Sinners are Winners (KPD Motorcycle Patrol 5)

“I’m nervous because I’m meeting your family for the first time,” she said. “What if they don’t like me?”

“Like your dad doesn’t like me?” I challenged. “And don’t worry, you’ll always have someone that likes you when it comes to Rune. But she’s actually under contract out of state right now as a travel nurse. She won’t be home for weeks yet. But, she’s always gonna be pro-you because I’m her favorite out of everybody. Big brother can do nothing wrong in her eyes.”

She rolled her eyes heavenward.

“You’re silly. And, just sayin’,” she snickered. “My dad doesn’t like anyone. But my mom calls every night and asks if you’re there, and when I tell her you’re not off work yet, she gets all ‘okay’ and thinks that I’m hiding you from her. She asks to talk to you all the time.”

I frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve talked to her.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I said that, but she’s so busy getting her classroom ready that she barely has time for our nightly chats,” she told me as we made our way up the front walk of my parents’ home.

“Nightly chats?” I asked.

“Yeah.” She scrunched up her nose. “I talk to my mom every single day when she’s leaving work. Or when I’m leaving work. It depends on who’s the last one to leave that day. Most of the time it’s me, seeing as she gets out at four-ish in the afternoon.”

“What could y’all possibly have to talk about?” I asked. “And how long do y’all talk?”

She shrugged and came to a stop when I opened the door, blinking at the dog that was laid out in the middle of the front walk, not moving.

“We talk about what happened that day, what our plans are for the weekend. Whatever.” She bent down to her haunches and looked at the dog. “Pretty.”

“That’s Mocha,” I said.

“Mocha’s a cute name.” She smiled as she swept her hand down the length of Mocha’s coat. “How did y’all come up with that? It’s very unique.”

“I didn’t.” I paused. “Or we didn’t. We got her from Trance.”

She looked at me.

“Ahh,” she said. “The name sounds familiar.” She scratched Mocha behind the ear. “She’s really old.”

That didn’t even begin to describe it.

I shrugged. “Very, very,” I agreed. “She’s on the decline fast. Dad’s denying that it’s time…and we’re helping him prepare because it’s inevitable.”

But before I could explain any more, the door was flung open and my mother was there, practically jumping up and down in excitement.

“Come in, Saylor!” she cheered. “We have wine!”

Saylor gave Mocha one last pat and stepped over her, as did I.

“What about me, Mom?” I asked. “I’m here, too.”

My mother rolled her eyes and then tugged Saylor by the hand before leading her into the kitchen, leaving me to roll my eyes at her lack of caring toward her only son.

“Looks like you were replaced.”

I looked up to see my uncle Drew standing there, leaning against the fireplace with a beer in his hand.

“As the favorite?” I guessed.

Drew grinned. “Yep.”

“I’m sure I’ll win back the spot once Saylor’s been here for a while. When the new wears off,” I teased.

“I heard that!” Saylor said loudly from the kitchen.

I grinned and took Drew’s hand and shook it before gesturing toward his beer.

“Can I get you another one?” I asked.

He shook his head. “This one is full for now.”

I gave him a chin lift and disappeared into the kitchen where the majority of the others were surrounding the island.

My mother had her arm around Saylor’s waist as she was introducing everyone to my girl.

“And this is my daughter, Ares. But you’ve met her before, right?” my mom asked.

Saylor nodded. “Briefly.”

Ares grinned. “Briefly, as in when she nut-punched that guy.”

Saylor covered her face as a blush overtook it.

“I’ll never live that down as long as I’m alive,” she muttered.

I tugged on her ponytail and walked to my dad, offering my hand.

“Heard you had a hostage call a little before shift end,” I said. “I thought for sure you weren’t going to make it.”

Dad grinned.

“Actually, I handed that job off officially as of today,” he answered. “No more negotiations for me. I’m also being replaced as the spokesman for KPD, too. I’m now backup if I’m ever needed. You’re looking at a man that no longer has to live by the sound of his pager.”

“They’re not pagers anymore, Dad,” Ares said as she offered Saylor a glass of wine. “They’re phone calls. Or alerts through an app.”

“Whatever,” he muttered. “Drink your wine and shut up before I remember that you ate all my cookies today.”

“I didn’t eat all of your cookies,” Ares denied. “Mom did.”

“Hey!” Mom said. “I didn’t eat them all, either. Aspen had some, too!”

“Don’t blame that on me, Memphis!” Aspen, my aunt, challenged with her own half-filled glass of wine. “I was just eating one because you handed it to me.”