Page 80 of Lost and Found

It was like part of her soul was relaxing as she played the passenger princess and her son dozed in the back seat.

Finally, they approached a sign for Granite Creek. Something in her chest clicked as if she were supposed to be there. She glanced at Wes; he looked at her, a small smile curving his full lips and playfulness dancing in his emerald eyes. “Welcome to Main Street.”

“This place could double as a small-town movie set.” Flower baskets overflowed from lamp posts. People strolled down brick sidewalks. Couples walked hand in hand. Families walked, kids running ahead. Not too busy to feel crowded. Not too small to feel as if everyone knew everything about their neighbors.

He paused at a stop sign and turned, slowly driving down the street until he pulled into the driveway of an adorable two-level house with a flag hanging by the front door. “Six-oh-eight Magnolia Boulevard.”

“Oh, this is really cute.” Even its address was adorable.

“Cute, but built like Fort Knox.” Wes killed the engine and looked over his shoulder. “What do you think?”

Matt rubbed his eyes under his glasses and inspected the house. “This is where we’re staying?”

“It is.”

“There’s a rope swing.”

She hadn’t even noticed. “That looks like fun.”

He unbuckled the latch on his chest. “Maybe we should have ice cream. Because it’s the first night.”

“Good argument,” Wes added.

She could have called that request. “Let’s see how we’re feeling after we bring everything inside.”

Wes opened the hatch. “Ten bucks says Matt will feel like ice cream. I probably will too.”

“This is my shocked face,” she teased, mentally cautioning herself not to let them team up. Everything could derail, and Matt would be left wondering where Wes had gone. But she couldn’t. She’d be careful. Vigilant. There was no way Wes would ever hurt Matt. At least not intentionally. She’d be careful—for Matt’s sake, and her own.

Wes handed Matt a suitcase handle. “This is yours, and I’ve got your mom’s.”

She trailed behind them to the front porch and couldn’t help but feel like walking into this picture-perfect house would change everything. Wes unlocked the front door and let Matt drag his bag in first.

“Mom, there’s a Nintendo Switch next to the TV!”

“And bulletproof windows,” Wes added under his breath. “We all have our priorities.”

They didn’t look that different from regular windows. “I wouldn’t even have noticed.”

“Come on, bud,” Wes said. “We’re going to check the house out. Ready?”

Matt nodded but ran ahead as if he knew where they should head first.

“Hey.” She playfully elbowed Wes. “I’m coming too. I want to see everything.”

With Matt racing ahead, Wes wrapped his arm around Bailey’s shoulder and pulled her close. He dropped a kiss on her head. Her stomach flipped as they caught up with Matt.

For the next five minutes, Bailey watched Wes and Matt investigate every room. Wes talked about lines of sight and security when staying somewhere new. Matt soaked it up. By the time they’d finished touring the four-bedroom house, they all knew how to leave if there was a fire, where the water main shutoff was, and how people could see into houses at night if the blinds and drapes were left open while the lights were on.

Wes and Matt collapsed on the couch as though they were both exhausted. Wes kicked his legs onto the coffee table. Matt did too. She leaned against the wall. “Are you too tired to get ice cream?”

“No!” Matt launched off the couch and bounced on his tiptoes, waiting to confirm they were heading out. “I’mma put my shoes back on.”

She turned to Wes. “I should have made sure you were okay with that first.”

He balked. “Do I look like the kind of cretin to turn down ice cream?”

“I guess not. Give me a minute to grab my purse.” She returned to the front of the house. “Ready.”