“And Gray? Being married to a cop who puts his life on the line every day, you’re okay with that?”
“Yes. Dad, I’m not going to live my life in fear of the unknown. I love him so much, and I know he loves me. I feel complete when I’m with him. I laugh, have fun, dream of kids with him.”
“Kids?” my father asked, nearly choking on his own spit.
With a shy smile, I nodded. “We um . . . we’re moving in together, by the way.”
My father released my hand and sat back in his chair as he exhaled a long breath. “I figured as much. You’re a grown woman and you don’t owe me any explanations but, Meg, you’ve hit me with a lot tonight.” Tears formed in my father’s eyes as he pinned me with his stare. “That doesn’t make it easier for me though. Letting go of you is hard, baby girl.”
I tilted my head and studied my father. “Why were you so hard on me?”
His eyes turned sad as he looked away for a moment before turning his attention back on me. “I don’t know, Meg. I wish I had a solid answer for you, but a part of me thinks it was my own failures that drove me to make sure you never failed. The moment I held you in my arms I promised myself I would push you to do great things, but never once thinking about how that would affect you. I’m so sorry, baby. I never meant to compare you to Taylor or make you think I thought any less of you. You’re my everything, Meagan. The very air I breathe is because of you. I never told you this, but you saved my life.”
My heart jumped to my throat as I felt a single tear drop from my eye. “What do you mean?”
“Your mother left me when she was pregnant with you. I missed a good portion of her pregnancy because of some serious stuff. But I had two things that kept me going and kept me fighting to get clean. Amanda, and my unborn child. The first time I ever felt you move in your mother’s stomach my life changed. The one little kick opened my eyes like never before. I’ll never forget the feeling that washed over my body. Everything I did from that point on was for the two of you. Then when we were blessed with your sister, it made the circle complete. The three of you are my world. I don’t ever want you to have to say the things you said to me earlier tonight. I want you happy, Meagan. And if living here in Colorado makes you happy, and Gray makes you happy, then I’m happy.”
“Daddy,” I whispered as we reached across the table for each other’s hands. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too, pumpkin. Now, how about we head home and watch a movie.”
My heart felt as if it were about to burst. The idea of being with the two men I loved left me breathless. “I’ll text Gray and tell him to bring a movie.”
Standing, my father flashed me a smile. It was the same smile I used to see when I would get off the bus and run toward him when he would surprise us by coming home early. The same smile that always made me feel like everything was going to be okay. “Tell him to bring popcorn if you don’t have any.”
With a chuckle, I nodded. “Sounds good.”
Taking my arm, we left the restaurant. “Meagan?”
“Yeah, Dad?”
“I need to be prepared for something.”
With a deep breath in, I held it for a second before releasing it and asking, “What’s that?”
“Will your fiancé be staying the night at your apartment while I’m there?”
My face flushed as I chewed on the corner of my lip.
“Um . . . he was going to, but if it makes you feel uncomfortable he doesn’t have to.”
Holding up his hand, he shook his head. “No, you’re a grown woman who is engaged to be married and I’m not stupid to fool myself into thinking my little girl has never had sex before.” His body shivered, and he frantically shook his head as if trying to erase a thought. “Fully clothed and I don’t want to hear a sound coming from your room.”
For a moment, I thought back to a few hours ago when Grayson and I were having sex not but a few yards from my own father. Hearing my father talk like that though caused me to let out a roar of laughter until I had tears streaming down my face. The valet driver pulled up with my car as my father shot me a dirty look and got into the passenger side of my car as he said, “I’m glad you find that so funny. Wait until you have kids one day, Meagan.”
The mentioning of having kids caused my stomach to dip.
“Oh man. Whoa . . . I must have needed that laugh,” I said as I buckled up and started heading home.
“Ha ha. Some day the shoe will be on the other foot and you just wait.”
Peeking over at my father, I smiled. This was what I wanted our relationship to be like. Open and honest. This was turning out to be the best night of my life.
Grayson
STANDING IN THE kitchen, I flipped the bacon and then checked the biscuits. Smiling, I stood and said, “Perfect,” as I tended to the eggs.
“So you cook too huh?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I flashed a smile over to Brad. “Good morning, Brad. Coffee is on and hot.”
Lifting his hand, he mumbled something as he made his way over to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup.
Getting back to breakfast, I started to heat the pan for the sausage.
“Whatcha making?”
“Breakfast tacos and biscuits and sausage gravy for my girl.”
Brad cleared his throat. “Your girl? I do believe she is still mine.”
A wide smile moved across my face as I turned and leaned against the counter next to the stove. Brad was staring me down, trying to intimidate me. “So this is where it’s going to happen?”
Brad lifted the cup to his lips and took a small drink before raising an eyebrow and saying, “I guess so.”
“I love your daughter, sir.”
“You think by getting up early and making us breakfast I’m going to just fall in love with you and hand her right on over?”
I stayed completely relaxed while I took on the death stare Meagan’s father was giving me. I’d never let on that my mouth was now completely dry and my pulse was about to pound my heart out of my chest.
“I think Meagan is worth a little more effort than a breakfast.”
