“After that you’ll get rid of your place and move in with me, right?”
Meagan’s eyes softened as she looked at me. “Yes. Gray, there’s nothing more I want than to be with you. I just need to figure out how to do this and I need a bit more time.”
I nodded and took a bite of food. “But you’re going to tell him while he’s here that we’re engaged, right?”
Pressing her lips together, Meagan looked down at her food. “Maybe.”
I quickly grew frustrated. Whatever issues Meagan had with her father needed to be worked out during this visit. I was tired of feeling like I was a bad secret she needed to keep locked away.
“Meg, you can’t hide this forever. At some point I am going to want to actually marry you and have your family there.”
“I know! I know! Just let me worry about it when he gets here. For now we have a few days to prepare.”
I couldn’t help but feel like it was more than just Brad being a tough father. It was my past that was stopping Meagan from saying anything.
“Damn it, Bennett. Did you not learn a damn thing from me at all?”
Looking up, I stared at my partner. “What’s up, Winn?”
“A ring? You bought her ring? You’re in all the way now.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Stop acting like you don’t believe in marriage. I see the way you look at your wife.”
“It’s too late for me. I have to be happy, but you. My god, son, you’re young, good looking, and women are falling at your feet. Mainly the chick up in the main office. What’s her name? Claire?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t even go there with me. Claire is not anyone I want to get myself hooked up with. I love Meagan.”
Derrick smiled a goofy-ass smile as he slowly shook his head. “Damn straight. I just needed to make sure my partner was on the up and up. Lana wants to invite you and Meagan over for dinner if you’re free Friday night.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “I’ll never understand you.”
“Good. That’s the way it should be.”
“Bennet, Winn, we’ve got another 187 near Wilcox Road.”
Derrick looked disgusted as he grabbed his jacket and said, “Shit, let’s go.”
As we walked to the car, I punched the address into my phone. “That’s two blocks over from the last one.”
“It’s looking more and more like we have a serial rapist murderer out there.”
“I need to talk to Meg about staying at work late. They all need to make sure they leave as a group.”
Derrick nodded his head. “Yeah, make sure she keeps her eyes and ears open and pays attention to who is around her.”
Pulling up to the scene, I couldn’t help but look around for Joshua Black.
“You looking for him?”
“Yeah. Don’t see him anywhere though,” I said as I rubbed the back of my neck.
“Come on, let’s go talk to Murphy, see what his first thoughts are.”
The hair on my neck stood as I glanced around. That feeling of being watched swept over me again as I searched the crowd.
“I’m right behind you,” I said as I followed behind my partner.
Meagan
“I’LL BE AT the airport early, Dad. Stop worrying.”
“I’m not worried, Meg. I just don’t want you rushing through traffic to get there if you’re running late.”
Rolling my eyes, I bit my tongue to keep from saying what I really wanted to say. “It’s not Austin, Dad. It’ll be fine. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“All right, sweetheart. Can’t wait to see you and meet Grayson.”
“You’ve met him a number of times.”
My father laughed. “Yeah well, that was before he was dating my daughter.”
Great. Just great.
“I’ve got to go, Dad, my appointment is here.”
“Bye, Meg. Love you.”
Glancing up at the clock, I knew my next appointment wasn’t until noon, but he didn’t have to know that. “Love you too, Dad.”
As I hung up the phone, I blew out a deep breath. “Jesus, help me get through this weekend and I swear I will do good things until I can’t do good any more.”
Melissa knocked on my door and pushed it all the way open.
“So, I picked the dishes.”
My headed pulled back as I gazed at her. “What are you talking about?”
“The challenge you have with your hotter-than-hot fiancé.”
My eyes rolled. “When are you going to stop calling Gray that? Plus that was forever ago, I forgot all about it.”
“First off, I’ll stop calling him that when he becomes ugly, and second, your hotter-than-hot fiancé was the one who called to remind me about it. Seems like he wants to win this pretty bad.”
Giggling, I shook my head. “You’re so bad and yes, I’m sure he does.”
Melissa lifted her eyebrow and said, “I will get it out of you what the winner gets.”
I leaned back in my chair and chewed on the end of my pen. “So, what’s the dish?”