Page 54 of Damaged Protector
Charli swung her arm holding the baby carrier as we backtracked toward Lynn’s office. “Good. She might be able to set you up with some other girls too.”
Harper made a noise, and I glanced down at her. “She’s a beautiful baby.” She had pink cheeks, short blonde hair, and a button nose.
Charli looked down at her little one, her face the picture of love. “Isn’t she just the cutest little nugget? We have a son, too. L.J. is almost three and so adorable, he’ll melt your heart.”
“I can’t wait to meet him,” I told her.
“Maybe you’ll get to soon. Cam said something about having a party so you can meet the rest of the gang. I don’t think you’ve been introduced to all of Bode’s crew or the Broxtons—that’s Beau’s sister’s family.”
“Sounds fun.”
“You’re not an introvert, are you?” she asked, peering over at me. “Because it’s a lot of damn people when we get together. I wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
She was such a sweet person. “No. I was kinda sheltered growing up, so I enjoy getting to know people.”
Her eyes rolled to the ceiling. “I’m the baby of my family, with three bossy brothers and an even bossier sister, so I could’ve used a little shelter at times.” Charli stopped beside the door to the lobby. “I’m gonna scoot before my child gets hungry and demands boob. It was so nice to meet you, Mallori.” And with a wave of her fingers, she was gone.
I walked more swiftly toward my destination and peered into the office to find Shark and Lynn helping Journey to her feet. As soon as they made it to the door, she stopped, her brown eyes wide.
“Oh shit.”
“What?” Lynn asked, and for the first time, I saw her calm demeanor break just a bit. “Are you okay, babe?”
“My water… I think it just broke.”
We all looked down at the small puddle forming on the floor.
“Greatttt!” the pregnant woman wailed. “Now my uterus water is all over the office.”
Shark cringed a little and then patted her shoulder. “It’s fine, J. We’ll get maintenance up here.”
“But…” She gestured toward the floor.
“Charli’s broke in the middle of the grocery store, if that makes you feel any better.”
“Which aisle?” she asked, scowling at him.
“Uh, by the milk, I think.”
“Huh. That’s a busy one. That does make me feel better.”
Shark chuckled and guided her over the puddle while meeting my eye. “I’ll call them,” I mouthed before handing the purse over to Lynn. “Good luck, you two. I’ll be thinking of you.”
“We got this,” Journey assured me, “and you’ll be fine.”
“I had a good teacher.” For only two days. Yikes!
“Hey,” I said, poking my head inside Cam’s office on Friday, two days after Journey and Lynn’s little boy made his appearance. I’d seen pictures, and he was a gorgeous baby with a mop of curly black hair and skin somewhere between his biological mother’s dark and Lynn’s caramel hue.
“Come on in,” he said, waving me in. Hawk was sitting across from his desk and smiled at me when I entered.
“I was wondering if you could look over this schedule for me before I turn it in to Shark. This is my first time doing one, and I want it to be perfect.”
My cousin took it and looked it over, bobbing his head up and down before handing it to Hawk for his perusal.
“Looks good, but why don’t you have Woody and Taz working together on the Brenton case?”
“Because it’s right when Taz eats her afternoon snack, and she gets snarky when she’s hungry.” I widened my eyes in faux-fear. “I’m a little afraid of her when she hasn’t had a cupcake.”