It’s release day for Book 15 in The O’Connells romantic suspense series! THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is now available at your favorite eRetailers. Plus, don’t miss your FREE bonus short story below!
Romance and suspense collide in this haunting romantic thriller. When special forces operator Luke OโConnell meets a woman he never expected to see again, he uncovers the dangerous secret she is hiding and realizes the lengths someone will go to stop him from uncovering the truth.
More info โChapter 1
โWhy are we here, again?โ
Luke pulled his arms over his chest and took in his brother Marcus, who was still wearing his sheriffโs uniform, having just pulled in in his cruiser. The dust settled in the parking lot of the concrete building surrounded by wire fencing. He heard barking from the back.
โTrying to make something right,โ he said.
Marcus pulled off his shades and joined Luke beside his old pickup. Heโd called Marcus and told him to get his ass down there because he needed his help, and now his brother was staring at him as if heโd lost his mind. He gestured toward the building. โThis is an animal shelter. I donโt understandโmaking what right? Again, why am I here?โ
Luke gestured to the front glass doors, but Marcus just stood there as if he had no intention of moving. โI need your help. That I have a sheriff for a brother means theyโll waive the adoption period, so I can walk out of this shelter with a dog today instead of waiting.โ
He thought his brother was going to laugh for a moment. Then Marcus shook his head. โWhat the hell do you want with a dog? Youโre never here. You canโt have a dog, because someone else will end up looking after it. And if you tell my kids, theyโll want one. No, seriously. Get in your truck. Letโs get out of here.โ
He finally reached out and slapped Marcus on the shoulder. โItโs not for me, itโs for Chloe, so stop worrying. Youโll have no responsibility here.โ
His brother fell in beside him as he started walking to the door, but again he was shaking his head. โYouโre getting Chloe a dog? Seriously, there are better presents, ones that donโt lift a leg on your furniture.โ
He only angled his head to Marcus as they walked into the shelter.
The lady behind the front desk tossed them an easy smile. โWhat can I do for you?โ she said as she stood up. Her cheeks were round and her hair dark and short.
Marcus said nothing, only gestured to Luke with his thumb.
โCan I see the dogs you have up for adoption?โ Luke said.
โSure thing! We have quite a few. Theyโre all out back. Just head through those doors there and follow the noise. Are you looking for any particular breed of dog?โ She dragged her gaze from Luke to Marcus, who just lifted his hands, though at least he hadnโt walked out. Luke knew his brother was still furious over how the Wyoming sheriff had made him look like a fool.
โNope, just want to see what you have,โ Luke said, then tapped the counter and started walking to the back.
He pushed open the door and took in the line of kennels outside. There were so many of them, a little beagle who was sitting, staring up, shaking, and one that looked like a big Malamute back in the shade.
โI thought you were going to take her to dinner?โ Marcus said as Luke walked, continuing to look at the dogs.
โI am. I plan on it,โ he said. He would show up with a dog and then ask her out that night.
โSo why the dog? Seems overkill to me.โ Marcus walked behind him as he looked in each kennel. He could hear in his voice that he thought this was a bad idea.
โShe had hers taken away in Wyoming over the Randall thing. She had a mutt, some little terrier. I had to Google it to figure out what it was. She loved that dog, and watching her talk about it, I just figured I could try to fix some of what was done to herโwhat I did, and you too.โ
His brotherโs smile was gone. He just stared at the cages and dogs before dragging those blue eyes over to Luke. There it was, the guilt. โLook, I feel horrible over what happened when Sheriff Kolter showed up with that warrant. That was the first time Iโve ever had to deal with that kind of underhandedness. Iโm still kicking myself, because I know what a legitimate interstate warrant looks like, and I wish I could go back and have a second look now. You can be damn sure thatโll never happen again. If thereโs ever a next time, Iโll be picking up the phone and questioning the legality of every dotted i and crossed t.โ
Luke could hear the regret in his brotherโs voice. He wanted to remind him that even Karen had said someone would have to really look to see the difference. Evidently, Sheriff Kolter had known what he was doing. โWell, thatโs the reason youโre here, because you can help make it up to her. Iโll make sure you get some credit so youโre not in the doghouse, so to speak. That you went all official on her, turning from friendly Marcus to the sheriff who saw her as a criminal, it has her feeling about you the way Mom still feels about Harold.โ
His brother flinched. Even though Harold had been doing his job, personal was personal, and Luke could see it in the shadows of his momโs face. She was trying to tell herself she had to forgive him, that heโd done it only so things wouldnโt have been worse for her.
