’s only two years older than us. “I’ve missed the fuck out of you!”

“Hey, baby sis,” he says, which is what he’s always called me. I’m only three months younger than Ava, but that makes me the baby. “I missed you, too.”

“What am I, chopped liver?” Easton asks, and I grin at him.

“I see you all the time,” I remind him. Easton is a police officer in Silver Springs. He helped me move all of my stuff into this house.

“What are you making?” Xander asks as he moves into the kitchen with Easton right behind us.

“I’m baking a berry crisp for Greg,” I tell them, “and some molasses cookies. Sugar-free, of course. And I’m meal prepping for myself. Those are breakfast burritos.”

Xander picks one up and starts to eat it.

“It’s notbreakfast, genius.”

“Hungry,” he says around a big bite, and all I do is grin at him becausehe’s home.

Xander boosts himself up on the counter, feet dangling, and eats the burrito in about four bites.