Page 4 of Perfect Enough
“Josh, you could move up the ranks faster than most. Maybe even make lieutenant sooner than you think.”
That caused me to sit up a little bit taller. I understood precisely what he was telling me. Head down, stay out of trouble, and work my ass off.
“I won’t let you down, Cap. I promise.”
The phone in my hand buzzed, but I ignored it as we both stood. He reached a hand across the desk, and I shook it.
“I know you won’t, Josh.”
Before he could say another word, the alarm for a single-family fire went off. And just like that, we got to work, leaving anything else unsaid—for now.
The smell of freshly baked bread and homemade pasta sauce filled my senses as I walked through the front door of my parents’ home. It was the smallest house out of all of them on the ranch, but damn, did it feel like home. My mother moved into the house years ago after buying it from Aunt Lincoln, aftershe’dbought it from Uncle Brock. My mother and father had added to it over the years, but not by much.
“Josh? Is that you?” my mother called from the kitchen. When you first walked into the house, you were immediately in the living room, with stairs to one side leading up to the bedrooms. Mom and Dad had added a large bedroom with an attached bathroom downstairs at the back of the house when I was about four or five, maybe younger.
“Yep, it’s me,” I said as I kicked off my boots and entered the kitchen. There, I found my mother pulling a loaf of sourdough bread out of the oven. Three other loaves were on the kitchen island.
“Why did you make so much bread?” I asked, walking over and kissing her on the cheek before I turned and stirred the sauce.
“One for you, one for Rose and Bryson, and one for me and your father.”
Narrowing my eyes, I counted them again. “There are four loaves there.”
She turned to me and winked. “I made you two, but donottell your sister.”
I laughed and kissed her once again. “You know,shegave you a grandchild.”
My mother’s face beamed. “I know, I know. But you’re the baby, and you don’t have anyone caring for you.”
“The crazy thing is, my parents raised me to care for myself. The insanity of it all.”
Rolling her eyes, she said, “Don’t talk back, Josh.”
My brows shot up. “How is that talking back, Mom?”
Walking into the room, my father spotted me and grinned. “Well, if it isn’t the prodigal son, returning home.”
Now,Irolled my eyes. “You do know that I live only minutes from you guys; plus, I was just here last week.”
“Sure, but we’d love to see you every day, you know that. Are you going to be at game night this weekend?” Mom asked.
I inwardly sighed. Family game night had been one of my favorite things growing up, but now it was more of a hassle than anything. It gradually became too difficult for everyone to come once a week, so my grandparents, Stella and Ty Sr., changed it to once a month. Even then, it was hard to get to it.
“I’ll try, but I might get called to cover a shift.”
My father shot me a look that said he knew I was spewing bullshit. I simply shrugged.
Voices filled the house as I heard Rose calling out to her son. “Don’t run in the house, Greg!”
My mother and father both laughed as Dad turned, ready to catch Greg the moment he appeared.
Leaning against the counter, I watched my four-year-old nephew run into the kitchen and hurl himself through the air and into my father’s arms.
Rose appeared next, looking tired and frazzled, followed by her husband, Bryson. If I was being honest, he wasn’t looking much better.
“Hey, guys,” Rose said as she put a bag on the island and turned to our mom. “Everything smells so good, Mom.”
“I made your favorite,” Mom said before she kissed Rose on the cheek. “How was the drive in, Bryson?” she asked, moving Rose aside to kiss her son-in-law.