His brother glanced away, then shook his head. โCharlotte went over to see Chloe. Weโre still trying to wrap our heads around her not being Misty. Just saying, it seems we as a family attract this. But Charlotte was adamant that we have to have her over to the house with everyone so the family can show her that nothing has changed. Then thereโs Suzanne. Harold said she wants Chloe to file a formal complaint about that sheriff.โ
โAnd youโre okay with that?โ
Marcus dragged his gaze over to him. โIโll even help her start the paperwork. If we want anything to change in this country, then people like Sheriff Kolter have to go. Itโs all I can think to do to tell her Iโm sorry.โ
Luke realized Marcus held on to so much frustration and anger, something he suspected he was feeling more and more, having to wade in and deal with the truly ugly parts of humanity, the lying, the cheating, the taking. But not on the level that Luke did, and he hoped his brother never had to.
He made himself look away. โSo I heard Suzanne is still giving you the gears about working for the sheriffโs office.โ He took another step, walking past each of the cages, seeing all the dogs no one wanted.
Marcus let out a sigh. โSheโs not joining. She can push all she wants to, but itโs not happening. Told Harold to figure out a way to steer her in another direction. Planning on moving Therese, tooโyou know, the lady who took over Charlotteโs job? Well, sheโs good, so I plan to send her for some training and give her the open deputy job that used to be Lonnieโs.โ Marcus angled his head as they took in a group of little bulldog puppies, four of them yipping away, climbing over each other with their stocky bodies and huge paws.
โSo is that your way of giving your wife her job back?โ
Marcus dragged his gaze over to him again, unsmiling. โEven though Therese is really good, the way she got the job was wrong, with the council overstepping because Charlotte had a baby. Charlotte swallowed it and didnโt complain because she knew I was having to deal with all the overreach from the council and mayor. Well, not this time. Even though I love that sheโs home with Cameron and Eva, and being there for me, her job was a part of herself that she loved. So yeah, sheโs getting her job back.โ Marcus gestured to the pups. โYou should get her the gray one.โ
Luke stared at the little bulldog pup, which would grow into a powerhouse. There was something about those eyes, the way it was pawing at the fence where his brother was standing, looking down at it.
โA puppy,โ Luke said. โHe looks like a scrapper.โ
All Marcus did was grunt. โHeโs perfectโfor you and her.โ
Chapter 2
His truck rumbled before he parked and turned off the engine, taking in the bungalow, its curtains drawn and blinds closed. He wondered how long it would be before Chloe felt comfortable again, considering hiding for so long had likely become second nature to her.
The puppy was climbing on the seat, and he lifted the little guyโor, rather, girl.
โWell, too late to take you back, so sheโd better like you.โ
The puppy licked his face as he closed the door and held the wriggling bundle up the walkway. He pulled open the screen and knocked, then waited one second and then another. There it was, the slight flutter of the curtains, then the footsteps. He listened to the two deadbolts being unlocked, and then the door opened. He took in her wide eyes as she pulled the door open further.
โLuke, what theโฆ?โ She gasped as he held the puppy out.
He didnโt have to ask to come in. She just stepped back, and he let the door close behind him as he handed the puppy to her. โSheโs yours. I stopped at the pound and picked her up, so if you decide you donโt want her, itโs too late to take her back, so Iโll be stuck with herโand Marcus has already pointed out that I canโt have a dog because Iโm gone at a momentโs notice and someone else will end up looking after her.โ
She was laughing, and the puppy was licking her face, tail wagging. Her amber eyes reached out to him without the shadow of hurt he realized had likely always been there. โYou got me a puppy? Why? How? This is crazyโฆโ
Damn, those dimples of hers eased the tightness in his chest that had been there from the moment heโd walked out of the shelter with the pup, leaving Marcus to deal with the lady and see to it that the waiting period was waived.
โIโll never forget your face when you talked about BJ, the way he was taken from you. I know she canโt replace your other dog, butโฆโ He shrugged.
She put the puppy down and walked over to Luke, one step, two, then rose on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. She pulled back slowly, and for a moment he didnโt know what to say, remembering what it was like to have her touch him, kiss him. He watched as the puppy squatted on the floor.
He winced.
โOh, no you donโt!โ Chloe ran after the puppy.
