Hold On

He didn’t share he agreed with her.

He stated, “That’s not the issue. The issue is, I got a boy in that school and he’s of an age where there’re a lot of ways he’s learnin’. And I don’t want him to see folks actin’ like you and thinkin’ it’s okay when it’s not. He’s gotta learn to be patient, workin’ with his fellow citizens to get on in life. If this situation doesn’t work for you, take it up with the school or the town or suck it up like everyone else. Don’t take it out on other parents who got the same goal as you to get their kids to school safe and get on their way. Yeah?”

“Yes, Officer,” she mumbled.

He nodded. “Thanks for your time.”

She nodded back.

He walked to his truck, thinking that there was not a lot of joy in his job.

Except when he got to do shit like that.

He got in his truck. It took him all of three minutes to crawl to the exit of the school and pull out.

Then he went to his dad’s.

He pulled in the driveway, got out, and made his way up to his dad’s house, the house Garrett and Raquel grew up in, the house their mother was murdered in.

He never got why his father didn’t sell it before Rocky and him moved out, and he definitely never got why he didn’t after.

He also never questioned his dad about it. The Merricks didn’t do shit like that.

Which might be one of the reasons why they were all, in their own ways, fucked up.

Dave didn’t meet him at the door. It was cold and cold could fuck with Dave and the injuries he’d sustained that had healed okay but not completely when the man who’d murdered Garrett’s mother shot his father full of holes.

But when Garrett hit the front door, he found in the time between his phone call and now, his dad had unlocked it.

He went in and called out.

“Kitchen, son!” Dave called back.

Garrett headed to the kitchen and found his old man at the coffeepot.

“Joe?” he asked the pot.

“Yeah,” Garrett answered.

His father poured him a cup like he liked it—no milk, two sugars—and Garrett waited to see where he took it—kitchen table, the bar or if he was good to stand, drink and talk.

Garrett knew the cold was fucking with him when his dad took it to the table, handing Garrett his mug on the go.

They sat. Dave stretched out his bad leg and did it almost without wincing.

Watching that, Garrett felt the sour hit his gut. But this was a different kind of sour. One he’d lived with a long time.

“So, seein’ Cher Rivers,” his dad muttered, lifting his coffee to his lips.

“Yep,” Garrett answered, then sipped his own, swallowed, and lowered his mug. “Been busy. No excuse. Since it’s serious with Cher, should have found time to connect with you.”

Dave’s mouth quirked. “My son’s finally got a woman in his life with staying power, not sure I’m priority.”

Garrett held his eyes. “Like I said, it’s serious, Dad.”

Dave didn’t break eye contact. “Had Devin here a few days ago, drinkin’ my bourbon and tellin’ me Mia staked a public claim that’s no longer hers to stake, doin’ it blindsidin’ your girl at work. You not there, Tanner took your back…and hers. So, from that, already got it’s serious, Garrett.”

“She’s a good woman.”

“Know Cher,” Dave returned on a firm nod. “Know that. Know she’s got a good kid and Ethan’s good ’cause he’s got a good mom. Just glad you finally got your head outta your ass, seein’ as every time she got anywhere near you, she ratcheted up the tough broad, smartass, cute routine with the sole purpose of makin’ you smile at the same time hidin’ she was doin’ it ’cause you caught hold of her heart.”

At his dad’s words, his heart clenched.

He didn’t know that.

Or, more accurately, he hadn’t noticed that.