in her seat. “I already told you he’s a cop, and, Gracie… please put on your seatbelt.”
Gracie leaned back in her seat and pulled the strap across her shoulder, clicking it into place. A sweet condescending smile spread across her lips. Gracie reminded him so much of Abby it was almost funny. Mike turned down the long drive to Emma and Jake’s house and parked, killing the ignition.
He grabbed Elizabeth ’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “ Elizabeth , just remember this is for your own good. All we want to do is help you.”
Elizabeth pulled her hand from his. “What the hell are you talking about, Mike? What have you done?”
“Damn, Lizzy, is there something special in the water here? You didn’t tell me they were all beautiful; especially the eye candy on the end. He’s yummy.”
Mike was saved from having to answer Elizabeth ’s question as Gracie jumped out of the car, not waiting for them. Abby, Sam, Jake, Thompson, and Emma, holding Lily in her arms, stood on the porch.
Elizabeth pushed her door open and rolled her eyes. “Gracie Lou, don’t molest Thompson. Keep your hands to yourself.”
Emma glanced at Abby and smiled. It was a good thing Claire wasn’t witnessing this. If she had, she’d set her sights on matchmaking the pair, and then all hope of Gracie leaving town would fly right out the window.
Mike walked to the front of the SUV and took Elizabeth ’s hand. His big hand engulfed her petite fingers. Hell, all of him engulfed her.
After a few brief introductions to Gracie, they all walked into Emma’s kitchen. The entire table was covered with place settings and food. The smell of bacon hit his nose, making his stomach growl. Elizabeth smiled up at him. “The food looks great, but where’s the coffee you promised, Bennett?”
Mike laughed, and the tension he’d been carrying around for days eased. “I see you haven’t lost your charm.” Mike pulled out a chair for her. “Have a seat, and I’ll get your caffeine.”
Mike walked over to the counter where Sam and Butch were propped up next to the coffee pot, watching everyone mill around. “Where’s Claire?”
“She had a pit stop to make. She had to go meet Mrs. A at the coffee shop. She should be here any minute.”
Mike poured Elizabeth and himself a cup of coffee. “Good.” He released a sigh of relief. He had a feeling that Claire was going to be crucial in getting answers from the little brunette. Mike glanced over his shoulder at Gracie and shrugged his shoulders. It seemed like Thompson might have a better chance at finding out what Gracie knew before any of them found out what Elizabeth knew. Gracie had planted herself right next to Thompson and propped her chin in her hand. She looked like a teenager with the way she was staring at him.
“I think we’re going to need her. Your girl has her arms crossed. I don’t think she’s going to be giving up many answers.” Butch patted him on the back before walking away.
He turned to Sam. “I thought Abby said that you’d be back today. Did you catch an early flight?”
“After I talked to her last night, I cut my meeting short and came home. I’m worried about the girls.”
“Me too,” Mike whispered under his breath.
Mike pulled out a seat next to Elizabeth and handed her the coffee that she’d been dying for. “Eat up, Doc. I have a feeling you’re going to need your strength.”
Elizabeth smirked and grabbed a piece of bacon. “Bring it on, Bennett. I can handle whatever you’re dishing out.”
If he hadn’t known any better, Mike would have thought it was a typical meal. Claire had arrived, and the talking and bantering had started. It seemed like a typical Sunday breakfast with family and friends. That was until the breakfast was over and the interrogation began.
Mike pushed away from the table and started pacing back and forth across the kitchen tiles. He stopped, placing his hand on the back of Abby’s chair. He looked
Gracie leaned back in her seat and pulled the strap across her shoulder, clicking it into place. A sweet condescending smile spread across her lips. Gracie reminded him so much of Abby it was almost funny. Mike turned down the long drive to Emma and Jake’s house and parked, killing the ignition.
He grabbed Elizabeth ’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “ Elizabeth , just remember this is for your own good. All we want to do is help you.”
Elizabeth pulled her hand from his. “What the hell are you talking about, Mike? What have you done?”
“Damn, Lizzy, is there something special in the water here? You didn’t tell me they were all beautiful; especially the eye candy on the end. He’s yummy.”
Mike was saved from having to answer Elizabeth ’s question as Gracie jumped out of the car, not waiting for them. Abby, Sam, Jake, Thompson, and Emma, holding Lily in her arms, stood on the porch.
Elizabeth pushed her door open and rolled her eyes. “Gracie Lou, don’t molest Thompson. Keep your hands to yourself.”
Emma glanced at Abby and smiled. It was a good thing Claire wasn’t witnessing this. If she had, she’d set her sights on matchmaking the pair, and then all hope of Gracie leaving town would fly right out the window.
Mike walked to the front of the SUV and took Elizabeth ’s hand. His big hand engulfed her petite fingers. Hell, all of him engulfed her.
After a few brief introductions to Gracie, they all walked into Emma’s kitchen. The entire table was covered with place settings and food. The smell of bacon hit his nose, making his stomach growl. Elizabeth smiled up at him. “The food looks great, but where’s the coffee you promised, Bennett?”
Mike laughed, and the tension he’d been carrying around for days eased. “I see you haven’t lost your charm.” Mike pulled out a chair for her. “Have a seat, and I’ll get your caffeine.”
Mike walked over to the counter where Sam and Butch were propped up next to the coffee pot, watching everyone mill around. “Where’s Claire?”
“She had a pit stop to make. She had to go meet Mrs. A at the coffee shop. She should be here any minute.”
Mike poured Elizabeth and himself a cup of coffee. “Good.” He released a sigh of relief. He had a feeling that Claire was going to be crucial in getting answers from the little brunette. Mike glanced over his shoulder at Gracie and shrugged his shoulders. It seemed like Thompson might have a better chance at finding out what Gracie knew before any of them found out what Elizabeth knew. Gracie had planted herself right next to Thompson and propped her chin in her hand. She looked like a teenager with the way she was staring at him.
“I think we’re going to need her. Your girl has her arms crossed. I don’t think she’s going to be giving up many answers.” Butch patted him on the back before walking away.
He turned to Sam. “I thought Abby said that you’d be back today. Did you catch an early flight?”
“After I talked to her last night, I cut my meeting short and came home. I’m worried about the girls.”
“Me too,” Mike whispered under his breath.
Mike pulled out a seat next to Elizabeth and handed her the coffee that she’d been dying for. “Eat up, Doc. I have a feeling you’re going to need your strength.”
Elizabeth smirked and grabbed a piece of bacon. “Bring it on, Bennett. I can handle whatever you’re dishing out.”
If he hadn’t known any better, Mike would have thought it was a typical meal. Claire had arrived, and the talking and bantering had started. It seemed like a typical Sunday breakfast with family and friends. That was until the breakfast was over and the interrogation began.
Mike pushed away from the table and started pacing back and forth across the kitchen tiles. He stopped, placing his hand on the back of Abby’s chair. He looked
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