Trials and Tiaras (Untouchable #7) - Heather Long Page 0,65

those gray eyes. “There is nothing about shouldn’t. I have offered, Mr. Archie accepted on your behalf, and I would be very pleased to do these tasks because you have enough to think about. Also, you provided me with excellent pictures of Mr. Archie cleaning the bathroom last month.”

Laughter circled the table, and I spread my hands. “Well, when you put it that way…”

“Excellent. If there is anything specific you all require from the store, please add it to this list.” He set the pad and paper on the table. “Otherwise, I shall just stock the usual.”

The usual.

I fixed Archie with a look, but he gave me a look of such innocence that I rolled my own eyes and then let it go. After this was settled, Mr. Archie and I would be having this argument. It could wait until then. For now, I’d accept the gifts and the offers exactly as they’d been made—with love.

It didn’t take long for us to finish up. I glanced at the list and pursed my lips. There were a couple of things I needed, but I wasn’t adding tampons or pads to the shopping list. I just wasn’t. It was bad enough he had my brand of deodorant on the list. Thankfully, we weren’t buying condoms anymore. I didn’t want to even think about that one.

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

It wasn’t long before I had my wallet tucked into the inner pocket of my jacket. I snagged my backpack. I had no idea why I might need it, but you never knew. Ian dropped his letterman jacket over my shoulders, and Archie had his umbrella.

Oh look, it was drizzling and gross outside.

I was over winter in Texas. It wasn’t even pretty. Just gray, gloomy, and wet. All at once, I was homesick for Colorado. How bizarre was that? I missed the lodge and the fire and all the snow outside. I missed how cozy and warm it was, and most of all, I missed how safe it had been for all of us.

No bad meatloaf. No hearings. No stupid DNA tests or paternity questions.

“Almost to the finish line,” Archie murmured to me as he caught my hand, and I blew out a breath.

“This is just one finish line,” I reminded him. We had a plan. He and his grandfather had a plan, and I was going to do my part as best I could. It didn’t mean I didn’t want to slap his father though.

“Just the first of many,” he whispered, then kissed me. “No more worrying. We got this.”

Even as much as I believed him, I couldn’t stop the quivering on the inside. Nerves. Jitters. They were all bouncing around inside me. We took Jake’s SUV, and I was in the back between Coop and Archie, while Ian sat shotgun and Jake drove.

We stopped for coffee, and we played the music loud. Ian actually put us on and grinned back at me as I laughed. Coop squeezed my thigh when it played the song we’d recorded the other day.

“You guys sound amazing,” Archie admitted during one lull.

“Don’t they?” Jake agreed, and I blushed for real, all over.

I caught Ian’s gaze, and he winked at me. Yes, he was right, we sounded good together, but I didn’t think I would ever sound that great. He could probably do so much better without me, but at the same time, I loved that he wanted to do this with me.

Just as long as I didn’t hold him back. Though I wouldn’t say that aloud again. The last time had earned me a spanking of the stinging kind, and it had been far less fun than the others. For the drive, at least, I was able to forget about where we were going or why we were going there.

For the drive.

The minute we pulled into the parking garage across the street from the courthouse, all of my nerves resurged. Even though Coop clasped my hand and let me squeeze his tight, I couldn’t quite shake the trembling. Jake took charge of my backpack, and Ian moved in front of us as Jake came behind, while Coop and Archie flanked me. I swore they moved in a way that meant no one got near me.

We had to go through security one at a time, and then waited while they scanned my backpack. Mr. Wittaker was already there, waiting for us in the lobby.

“With fifteen minutes grace,” he said almost as a compliment. “Well done, Miss Curtis. Let’s go sit and talk,

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