Page 9 of Peaches & Pistols

She returns moments later with Harper’s old car seat; it’s a bit small for her, but it does in a pinch. The keys come flying at my face, and I snatch them midair and shove them back in my jeans.

“Bye, crabby pants!”

I bite my tongue because Reid will have my ass if I’m any more of a dick to his wife.

The store is slow during the weekdays, giving me ample opportunity for Clark’s other business ventures.

My laptop travels between three hidden biometric safes: home, work, and truck. I get situated behind the counter and settle into the desk chair. The computer turns on with my fingerprint, and it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the privacy screen. If I move so much as fifteen-degrees off center, the screen contents blur enough to be unreadable from any distance.

Checking the time, I have plenty of time to fulfill some requested favors.

“Daddy! There’s a girl here! She’s my new best friend. Please can I come back tomorrow and the next day, please?” Harper jabbers so quickly her words run together.

“Woah, Harp. What are you on about?”

She takes an exaggerated deep breath and puts her hands on her hips, giving me a flash forward to her teen years.

“Daddy, just come meet my new friend.” Hands still on her hips, she turns and walks away from me deeper into the main house at the ranch.

I follow her through the family room, the kitchen, out onto the back patio.

Sure as shit, Harper’s lost in a fantastical imaginary world with a little girl who looks to be four or five. Her tumbleweed of chocolate brown hair directly contrasts Harper’s board-straight, glossy black hair.

My daughter is beautiful. Might be the only gift Vanessa bestowed upon her. I’m fucked when she gets to high school. May have to cash in some banked favors to get rid of the local boys who pay her too much attention.

Cecelia sits on the patio with a glass of iced tea, legs outstretched, crossed at the ankles.

“Who’s the munchkin?” I ask, sitting next to her on the weathered deck.

“That’s Everly. She spent the day with us gals.”

“Haven’t seen her around.” I’m mildly irritated she didn’t call or text to let me know another kid would be here. I don’t expose Harper to anyone I haven’t thoroughly vetted.

“Hmm.” Is all I get in reply. I suck my teeth, holding back from arguing.

The girls play, carefree as the wind. It’s nice to see Harper happy, without the tiny lines of stress that’ve been etched into her forehead lately.

Soft footsteps pad from behind us. I don’t bother turning around. From the sound of it, Izzy or Delilah’s coming to join us. Olivia walks faster on heavier feet.

“How was your nap, dear?” Cecelia asks, looking over her shoulder with a soft smile.

“Really nice,” an unfamiliar tinkling voice replies, sending goosebumps down my arms despite the August heat. I whip around to get eyes on the stranger.

Standing mere feet away is an apparition, an angel sent straight from the heavens. The most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen drops her head and cowers from my gaze. That doesn’t sit right with me. Not because I’m offended, but because someone put that fear in her.

I barely hear Cecelia through the ringing in my ears.

“Greyson, meet Mia.”

4

Mia.

Her name pulses through me, weaving shining strands of light through the impenetrable walls I’ve constructed, brick by brick.

I can’t take her in fast enough, my brain greedy to know everything about her. I’m a man possessed, and she’s been in my life less than thirty seconds.

Golden blonde waves cascade over her shoulders, obscuring her delicate face from my view. She looked away too quickly for me to see her features and I’m desperate for another look.