Luke took in the hardwood and the old carpet in the living room, remembering what Marcus had said.
Chloe was already holding the dog, and she strode into the kitchen and tossed him a roll of paper towels. โClean it up for me, and Iโll take her outside. Whatโs her name?โ She was scratching the puppy, who was licking her face again. She grimaced. โOh, weโre going to have to work on that.โ
Luke ripped off several sheets and tossed them on the ground. โItโs up to you to name her,โ he said as he squatted down, wiping up the mess. He stood and walked into the kitchen.
โGarbage is under the sink,โ she said. โI guess Iโm washing my floor again, arenโt IโฆLucy? How about Lucy?โ
She strode to the back door as he tossed the paper towel in the garbage and then washed his hands. The back door closed, and he could hear her encouraging the puppy and clapping. Yeah, heโd scored big time there.
He walked to the door, taking in the sparseness of the house and how dark it seemed, all closed up. Looking out the back, he watched as Chloe checked the gate at the side of the fence. The puppy was running around the yard.
โI guess that needs to be secured better,โ Luke called out. โIโll walk the perimeter and find any holes, seal them up for you so Lucy canโt get out.โ
โYou know, Luke, Iโm not really angry with you, if thatโs what this is about,โ she said.
He didnโt know what to say for a moment. As he took in the redhead, awkwardness lingered. Having been with her on her worst day, he sensed all pretense was gone between them.
โIโm responsible for what happened,โ he said. โAs has been pointed out to me, I donโt know how to be happy. Iโve been fighting for so long, seeing the bad in everyone, that I see shadows where there arenโt any.โ
Chloe pulled in a breath and glanced away, uncomfortable. โYou said I was hiding something, and you were right. I was. But it was my secret, and you just wouldnโt let up. So yeah, you pushed when you shouldnโt have, and Iโm angry about that, considering you have secrets too, Luke. Should I push with you, or do you have a right to them?โ
She didnโt pull her gaze. He didnโt know how to explain to her that she was right to a point.
โShould I apologize?โ he said. โMaybe I should, for how I went about it, but I canโt apologize for the outcome. You donโt have to hide anymore. You donโt need to have your blinds and curtains closed so no one can see in. You donโt have a sheriff and a county coming after you anymore just because you did the right thing. You donโt have to pretend to be someone elseโand take it from me, that isnโt easy. Youโre right about me, though. I went into the special forces to make a difference, and I never know where Iโm going to be sent with my team. Iโll be gone at a momentโs notice for months at a time, with no idea when Iโll be home. Iโm not the family guy my brothers are. I never will be.โ
He wasnโt sure what to make of her expression.
โWhat are you doing, Luke? Sounds to me if youโre pointing out all the reasons you canโt be, as you said, happy. Is that what youโre doing?โ She angled her head.
โNo, Iโm justโฆโ He stopped talking when she lifted a brow. He remembered the deal with his mom, the fact that his family would never stop trying to find a way for him to have his own kind of happiness. โSorry, maybe I am. This is unchartered territory for me. Thereโs something about you, Chloe. Considering weโve already had a weekend with no strings and Iโve seen you naked, maybe Iโm going about this all wrong.โ
She rested her hand on his bare arm and slid it up to the sleeve of his navy shirt. โHow about dinner here?โ she said. โYou can help me secure the yard so Lucy canโt get out, and youโll let me ask you all about the Luke that hides himself from everyone.โ
Maybe that was what he feared more than anything. He lifted his gaze and let out a rough laugh, knowing he could walk out the door and keep pushing her away, but heโd never be able to stop thinking of her and wondering what if. And that terrified him.
โYou may decide Iโm too much, you know. There are some things I canโt share, not even with my family.โ
She seemed to consider, then nodded. โFair enough. So how about this? National security is off the table, but anything else is fair game.โ
He wondered whether she had any idea what she was asking. โYou may not like what you hear. Iโm not a squeaky-clean choir boy.โ
She only inclined her head as she picked up the puppy, which was pawing at her. โIf I was interested in a choir boy, Luke, I wouldnโt have invited you in.โ
Her lips quirked, and he spotted the teasing light heโd seen in her eyes during that weekend heโd spent with her. He couldnโt help himself from leaning in and kissing her.
When the puppy pawed at him and licked his face, he pulled back. At Chloeโs soft laughter as he ran his hand over the puppy, he wanted to thank his family for putting her right in his path.
