Broken (Broken 1)

He looked back at the car and then turned back to me and smiled. “Yeah. Well, I’m also picking up my fiancée. She was staying here for a bit, but it’s time for her to come back home now. I’ve missed her…if you know what I mean,” he said with a wink.

I let out a laugh. “Oh hell yeah, I’m ready to see my girl tonight as well, if you know what I mean,” I said, giving him a wink back.

His smile faded for a quick second before he replaced it with another look, one I wasn’t too sure how to read.

“Thanks for the warm welcome. I look forward to getting to know this little town. ”

“How long are you in town for?”

“Oh…not long. Long enough to get back what was mine and head out on the road. ”

I nodded. I didn’t like this guy at all. Something about him was throwing up warning flags in my head.

“Okay, well, enjoy your stay, Pete. ”

“I will. Trust me,” he said with a shit-eating grin on his face.

I watched as he turned and got into his rental car. He punched something into his phone and took off.

As I watched his car drive off, something came over me—anger. Something about that guy didn’t sit right with me, and I was hoping that was the first and last time I ever ran into him.

Chapter

Twenty-Three: Whitley

As we walked into the stadium, Kate was begging Layton to let her sit on his shoulders. I couldn’t help but smile at how she totally had him wrapped around her little finger. Jen, Kate’s mother, had told me since Mike had passed away that Layton had pretty much stepped in as the father figure for Kate. It showed. There wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for Kate to make her happy.

I let myself wander into a daydream as we stood there, waiting to pay to get in. I imagined Layton at the ranch on top of the hill at sunset. He was swinging our little girl around and around in circles as she laughed and cried out for him to go faster.

I felt someone tug on my shirt. “Whitley, why are you closing your eyes? Are you tired?”

I looked down at Kate and laughed. “I guess I was lost in a daydream, sweetheart. ”

I glanced up at Layton and winked. He’d been acting so strange ever since he came to pick me up. He had been nothing but a nervous Nellie.

As he smiled back at me, he leaned down and put his lips right up to my ear. “What were you daydreaming about?”

His hot breath instantly turned me on, and I felt the blush moving up my cheeks.

I was just about to answer him when Kate started laughing.

“You were sleeping while you were standing up, Whitley? Uncle Layton, she must be really tired to sleep and dream while standing up, huh?”

Reaching down, Layton picked up Kate and swung her up and over his head until she was sitting on his shoulders.

“Yay! I can see everything now!” Kate called out.

He pulled me closer to him and gently kissed my lips. He smiled as he pulled slightly back. “Maybe we should get her home and to bed right away. ”

I giggled and shook my head. “I think I’ll be okay for now. But we might have to leave early. ”

Layton laughed and grabbed my hand as we paid and made our way into the stadium.

“My God, it’s been forever since I was at a high school football game,” I said as we headed toward the stands.

“It’s gonna be fun. The Yellow Jackets are gonna kick some ass tonight,” Layton said with a laugh.

“Uncle Layton, you said a bad word. You owe me an ice cream!”