fight this man, especially when it was clear he was up for a fight.
“Not putting any strings on it, just bein’ a good neighbor,” he responded.
I raised my brow. “Uh huh.”
He chuckled. “Go on in, and give yourself a break, investigate those all too quiet children.”
I stared at him for a beat longer, trying to understand his motivations for doing this. For talking to me that night at the club. There was no way he was doing it out of the goodness of his heart.
“I’m not sleeping with you,” I blurted.
His eyes bugged out ever so slightly. “Well, I didn’t offer it, so stand down. I’m not here for you to sexually objectify me. I’m just tryin’ to do a good deed.”
“No man ever just tries to do a good deed,” I returned.
“Well, I guess I’m gonna have to prove you wrong. For now, I’m gonna mow your grass.”
I didn’t believe him. But I also didn’t want to stand out there arguing with him. So I didn’t. Instead, I turned on my heel and walked back into my house.
“Mom, who is the man mowing our grass?” Lily asked as I emerged from my room, freshly showered and in a light sundress. Not because Kace was here, but because I didn’t want to look pathetic wearing Ranger’s tees when I encountered him again. Didn’t want him to look at me in pity.
“He’s wearing a cut,” Jack observed, peering out the window like his sister was, although his gaze was slightly more guarded. My son had only seen one man in a Sons of Templar cut mow his front lawn. His father. And he hadn’t actually worn his cut while mowing, but whatever.
“He’s a... friend from the club,” I replied, deciding a slight lie was better than saying I barely knew him, and he’d strong armed his way into letting him do that. “I wasn’t having the best luck with the lawn mower cooperating, and he was driving by and offered to help.”
“I could’ve mowed the lawns, Mom,” Jack said, a frown curling his lips.
I sighed, smiling although my heart cracked at Jack’s words, his tone. “I’m well aware you could have, my boy,” I smiled, moving forward to ruffle his hair. “And once you turn thirteen, I’ll definitely be roping you in to doing all sorts of household chores. For now, you can enjoy not having to do them. Trust me, you’ll thank me for this moment when you’re older.” I winked.
He did not wink back, just kept a suspicious eye on Kace. “This guy is new. I don’t know him.”
Oh, my little boy was being protective.
“He has nice hair,” Lily chimed in.
I bit my lip, ignoring her comment. “Yes, he’s new. He moved from a chapter in Washington. But he’s been in the club for years. Cade wouldn’t have let him come in here if he didn’t think he was a good guy.” I met my son’s eyes. “You like all the guys at the club, right?”
He nodded slowly.
“Well, that’s because you’ve had a lot of time to get used to them. To get to know them. I bet once you get used to Kace, you’ll like him too.”
“Kace is a cool name,” Lily offered.
“It’s a weird name,” Jack corrected.
“Really?” I asked, hands on my hips. “You have uncles named Bull, Cade, Brock, Gage, Lucky, Asher and Wire, but you think that Kace is a weird name?”
Jack stared at me, maintaining a serious, straight face for a moment, then the corner of his lips twitched .
“Oh, I think I see a smile,” I sang, bending down to take a closer look. “Lily, help me pull it out, get on the other side.”
My dutiful daughter jumped from her spot at the window and got on her brother’s other side. We both began ‘pulling’ at the air beside Jack’s face.
He folded his arms. “I’m not a baby. You can’t get me with that,” he proclaimed, his tone serious but his mouth twitched again.
“I see it, Lily!” I yelled. “It’s in there. We’ve just got to put in some elbow grease.”
My daughter played her part well, screwing up her face with effort, pulling her little arms.
Jack kept up his ‘I’m too old for this’ routine for about another five seconds before he flat out grinned, staring at us both. “You two are goofs.”
I smiled at my son. “Ah, but you’re related to us by blood. You can’t escape us. In fact you have to love us.” I glanced to Lily, giving her a