Chapter 3
โElaborate,โ Suzanne said, โbecause Iโve known Chloe as Misty for so long, yet I swear Iโve never seen her so happy. We know youโve been staying over, so does this meanโฆ?โ
Luke was pouring a glass of wine for Chloe, and he could hear her laughter from the living room. Suzanne groaned and rested her hand on her lower back as she strode over to him, wearing an oversized yellow sundress, her hair pulled back.
โYou okay there?โ he said.
โYeah, just the baby, the joys of being pregnant. Everything hurts. But donโt change the subject. Weโre talking about you and Chloe.โ She angled her head and then smacked his chest when he laughed softly under his breath.
โOw! Geez, Suzanne, dial back the aggression. Or is this how you keep Harold in line?โ
His sister had always been tomboyish, and he was having trouble picturing her as a momโwhich she would soon be, considering how their own mother was fussing over her.
โHarold is fine,โ Suzanne said. โYouโre the only one I do that to, because you like it.โ She shrugged.
โSure, with guys, when I can hit back, but youโre my sister.โ He screwed the cap back on the wine.
โI remember well the black eye you gave meโฆโ
โYou were twelve, and I wasnโt much older,โ he said. โBesides, isnโt this about you having your nose in my business, spying on me, really?โ
Suzanne made a rude noise. โI wasnโt spying. I was doing my due diligence, driving past Owen and Tessaโs, and I just happen to have seen your truck parked there every morning. Combined with the fact that Mom says you havenโt been home, I guess that means I can put you and Chloe down as officially together. You two will continue showing up for family night, and Mom will finally get you out of the house, and we wonโt have to find someone else for you, because we rather like Chloe. Youโre perfect for each other.โ
What was he supposed to say to that? Whenever he was with Chloe, he didnโt want to leave. He couldnโt not touch her, not kiss her, and he thought he could listen to her voice all night. Now it was him checking the windows and pulling the curtains closed again, because he was the one still seeing ghosts. There were just too many bad things out there.
But that was one secret he knew Chloe understood, and he figured she wouldnโt share it. His family had some idea, but if they had only known what haunted him in his head, he wondered whether they still would have put Chloe in his path.
โItโs what you wanted, isnโt it?โ he said. โSo give yourself a pat on the back and take the win, but youโre not getting a blow by blow, because I donโt kiss and tell.โ
โChloe said you rebuilt the entire back fence in her yard.โ
He lifted a brow, as his sister didnโt appear to have heard him. โLucy needed a safe place that she couldnโt get out of. Considering I gave Chloe the puppy, it was my responsibility to make sure she had a secure yard.โ
He could hear the laughter in Marcusโs own yard out back, knowing the puppy was a source of entertainment for the kids and half the family. Heโd already heard the kids pleading with Marcus too many times that they needed their own puppy.
โYouโre being domesticated, Luke.โ
He lifted the glass of wine and reached for his own beer. That was word for word what his mom had said, along with instructions not to blow it.
He heard Chloe, Charlotte, and Jenny talking as they stepped into the kitchen. Luke handed Chloe her glass of wine and couldnโt resist leaning in and kissing her. Everyone was suddenly quiet, and when he pulled back, he could see them all watching.
โOkay, showโs over,โ he said. โWhoโs barbecuing tonight, anyway, since Owenโs not here?โ
Then he heard a car door and voices.
โItโs Owen and Tessa. Theyโre back!โ Jenny said. She was already walking to the front door along with Suzanne and Charlotte.
Chloe suddenly appeared nervous, as she hadnโt moved.
โWhatโs wrong?โ he said.
She flicked her amber eyes up to him. Her peach halter sundress looked stunning on her, and he realized something about being with her centered him. โYou know that Owen and Tessa still know me as Misty. They donโt know about anything that happenedโฆโ
โOh, I see. Youโre worried about what theyโre going to think.โ
She only shrugged, a motion heโd seen too many times over the past week. There were so many things she hadnโt been able to shake, and he wondered how long it would take for her not to immediately worry about people thinking the worst of her.
โDid anyone here tell you to get out, or did everyone stand behind you?โ he said.
She frowned and furrowed her brow. โSo you think Iโm silly for worrying.โ
He settled his beer on the island, then took her wine from her hand to rest beside it. Out front, his family was laughing. He rested both his hands on her bare arms, running them down and pulling her closer to him.
