Page 162 of Cautious Love

“Tell your wives thanks for letting me borrow you.”

They both huff. “We would like to keep our balls where they are. They don’t need to know anything,” Fletcher says.

“Dude, you and I know June will find out from Sterling, who will inevitably tell her. Then she’s going to tell the girls and Mama. This is all about minimizing the fallout, and hope we live to see another day,” Cooper says.

Fletcher sighs and rubs his face. “I have to say, this was fun, felt like we were kids again.”

I huff. “We never did this as kids.”

He shrugs. “We definitely got into fights, close enough. See you later.”

They get in the truck, and I watch them leave.

Sterling leans against my truck, arms crossed. “I have to ask you for one more thing.”

Sterling nods. “Name it.”

“I’m going to bring Shiloh up to Dallas’s house. I need you to stay with her in the morning … just in case.”

“In case of what? What’s going on tomorrow?” Sterling asks.

I sigh and rub the back of my neck. “It’s … law business.”

“I can help you with that,” he says.

“No, brother, you’re helping me by protecting my future.”

Sterling grins widely. “I knew you had it bad, butyour future?Since when are you Mr. Romantic?”

“I wouldn’t go that far, but she’s the only future I want. I need to get back to the clinic.”

“Alright, I’ll be there,” Sterling says.

I nod, trying to ignore the swell of emotions building in my chest. My family showed up for me in a way I should never have asked them to. But they did, and that proves family is more than blood.

Chapter 41

Shiloh

Thisisafull-circlemoment. I lay in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. They said I have a minor concussion. Other than that, I’m just bruised and banged up. It could have been worse. I’m more worried about where Ledger is.

Did he catch the men?

Is he hurt?

Or did he drop me here because we’re only friends, which is exactly what I told him I wanted, and he doesn’t feel like he should stay?

But he said he would be back.

As if he knew I was thinking about him, my husband strides into my room with a grimace and roughened hands.

“Hey, are you alright?” he asks, coming to the side of the bed.

I nod and tell him what the nurse told me.

I wring my hands, not sure what to say, or maybe burst into tears. I’m oscillating between both.

“You came back,” I rasp.