“Confident little bastard aren’t you?”
My smile faded some as my eyes turned serious. “I just know your daughter is worth the fight.”
Brad tried to hide his smile as he gave me a quick nod. “She means the world to her mother and I, and cop or no cop, you hurt her and I will kill you.”
“Fair enough.”
“I expect you to treat her with respect.”
“She deserves nothing less than to be treated like a princess, sir.”
He snarled his lip slightly. “You realize you are all she has here.”
“I do. I also know how much her family and friends mean to her and I would never hold her back from anyone or anything.”
With a huff, Brad crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not happy with this.”
I attempted to hold back my smile. “I see that.”
“Breakfast isn’t going to fix this situation.”
Now I was intrigued. “How do you propose we handle this so that you are happy?”
Brad let out a gruff laugh. “Oh, Gray, I’ll never be happy about this. Ever.”
Swallowing hard, I pushed off the counter and turned my focus back onto the food.
“You hunt?”
Jesus, that subject just got changed fast and I’m not so sure I like where it is going.
“Yes, sir. I’ve been hunting since I was about five.”
“That so?”
I took a chance and glanced over my shoulder, only to find Brad pinning me down with his stare. “Um . . . yeah. My best friend’s father took us all the time.”
“Really,” Brad said as he pulled the chair out at the island and sat down. “There a shooting range around here anywhere?”
Panic filled my body at the idea of giving this man a gun with me in the same room.
“Morning to my two favorite men
!” Meagan said as she practically skipped up and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before heading over to her dad.
“Why did he get the first kiss?”
Meagan froze as she looked between the two of us. Lifting my eyebrows, I turned back to the eggs that were now done. “Um . . . gosh I don’t know, Dad. I saw him first?”
“Huh,” Brad said as I attempted to hold back my grin.
“I was just asking Gray here if there is a shooting range we could hit up today.”
“Oh fun!” Meagan said as I snapped my head over to her. “Yeah, there’s a few, plus Gray has access to the range they use as well. He’s taken me there a couple times.”
Stop. Talking. Meagan.
Brad leaned back in his chair and looked at me. “Is that so? I say after this wonderful breakfast your fiancé made for us, we head to the range. Get some shots in.”
“Ahh—”
Meagan poured a cup of coffee and then reached into the refrigerator for the orange juice. “That sounds like fun. Doesn’t it, Gray?”
“Ahh—”
The smirk that spread across Brad’s face said it all. He’d won round one, but I’d be damned if he was going to win round two.
Meagan jumped when I hit all my shots in the dead center of the bullseye. I engaged the safety and turned to look at Brad. I was almost positive I saw steam coming from his ears. “You want to go another round?”
His mouth pinched into a scowl as he muttered something under his breath. “I’m thinking we can call it a day.”
I would have given anything to do a fist pump and flaunt the fact that I had just out-shot the hell out of him for the last hour and a half. Seeing that pout on his face was reward enough.
“At least I know you have a good aim,” Brad said as he handed me the gun and I returned them both to their cases. Locking them, I grabbed one and Brad took the other while Meagan reached for my hand.
“What do you want to do now, Dad?”
Please say go to the airport and fly home.
“How about we grab some lunch, my treat.”
Meagan smiled and I groaned internally. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy Brad’s company, I just hated the fact that he was judging every single thing I did and he made it pretty damn clear he was not happy about our engagement.
“Sounds great! Gray, where should we take, Dad to eat?”
For some reason I remembered Meagan saying her father hated Chinese food. With a wide grin, I said, “How about May Palace. Best Chinese food in Durango.”
“Oh yum, but Dad doesn’t like Chinese food.”
Brad shot me a smirk. Fine you won that one.
“All right, let me think.”
“How about Steamworks Brewery? They have great hamburgers.”
My body stiffened. I’d never told Meagan this, but Diana not only owned a male strip club right outside of Durango, but Steamworks Brewery as well.
Brad tilted his head and looked at me intently. I was positive he saw my reaction. “That sounds amazing, pumpkin. I’m in the mood for a good burger.”
Meagan did a little happy dance and laced her arm with her dad’s and grabbed onto my hand. “This is turning out to be the best day ever!”
Inhaling a deep cleansing breath, I held the door open to Steamworks as Meagan and then her father walked in. Closing my eyes, I quickly said a prayer no one said anything to me.
Eyes open, and I walked in with a straight posture.
“Oh. My. God! If it isn’t Grayson!”
Fuck. My. Life.
Diana came walking over and engulfed me in a hug. I could see Meagan’s confused expression quickly replaced with one of fear.
“Hey Diana, you remember Meg, my fiancée?”
“Of course, but I didn’t know you had moved up from girlfriend to fiancée! I’m judging the tenderloin dish! When am I getting those by the way?”
Meagan and I both fumbled over our responses as Diana zeroed in on Brad. “Why hello there, handsome. Who might you be?”
Brad chuckled and shook Diana’s hand. “Brad Atwood, Meagan’s father.”
