Keep It Simple (MMG Series Book 4) by R.B. Hilliard

but I hated you at the same time,” my voice cracked as the tears came and Max pulled me across the dash and into his lap.
    “I never wanted you to go,” he whispered into my hair. “Dad was the burden, not you, not ever you. You were the only thing that kept me going. It killed me when I had to let you go. I want you home. Please say you’ll come home.”
    I pulled back to search his face and could see it in his eyes. He was completely serious. He didn’t want me to go. The happiness I felt in knowing he didn’t choose to send me away was overwhelming. “Let me think about it, okay?”
    “Take the time you need, but regardless, I want you here when Ellison has the baby.”
    “Deal,” I told him. We both smiled and he hugged me one more time before shifting me back to my seat.
    Sunday I helped Max and Ellie clean the upstairs. Max and I moved furniture around and listened to Ellie moan about which room to turn into the nursery. Three seconds after my head hit the pillow that night, I was out.
    The next morning Max invited me to work with him. I kindly turned him down in favor for eating a box of donuts with Ellie. Donuts win every time. I thought about Cas all day. I decided if he wasn’t at the pub tonight, it was a sign it wasn’t meant to be and I wouldn’t go back. Ellie fixed lasagna for dinner. After cleaning up the kitchen with Max, I ran upstairs and changed my top out for my favorite fuzzy sweater. At the last second, I pulled on my black Converse. He probably won’t be there. After combing my hair out, I put on a coat of mascara and some lip gloss and headed for the door.
    When I hit the bottom of the stairs, I could hear someone singing on the television.
    “Piper’s coming over in a few. Come watch The Voice with us,” Ellie half-shouted from the living room.
    “I can’t. I’m going to Amanda’s.” I set down my purse to pull on my jacket.
    “I want you home before three in the morning this time,” Max warned. Ellie and I both jerked when he said this. His eyebrow shot up, but he didn’t elaborate. Instead of poking the bear, I gave them both a thumbs up. Then I got the hell out of there.
    There were hardly any cars in the parking lot when I arrived at Patterson’s. Mondays were definitely not money makers in the States. Every night was a money maker at the pubs in Edinburgh. Tonight there was no one checking ID’s at the bar, so I just walked right in. Radiohead’s Creep blared through the speakers. I immediately spotted Amanda. She was sitting in a booth with two guys I had never seen before. My heart stuttered in my chest. It’s a set up. It never crossed my mind that Amanda wouldn’t come alone. Shit! What do I do now?

Chapter Four
    Cas
    ‡
    A ll I had thought about for two days was my night with Sarah. I wanted to see her again. I had to have her again. Just once more . The problem was I had no way of getting in touch with her. I considered asking her for her number before she bolted the other morning, but quickly changed my mind. Keeping it simple meant zero attachment. I had nothing to offer her except a good time in bed.
    Bobby and I spent the last two days in hell. The case was a complete time suck, not to mention boring. Garrett told us we would be stuck on shit cases at first. It takes both money and clients to build a business. Right now we had very little of either. Good thing he had us housed in a tiny office with practically no overhead. As long as I received a paycheck each month, I was a happy camper. I had no idea how much the divorce was going to set me back and needed to save every penny I earned.
    “What is up with you? You were fine when I left the office this afternoon,” Bobby stated.
    We were sitting at Patterson’s bar and I was nursing my second beer. Hoping to run into Sarah tonight, I talked Bobby into meeting me here for a few drinks after we got off work. I shouldn’t have stopped by the apartment beforehand.
    Fiddling with the napkin under my