“The window was broken in with a rock from the yard. We've cleared the house and made sure that no one is inside or anywhere on the property. We made sure they didn't leave any surprises behind in the house,” the officer was saying. “Whoever did this isn't here anymore.”
“Thank you, officer,” Mia replied, nodding along. She still felt weirded out by it all though and wasn't looking forward to going to her own empty apartment. Maybe she could get Brian to check it out before he went into work. It would certainly make her feel better.
“If you have any other trouble, be sure to let us know.” The officer put his pen and pad back into his pocket. “We'll finish up and get out of your hair, ma'am.”
“Thank you again, Officer.”
The police officer turned and went down the stairs of the porch as Brian Cards came up them. Even compared to the police officer, the man was huge. She felt safer with him around and was glad Carter had sent him. He'd arrived just shortly after the police.
“I'm going to have a man patrolling outside the house tonight,” Brian told her. “Tomorrow, Mr. Williamson is having a security system installed here and at your apartment with twenty-four-hour monitoring. This isn't happening again.”
He definitely reminded her of a bear protecting its cubs. She was glad she was one of those cubs because the man was fierce. She nodded and took a deep breath in, trying to calm herself. She could see Margie in the car with the kids. The overhead light was on, and she suspected Margie had them working on homework. Their trip to the ranch was obviously not happening now.
Brian put his big hand on her shoulder. She could feel the strength in it and was glad he was on her side. Ben came up the stairs with a large piece of plywood and a hammer, and Brian gave her a gentle squeeze before going to help him with it. Together, the two men started boarding up the broken window as Mia watched.
“I'd say that looks familiar, but the joke feels a little dark,” Carter said from behind her. His voice was exactly what she wanted to hear.
“Maybe it was just two boys trying to show off for their friends?” she joked, as she turned and smiled at him. “I'm pretty sure Margie's bowling trophies are pretty valuable.”
As soon as he was up the short walkway, he put his arms around her and kissed her temple. She relaxed into him, feeling her anxiety lessen as soon as he touched her.
“I'm sorry I put you in this situation,” he said softly, still holding her close. She pushed him away gently so she could look up at him. His blue eyes were full of concern, and his brow was dark.
“You didn't put me in this situation,” she told him. She motioned to the nearly boarded up window. “Whoever did this is a horrible person. Scaring kids to get revenge? They suck. Not you.”
He smiled and hugged her again. “I'm just glad you and the kids are safe.”
“Me too,” she agreed. She looked over at the now ugly window and frowned. “I get why you were so mad about your window now.”
Carter chuckled, and she was glad to see his face relax slightly. “Plus, the heating bill increases are insane.”
She smiled and leaned against him. The hammer against the plywood echoed through the neighborhood, and she shivered. The sun had gone down and now the night air was chilly.
“I'm just glad no one was home,” Mia said softly.
“I don’t want you or the kids staying here tonight,” he told her. “Or at your apartment.”
“They sent officers over to check it out,” Mia informed him. “They didn't find anything there.”
“I don't care,” he replied. “You, the kids, and even Margie aren't staying here.”
“So where are we staying?” she asked, already knowing the answer. The man had a big beautiful ranch with no one but him living on it.
“With me.”
Mia loved the way he said it. There was warmth and protection in his voice, and his embrace around her shoulders tightened. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to any of them.
“The kids would love a slumber party,” she told him. “They still talk about being able to sleep in the barn.”
Carter chuckled. “I have someplace better than the barn for them. I had some rooms made up for them.”
Mia smiled up at him. He grinned and pulled her away from the broken window and over to where the kids sat in the car. Despite his fame and fortune, he really was a big sweetheart. She suspected he liked the kids far more than he let on.
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The kids piled out of the SUV with their overnight bags and giggled as they raced across the dead lawn to the ranch house. Behind them, Carter helped Mia carry her bag as well as the excess kid stuff as they followed behind. Margie had opted to spend the night at a friend's house, which Carter said was fine.
Once inside the house, Carter took the lead.