Mind Play (Bennett Sisters Book 3) (35 page)

Emma swatted at John
’s arm. “Be sweet
.”

“I
’m just saying.
”

Emma laughed. “I remember another little boy that use
d
to keep us up all night long
,
and it wasn’t from snoring but from crying
.”

Claire smiled to herself. She’d missed having her family around. They were a close family and had dinner once a week, but it didn’t compare to having them all in the house together at the same time.
She’d make it a point to plan more family vacations together if they made it through the next few weeks unscathed. Claire
took the spatula away from John and swatted him on the arm before she
lifted
more
French toast from the pan and
placed them on top of the others already on the plate
.
After removing the bacon from the
grea
se, she started more of both. She walked
to the table and s
e
t the plate down in the middle. They were going to be a hungry bunch of men and woman when they woke up. She was starved
,
but she’d cook for everyone before she ate herself, just like she’d done every since their mom had died.

Claire stiffened and spun around on her heel with the spatula still in her hand. “Butch, we have to go back.”

Butch had a piece of bacon in his hand and was
about
to take a bite
when
he paused to look up at her. He lowered his arm to rest on the table. “I know.”

He continued eating as Claire wondered how he could have remembered about the benefit when she’d almost forgot
ten
. The last few days had
been rough
, but she’d never missed the
c
ancer
b
enefit
in all of these years
,
and she wasn’t about to start now. When he didn’t argue and insist that she stay, Claire’s mouth about fell open. She thought she’d have to argue to make sure she made it back. Then again, maybe
h
e
hadn’t
remember
ed,
and he had his own agenda.

“What do you know?”

“
The benefit is
to
morrow
. I’ll make sure you don’t miss it.”

Claire cocked her head to the side. “You aren’t going to argue with me and tell me it’s not a good idea?”

Butch took another sip of coffee
.
“Nope, just like you’re not going to argue with me for beefing up the security.”

Claire figured there was a catch; she just hadn’t seen it coming. She should have, but she didn’t. It was a small price to pay for making sure she lived through the night and no one tamper
ed
with anything in her house. Claire walked over to him and kissed the top of his head and put her arms around him, giving him a hug from behind. She leaned down and whispered, “Thank you.”

Butch looked up and smiled. “You just have to promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“You have to trust me. Trust that I know what I’m doing and my only objective is to keep you safe.”

Claire leaned down
,
kissed him again
,
and gave him a gentle squeeze. “I already do.”

Claire walked back over to the stove and continued cooking. Everyone eventually woke and came out of their rooms. Abby and Sam came through the backdoor. They must have stay
ed at his beach house next door, the same one that Sam had bought all of those years ago, in hopes of being able to have a life with Abby.
Claire fixed her
self
a plate and ate in silence, watching the people who made her life complete.

They’d talked about the benefit
,
and all decided that Emma couldn’t attend. She needed to stay with Lily and Briggs. Emma hadn’t been happy with that news, but her daughter was her main priority. Emma grinned
.
“I’ll just send Momma Mae to bring me back reports.”

John gave her a skeptical look
.
“She’s not going to do that
. W
hen was the last time she did what you asked
?
”

Emma glanced over to the couch. “Momma Mae, will you do this for me pleeeaaassee?” Emma begged, clasping her hands together. “I promise I won’t ask for another thing, at least for a week.”

Seconds ticked by as Emma looked into the empty living room. She assumed Momma Mae had made herself at home. Emma clapped her hands together and smiled. “She said she would.”

Jake, Briggs, Sam
,
and Butch spent the rest of the morning coming up with a plan to increase the security at the event. Emma, Abby, Claire
,
and John sat outside on the deck, relaxing and enjoying what little time they all had left before their departure. Abby and John argued over going back with her, but
Abby
being his mom, she won out. He’d be staying with Emma and Lily fo
r the time being. He might be nineteen
years old, but like any mother, Claire guessed she wanted t
o keep her son out of harm’s way
,
and who could blame her
?

Claire closed her eyes and let the warmth from the sun pull her mind away from the recent
chaos
. Images of her and Butch emerged from behind her closed lids, making her smile. It had been over a year since they’d met
,
and
only
recently had she come to realize what he meant to her. It had taken her some time to realize the beautiful person he was inside and out. She loved him plain and simple
,
and if there was one thing she had in common with her sisters
,
it was that she loved with
everything she had in her.
Where they would be when all of this was over was anyone’s guess, but she wanted to be with him. She wanted more than anything
for
him to keep his promises of forever and their future.

“Earth to Claire…Earth to Claire
,
” Abby said. The sound of Abby snapping her fingers had her slowly lifting her eyelids. Leave it to her little sister to pull her out of the fair
y
tale thoughts
.

Claire turned her head and lifted her hand
,
blocking the glare from the sun. “Sorry, what did you say?”

Abby turned and giggled at Emma before returning her gaze at Claire. “Do you love him?”

Claire knew
whom
Abby was asking
about, but she was
n’t going to make this easy.
“Who?”

Abby narrowed her eyes. “Don’t play coy with me
,
big sister. I may be younger than you, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that you love Butch.”

Claire smirked at her sister. “Why do you ask?”

“Claire
,
as much as I love you, let me give you a bit of advice about my best friend.”

Claire sat up from the position she’d been
lounging
in, planted her feet on the chair
,
and let her arms rest on top of
knees
. If Abby was willing to give her advice, she’d listen. “Do tell.”

“I’m sure you’ve already figured it out, but he’s a lot like me. That’s why we get along so well. He’s fierce when it comes to protecting his friends an
d family. He’s going to stick
by your side twenty
-
four seven, and when he does, it’s not to annoy you
. I
t’s because he loves you back, even if he hasn’t said the words. He’s a big teddy bear with a heart as big as yours.” Abby grinned
and pushed her sunglasses down her nose
.
“You two really do have a lot more in common than you think.”

Claire laughed. Her sister m
ight
be a genius in forensics
,
but she wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know, but she’d play along. “Really? Like
w
hat?”

“It’s simple
;
y
ou
love me. You’re both protectors in your own way. You with making sure everyone
was
al
l
r
ight like you did when
M
om died,
h
im with guns. Don’t judge him for what you assume you know about him. Get to know the real him.”

Claire held up her hand. Abby still hadn’t told her anything she hadn’t already known. “
Abby, it’s simple. I love him
,
and I’ll love him forever, if he’ll have me.”

Abby leaned over her chair and grabbed Claire’s hand. “He’d be a fool not to.”

Their sentimental moment was interrupted by the man himself. Butch walked out onto the deck. “Who’s a fool?”
h
e asked.

Abby turned in her chair. “You are, if you let her get away. As a m
atter of fact, I think Thompson
would love to take your place
,
” Abby teased.

“Like hell
,
” Butch
said
. He walked over to Claire’s chair and sat where her feet had once been. He lifted his hand and rubbed her leg. “You wouldn’t leave me for him, would you
,
angel
?”

Claire tilted her head to the side. “Not in this lifetime or the next.”

Butch leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers for a quick kiss.

Abby pushed her sunglasses back up her nose and glanced at Emma. “I told you so.”

Emma laughed and leaned back in her chair.

“We’re packing everything up,
angel
. We’re going to be leaving soon
. I
f there’s anything else you need to grab while you’re here, you should probably do it now.”