Diana lifted her eyebrow as she snuck a quick look at me before turning her attention back to Brad. “Well, welcome to Steamworks. Dad, you look like you need a drink. We have the best brewed beers in Colorado.”
Lifting his hands up, Brad took a step back. “No thank you. I don’t drink.”
Diana quickly backed off and grabbed three menus. “Totally get it. Let’s go have a seat, shall we.”
I followed behind everyone as I scanned the restaurant. Waiting tables in the other section was Georgia.
Shit.
Turning my head, I avoided looking at her. Pulling Meagan’s chair out, I smiled and squeezed her shoulder before sitting down. She leaned over and whispered, “Sorry, I didn’t know.”
With a fake smile, I nodded and buried my face in the menu.
“Georgia will be over to take your drink orders here in a second. Enjoy your lunch.” I didn’t bother looking at her as Meagan and Brad thanked her.
“I take it you know the manager, Gray?”
Not wanting to lie, I gave a nod of acknowledgement and said, “Owner. Diana is the owner. She owns a few places around the area.”
Brad lifted his eyebrows in surprise. “Well, that’s great for her. She must be a smart business woman.”
Meagan giggled as she lifted her hand over her mouth and whispered, “Sorry. Thought about something that made me chuckle.”
“Afternoon, folks. What can I get you to drink?”
“Iced tea please,” Brad said.
“Same for me, thank you.”
Not wanting to be rude, I pulled the menu down and said, “I’ll have the same.”
Georgia’s mouth dropped open as she ran around the table and wrapped her arms around me. “Gray! Holy crap. I haven’t seen you in forever! How’s the new life treating you?”
My stomach felt sick as I forced a smile. “It’s good. All is good.”
“Oh, I’m so glad. I was so worried when I found out you were going to be a cop.”
One peak over to Brad showed him looking through the menu. Thank God.
“Yeah, crazy.”
It was then I saw him.
Joshua Black. Meagan must have seen him at the same time because she grabbed my hand.
“Crazy running into you here, Detective Bennett.”
Dropping his menu, Brad looked at Joshua. Meagan grabbed my hand and held it tightly as my adrenaline shot up fast.
“Mr. Black, how are you this evening?” I asked. Brad must have noticed the tone in my voice had changed.
Joshua smiled as his eyes bounced over to Meagan. “I’m doing good. Meagan, how are you?”
Clearing her throat, Meagan said, “Doing well. Out to lunch with my father.”
“Is that so?” Turning to Brad, Joshua held out his hand and shook it. “I’m an acquaintance of the detective’s.”
What the fuck?
“It’s a pleasure, Brad Atwood.”
Son-of-a-bitch. Now Joshua knew Meagan’s last name.
With a quick smile, Joshua turned back to me. “Is this as close to your old stomping grounds as you could get?”
Meagan froze as Brad looked between Joshua and me. “Excuse me?” I asked as I balled my fists.
Joshua looked back at Brad and said, “It’s crazy to think that the owner of this fine establishment also owns a male strip club on the outskirts of town.”
“What are you doing?” Meagan asked as she glared at Joshua.
Brad looked confused as hell. “Um, well, I guess as long as everything is legal it’s all good.”
Joshua slowly turned and stared at me. “Well I don’t know, lets ask the detective. After all, he used to work there.”
Standing, I rounded the table and grabbed Joshua as Meagan jumped up. “Gray, don’t.”
Pulling Joshua closer to me, I gritted my teeth together. “I don’t know what your play is, but I suggest you le
ave now.”
With an evil laugh, Joshua pulled his arm from my grasp. “Better watch out detective, you wouldn’t want to have anyone thinking police brutality is going on.”
“Fuck you, asshole!” Meagan shouted as Diana came walking back over.
“Problem?”
Taking another step toward Joshua, I looked directly into his eyes. “Yeah, Di, the trash needs to be taken out.”
Less than thirty seconds later, Joshua was being walked out as I followed behind them. Meagan stayed back at the table with her father while I stepped outside and stood in front of this piece of fucking shit.
Joshua flashed me a cocky ass grin as he shook his head. “Stripper turned cop. Pretty interesting story.”
“You snooping around in my life?”
His eyes turned dark as his grin dropped. “You’re snooping in mine so I thought I would return the favor. Want to tell me why you’re so interested in me?”
“It’s part of an investigation.”
“For what?”
“Murder.”
Joshua’s face turned white. “You’re barking up the wrong tree, detective. I suggest you look elsewhere or I’ll have my father slap you with a harassment charge.”
With a laugh, I asked, “Harassment charge?” I took one step closer to him. We were practically standing head to head. “Listen here you little fucker, you mess with me and I promise you you’re gonna pay for it. And as far as Meagan goes, don’t you even utter a word to her or you’ll be hit with a restraining order.”
Joshua’s eyes narrowed as he gave me a dismissive nod. “We’re done here then?”
“You bet your fucking ass we are.”
Taking a step back, Joshua glanced over my shoulder before turning and walking out the door.
My heart was pounding so hard in my chest it felt as if I couldn’t breathe. I motioned to Meagan for one second. She looked frazzled and I couldn’t help but notice how angry Brad looked.