Nice Buns (Cheap Thrills 7)

A snort burst out of me as their argument made me laugh even harder.

It was just as I put my hand under my vest to hold my side where I had a bitch of a stitch that Evie said, “Um, I’m sitting next to my neighbor right now… and he’s a cop, Mom. So you might want to not threaten Dad.”

“See, Lesley? I’ve got a witness—and one with nuts,” Evie’s dad said smugly. “Hey, Evie, ask him if he thinks the glass ball’s a good idea. Man to man, it might work, right?”

His focus may have been on that, but her mom’s was on something altogether. “Sweetie, uh, if you’re with a member of the police, does this mean you got arrested and you’re sitting in the waiting room with cuffs on? Where people can see you?”

“No, I didn’t get arrested, Mom,” Evie assured her, her lips twitching as she glanced up at me. “And I’m not sitting in the waiting room with cuffs on. Alex is our neighbor, and he was at the school today when Cody got sick. He brought him to the hospital and helped keep him calm before they took him into surgery.”

Her mom’s voice was more forceful when she replied, like she’d slipped into business mode. “Your neighbor? I think I remember him. What’s his name? I’ll ask your brother about him.”

Taking pity on her, I said, “It’s Alex Bell, ma’am. My son’s the—”

“The hot sheriff,” she gasped. “I’m so sorry for interrupting, please excuse my manners, but I know exactly who you are. Thank you so much for taking care of our grandson and our daughter.”

“I mean it when I say anytime. There’s no need for y’all to cut your trip short, though. I’m here to help out, and my son and daughter-in-law have offered their services as well. I’ll make sure they’re well looked after.”

And I meant every word of it.

There was a moment’s pause, but then she said softly, “Our son, Roque, and our daughter will be coming to see them as soon as Evie says where they’re going to be once Cody’s out of surgery. They’ll let us know if we need to cut it short.”

I heard the sound of her walking around and a door sliding open, and then she added, “But it settles me to know she’s got you there until they can do it. Thank you so much, Officer Bell, for looking after them and doing what you did today.”

“Just call me Alex, Mrs. Edwards. I’ll get your number from Evie in case there’s an update and she can’t text you herself.”

As she thanked me, Walton came back on the phone.

“Alex, just a quick question before we go—about that glass ball…”

Throwing my head back, I burst out laughing audibly this time with Evie joining me.

And that’s how DB found us, wiping our cheeks and still laughing as she said goodbye to her parents.

DB watched me with narrowed eyes but waited to say what was on his mind until she’d ended the call.

“You know, when you texted me and said you were in the ER with your neighbor’s son, I thought maybe he’d hurt himself at school. So when Carter filled me in on it, and you called me to say what was going on, I immediately took your name off the rota and gave you some time off. I was even happy about it because you never take any vacation time and take on the extra hours so we can go home.”

He looked between the two of us. “Not once did I think I’d get here while the poor little guy gets his testicle removed and find y’all laughing.”

Wiping another tear away, Evie chuckled. “I’m so sorry, I know this looks bad, but it was my dad who did this to us.”

As she explained it to him, his face went from amused to shocked.

“You can’t put a glass sphere from a clock in there. What if Cody hits it on something?”

Unfortunately, that didn’t help with the laughter we were trying to get out of our systems. But, in all honesty, it was probably due to the shock of the situation and the relief that Cody would be okay after the surgery. Yes, he had an uphill struggle ahead of him if they removed the testicle, but he’d still be living and breathing.

Surprising me, DB sat down next to us and stretched his legs out in front of him.

“You staying?” I asked over Evie’s head as she stared up at him in amazement.

“Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now. Tabby says she’s got Sheena and to take my time. If we need anything, it’s easy enough to drop her off with Jose or just strap her into her car seat and get it done.”

“Thank you so much,” Evie whispered, sounding close to tears. “I didn’t expect any of this, and it means a lot to me.”