Page 43 of Cautious Love

I huff. “You’ve been standing next to me half the day.”

He grins and shakes his head. “Tatum told me about what happened at the clinic.”

I nod and hope he doesn’t ask me anymore.

“Did you get the bastard?” he asks.

I puff out a breath. “No, she didn’t press charges,” I mutter.

“Why the hell not? Put that asshole under the prison,” he says, his tone edged with anger.

“I know. But I can’t do much if I don’t have witnesses, and she doesn’t want to report him, so I’m stuck.”And reporting him at this point after what Shiloh did wouldn’t bode well for any of us. Doesn’t mean I don’t want him to pay though.

“I know what I’d do,” he mutters.

“I know what Iwantto do.”

“My uptight sheriff brother wants to break the rules?” Fletcher asks, grinning from ear to ear.

Already did.

They all make fun of me for being so … rigid. But I have my reasons, and they might not know it, but they are very much a part of them. I’d die right here, right now, for the sake of my family.

“Sometimes rules keep justice from happening,” I say under my breath.

“Damn straight, brother,” Fletcher says, and pats my back before I follow him into the mudroom.

While we eat at the farm table big enough for eighteen people, I brace myself for the inevitable questions my family is going to ask. I’m sure someone saw or heard something at this point. I’m sticking to my story of being friends and helping her out. I’m not ready to tell them we’re married, even if it isn’t real, and if my family saw us together, there is no way they’d believe it.

But much to my amazement, all Mom asks is about work. Dad asked how things were looking, and then if I was going to redo the patio in my backyard and what the status was for the foundation for the house I’m building on Hayes land.

No one asked about the Jeep sitting outside my house. No one else asked about what Grey did, or about Shiloh wearing a wedding ring.

When we finish lunch and get ready to head back out, June grabs my arm, pulling me to the side.

She nibbles her lip and glances over my shoulder at something.

“What’s up, June Bug?”

“How long has Shiloh Sullivan beenmarriedto you?” she asks.

Well, I almost made it.

“What do you know?” I ask her.

“Honestly, not much, but I hear things and see things, like her walking out of your house to get into her car and wearing a wedding ring,” June says.

I sigh. “June, it’s really none of your business.”

“Are y’all a thing now? Is she married to someone else?” she asks.

“Uh … no.”

June’s eyes narrow. She knows. A wide grin spreads across her face. “Don’t worry, I won’t say a word. But Ledge, you know thisinformationwill make it to this house. It won’t be from me, but you know it’s coming.”

I groan to myself because she’s right.

“It’s complicated. I almost brought her here, but the last thing I wanted was for Mama to pummel her with questions when she’s been through so much. I know what happened, and she doesn’t need to keep reliving it.”