โNo, not me, not ever me, but if I have to keep telling you, I think everyone here has already shown you theyโre in your corner. What happened to you in Cody will never happen again.โ
He could tell by the flicker of worry in those amber eyes that she was likely trying to convince herself of what he was saying.
โYou know what Iโve wondered, Luke?โ She settled into his arms, pressing all that softness against him as she looked up to him.
โWhatโs that?โ
โBessie, the old woman next door. I know you told me she moved to Jackson Hole, where her son is, but you never told me how you found out or how sheโs doing. I donโt know. Even after everything that happened, she crosses my mind every now and then.โ
Luke pulled in a breath, thinking of the call from Jess the day after theyโd gotten back. The old woman had been taken out of her house by the sheriffโs deputies while the bulldozers pulled in, and her son had driven all night to pick her up. Sheโd been given a court-ordered settlement for her property, only eighty cents on the dollar, and the TX Group had wasted no time in laying down the cement.
โIโm sure sheโll be fine with her family,โ Luke said, โjust like you are here with us. A new start, a new beginning. Just think: Sometimes bad things have to happen to get you to something good.โ
By the way her brows knit, she didnโt agree. She went to pull back when he heard the squeak of the door and the voices of his family.
โSo youโre saying everything I went through was a good thing?โ Chloe said.
He was treading in dangerous territory. He ran his hands over her arms again. โWell, if you hadnโt, you wouldnโt have been in Greece, we wouldnโt have met, and you wouldnโt be standing in my arms right now.โ
There were those dimples he loved.
โWell, Mr. OโConnell, that was a good save,โ she said.
He couldnโt resist leaning in and kissing her.
Chapter 4
The puppy had fallen asleep about the same time Cameron had, Luke thought.
As he sat outside in Marcusโs backyard, the sun had already set, and he could hear the soft voices of his family drifting from the house. His dad had pulled out a patio chair and sat down beside Owen, who had taken a minute to get his head around what had happened while he was gone on his honeymoon.
Marcus handed Luke another beer and sat in one of the other chairs between Harold and Ryan. As Jack reclined in the padded lounger with Karen leaning against him, Luke could just make out the state trooper standing off by the side.
โSo are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?โ Owen said. โYouโve had all this time to wrap your heads around what happened and ask questions, yet here I am, trying to understand how I didnโt know Chloe was hiding something. I mean, now, as I look back, the signs are there. First there was the way she reacted when Tessa encouraged her to take that admin job at the high school, which had better pay and was practically being handed to her. And maybe I did wonder about how closed-up her house was, with the double locks, the blinds, the curtains, even when Tessa went over. I called out to her a few times when I saw her at the store, and she didnโt turn around. Now I can see, even though it wasโโ
โExplained away?โ Luke jumped in before Owen could continue down the road of trying to see every clue heโd missed.
โYeah, I guess thatโs it. I just canโt believe it.โ
Luke could feel his dad watching him and knew he understood more about everything that had happened, just as he did.
โWhat about the fire and the family who were killed?โ Owen said. โI know you said Dirk Randall got off and wonโt be charged, but does that mean the case isโฆ?โ
โHe canโt be charged, Owen, because he was acquitted,โ Karen said, jumping in. โBut I guess, like you, I thought it never made sense, why he did it or what happened in that house. I mean, donโt you all want to know? Because I do. A man like Dirk Randall with a company the size of TX behind him, what was he doing, walking into a house and burning it down? That makes no sense. Heโd have people to do that for him. Am I not right?โ Her head was resting against Jackโs chest, and it wasnโt lost on Luke the way Jack had been fussing over her. The man really loved his sister, and heโd been rather quiet that night.
โI did some digging,โ Marcus started as he leaned forward, his forearms on his knees, a beer dangling from his hand. โSal Miller wasnโt as squeaky clean as people thought. I guess because he died in that fire with his kids and his wife, no one was looking at him, but I did find a sealed juvie record on him. He started a fire when he was thirteen, burned down a barn in the place he grew up outside Dixon. The old man inside died. Then, in his early twenties, Sal became a volunteer firefighter in Plympton, where he met his wife before they moved to Cody. The thing is that when I started looking at the dates and records, it seems Sal Miller lived in four different counties in a six-year period, and each of those counties had unsolved arsons.โ
Everyone was staring at Marcus. Heโd had no idea his brother had been looking.
