Fries Before Guys (SWAT Generation 2.0 2)

“Avery won’t care,” I murmured, narrowing my eyes. “Where is Avery?”

Logan looked around as if confused, as did Katy and my dad.

Dax frowned.

“I saw her there after handing out all the food…” Dad said.

I groaned. “She went home.”

“What?” Dad asked. “Why?”

I rolled my eyes and pressed my hands against my eyes, trying to cut the burn that I could feel in them.

“She’s probably thinking that this is family time and that she doesn’t want to intrude,” I muttered.

Dad shook his head.

“Avery really came through for us today,” he said. “I would’ve never asked her to leave.”

“I know that,” I said. “She doesn’t.”

“Call her and tell her to come back.”

That was Katy, who was now more than awake and listening to our conversation, too.

I looked over at her and grinned. “I think, actually, that it’s time for us to go.”

Dax grunted with acknowledgment, looking to Rowen who was asleep on the bed next to Katy.

She was curled up in a ball at the end of the bed, her face resting on Katy’s thigh.

“I agree,” Dax concurred. “She’s worn out.”

“Too much excitement, adrenaline, and terror,” Dad agreed. “We’re staying, though.”

I already knew that.

“What do we do about the drunk driver that’s not actually a drunk driver?” I asked then.

“I called in the plates. They were registered to a man that had his truck stolen two days ago in Harris County,” Dad murmured. “So that’s a dead end. We also had one good Samaritan follow the car that hit Logan and Katy until the truck broke down farther down the road. Watched him bail out of the car and run into the woods. He didn’t pursue him because apparently he disappeared into the shadows of the parking lot and couldn’t tell which way he went after that.”

I sighed and rubbed my face with my hands.

“I need to go. Make sure that she got there safely,” I said, pulling out my dead phone. “I also need to get a new phone because this one’s battery is awful since I did that new update on it.”

Dad grunted out agreement. “I’ll call you and let you know if I find anything else out. Text me to let me know that Avery is safe when you get home.”

I gave him a thumbs up and walked over to Katy, dropping a kiss onto her cheek before saying, “You got a cute kid, sister. Riggs is a fighter.”

“Riggs?” Logan asked from beside me.

“Well, she didn’t have a name, and Avery started calling her Riggs. After Martin Riggs off of Lethal Weapon. Something about her being a scrappy little fighter. Now everyone’s calling her that until you can come up with a real name.”

Katy laughed, looking over at Logan with a grin.

“I like it,” she said.

His brows went up. “I kind of do, too.”

Feeling more anxious by the second, I said my goodbyes and was out the door moments later.

I didn’t want to leave Avery alone now that I’d heard about what had happened to Logan and Katy.

It may have been an actual drunk driver. It sounded like it, even. But I trusted Logan’s judgment. If he didn’t think it was an accident, then it wasn’t an accident.

Sometimes cops just knew when there was something more wrong.Chapter 15Love me like you love beer.

-Avery to Derek

Avery

I didn’t know who I expected to be at my house so late at night, but the mayor definitely wasn’t it.

I blinked in surprise as the cab pulled into my driveway, and got out with a murmured, ‘thank you’ after paying.

The cab backed away, illuminating Lynn’s face once again, and left me in the dark.

“I have some news,” he said, his eyes going down the length of my body. “You look beautiful. What was the occasion?”

I grimaced and tugged my camera back up higher.

“I had to take photos at prom,” I answered. “I didn’t want to be the only one not dressed up, so I wore my mom’s prom dress. I was lucky it fit.”

Lynn’s mouth turned up at the side. “It’s wonderful.”

I walked up to him and stopped only a few feet away.

“What’s up, Mayor?” I asked. “It’s kind of late.”

He grimaced. “I know it is. I found a couple of interesting things I thought you should know about.”

My brows went up in surprise.

“Okay then,” I said as I moved toward my front door. “Let’s go inside.”

Lynn followed me, making sure to keep a respectable distance.

For some reason, he didn’t intimidate me in the least.

I felt safe with him, and I wasn’t sure altogether why.

“If you don’t mind,” I said as I gestured to my dress. “I’d really like to go change. Have a seat. Get a drink. Whatever you need.”

He nodded once, and I disappeared into my room, coming back out moments later dressed in sweats and a sweatshirt—both Derek’s.

He grinned at my ‘KPD SWAT’ shirt and gestured to it with his chin.