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“I still don’t know her wish list, other than cowgirl boots and a donation to the animal rescue. Thank God she’s not asking for a cell phone.”
“Tell me about it,” I sigh. “I know the day will come, but I still want to hold onto my baby a bit longer before she gets too grown up.”
“I agree. Though it’ll be fine, she can’t date until she’s at least thirty anyway. We’ll be old enough then to be a little more relaxed about it,” Brook jokes.
He’s often said this about her dating. I can’t imagine it, and I know Brook would be the ultimate protective dad. It’s just in his nature.
“I wish they could stay little forever,” I sigh. My dream was to one day have more kids. Brook and I had always planned to in the early years. It only just occurs to me now that I’ve never considered kids with anyone else.
He gives me that look again; intense eyes, pursed lips, and something else behind it all that I can’t place. I should ask him about it, but my cell chimes next to me. I glance down next to my diary.
Kirk.
I see Brooks' eyes drop to my cell screen as it vibrates against the table. He sees his name on the screen. “I’ll call him back,” I say quickly, letting it go to message.
He folds his arms across his chest. “Are you sure this guy is trustworthy?”
I glance up, my eyes narrowing. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I could have Travis do a background check just to be sure?”
Travis Hendry is the new sheriff in town, and he’s Skye’s brother. He was childhood friends with Gabriel, then the family moved to North Carolina, but they’re still besties even to this day. He recently moved back to Stoney to step into the sheriff role when Geraldine’s husband, Hank, recently retired. “Brook, I don’t need anyone to do a background check on Kirk.”
“You can never be too sure these days,” he goes on. “No one can tell the good guys from the bad ones. It’s nothing personal. They all look the same.”
“So we just assume they’re all bad until proven otherwise?”
The corner of his mouth tugs up. “Something like that.”
“It sounds like you don’t like him.”
“I don’t know him.” He’s being stubborn. The question is why?
“Well, you can meet him at Blake’s party.”
“Huh?” His brow furrows. “You invited Kirk?”
“Not yet, but if he wants to, then I don’t see why not. He gets along with Blake just fine. I’m sure he’ll want to be there.”
“So he’s your boyfriend now?” He still hasn’t uncrossed his arms from his chest.
And why do I feel like he’s giving me the third degree?
“Yes, we’re dating. Brook, surely you don’t have a problem with that? Why are you being so difficult about this?”
“When it comes to my girls, there’s nothing I won’t do to protect them, Baby Doll. Remember that.”
My girls?
I sip my coffee for a distraction because I can feel his eyes on me again.
That’s intense.
The way he keeps calling me Baby Doll. It’s just like old times. But we tried that once before and it didn’t work out for the second time. I’m not his girl anymore, as sweet as that sounded. We’ve both moved on so it’s stupid to think about what was, or what could have been. It’s water under the bridge. I’m with Kirk now.
“There’s nothing you have to do.” I take a bite of muffin as I pick my pen back up and make a few notes about what we discussed, trying to avoid talking about my boyfriend. “Ooh, I just remembered she wanted the new special edition Harry Potter box set.”
Our girl is a little bookworm in her spare time.