โYouโre saying Sal Miller burned down his own house and killed himself and his family?โ Harold said, looking at Marcus as if heโd lost his mind. โIs that what youโve been doing for the last week, all this research?โ
Marcus only pulled his hand over the back of his neck, exhaled, and sat up. โFrom the beginning, from the moment this all went sideways, it was on me. The minute Sheriff Kolter called me, I drove him right to Chloe to cuff her and let him take her across state lines. I was angry sheโd lied, but I didnโt know there was an entire backstory with a lot of players. I didnโt take the time to vet that warrant or, worse, to think for a moment that she could be innocent.
โThat case, as I look at it, had so many holes. There are only three ways to solve a crime: You catch someone in the act, you have a witness, or you find evidence. Unfortunately, in Chloeโs case, as in many, the first thing the defense did was poke holes, destroy the witnessโs credibility. So that left no witness. And what was the evidence? An accelerant and a head injury to the wife. No one bothered to look into the fact that Deanna Miller had consulted a divorce lawyer, and she was going after half of everything Sal owned. The sheriff conveniently left out that she had also been seeking a restraining order against Sal. This was not a happy couple.
โLuke, when you told me about the incidents with Sal looking in Chloeโs bedroom window, taking photos, I have to tell you, I wouldnโt have given him a pass just because he owned the house. No, there was a lot of evidence against Sal.โ
โYou think Sal burned down his own house? That he killed his wife?โ Owen said as if on the verge of laughing because of how ridiculous it sounded.
โI think the kids got trapped, and he couldnโt get them out. He had screwed up, so he died with his kids. I do think he killed his wife. It may sound crazy, but think about it. But, at the same time, what was Dirk really doing there, and what did he see? Smoke was spotted shortly after, then a fire. Was he there about buying out Sal, and his timing was just off? Maybe. Or maybe Sal was planning on pointing the finger at him too, and it backfired. I did find that the TX Group made several offers to buy out Sal Miller and the houses he owned on that block. Dirk was turned down six times.โ
โYou didnโt hear this from me,โ Jack started, and Karen only turned her head, resting it against his chest. โDirk Randall is currently being investigated by the securities commission for fraud. As for the sheriff, a video is going to be leaked this week documenting a bad shooting on the highway, a man who was trying to put down a bull. Sheriff Kolter is on video shooting the man in the backโฆโ
โBessieโs husband,โ Luke said.
Jack looked over to him. He wondered how heโd found out, but then, this was Jack.
โSo she gets her justice, does she?โ Luke said. โBut not her property back.โ
Jack said nothing else.
By the way Karen settled against her husband, she knew more. โNope, that big goliath, the TX Group, gets its development,โ she said.
โItโs not my state, Karen,โ Jack said, having likely heard an earful from her already.
โSo how is it that the securities commission is investigating Dirk Randall?โ Ryan asked.
Luke realized Jack had been making more than a few phone calls.
โI suspect they had a tip to point them in the right direction. Heโll have to announce his resignation from the TX Group and will walk away disgraced but not impoverished.โ
Raymond stood up and looked down at all of them. โSo it seems you made some justice happen,โ he said. โMarcus, let yourself off the hook. Youโre a good sheriff. Jack, you pulled some strings so Dirk loses the TX Group, but youโre right that the development canโt stop. Sheriff Kolter will likely face some charges, but no one will really know what went on in that house before it burned down. There will always be more goliaths out there, but one thing I know well is having to hide, and Chloe wonโt have to do that now. You make me damn proud every
day, every one of you, because each of you in your own way is making a little corner of this world better. Thatโs what I see. Itโs what I know.โ
Luke didnโt know what to say. Heโd never considered that.
His dad was staring down at Karen, who was still resting against her husband. Jack had wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her head, and by the way Raymond smiled at the two of them, Luke realized there was something else.
โYou know,โ his dad said, โwe could all use a little more good news. You told your mom and me earlierโฆโ
Karen looked up at them all. โJack and I are having a baby.โ
Jack gave a proud papaโs smile as he kissed Karenโs cheek again, and Luke looked over to his feisty, fiery sister as everyone shouted their congratulations. He stood and strode over, then bent down and kissed her on the cheek before tapping Jack on the shoulder.
โThatโs great, you two,โ he said. โYou know what? I think Iโm going to grab Chloe and that sleeping pup and head out.โ
As he strode across Marcusโs backyard toward the house, hearing the laughter behind him, he realized his dad was right. In their own ways, they really were trying to make things right.
