Life Changer (Chicago First Responders Book 2) Read online

  She lifts her head and tilts her face toward mine. “Let’s organize that as soon as we can. Although . . . sneaking around like teenagers could also be fun.”

  “Jesus. You might just be the death of me,” I mutter, touching my lips to hers. She smiles and kisses me softly. “But what a way to go.”

  Chapter 12

  Dee

  Rhodes and I had agreed that the best course of action would be to play Saturday really low key. It’s a chance for Harvey to see Jake again—something he’d been asking me about a lot—and also a casual introduction to the whole ‘Mommy has a boyfriend’ concept.

  I may be taking this really slowly with my son, but I really like where things with Rhodes and I are going in a way that I don’t see it being a short-term thing, which means Rhodes and Jake could become regular features in our lives. I wanted to make sure Harvey had absolutely no reservations.

  So, when Flynn and I sat down with him to discuss the ‘day date with the kids’ idea, Harvey’s reaction made my eyes sting. “I always wanted a big brother. Billy Nelson doesn’t have a big brother. He’s only got a sister, and she never lets him do anything with her. I bet Jake would let me do stuff with him.”

  I ruffled his hair while Flynn just grinned at him then looked over at me and winked.

  “Is it time to go yet?” Harvey asks me for what seems like the tenth time this morning.

  I make a point of slowly looking at my watch and humming and hawing while he bounces excitedly in front of me. “Moooom . . .” he groans.

  Laughing, looking him up and down, taking in his black shorts and bright red T-shirt. “Well, I think since you look so handsome, and you even have your shoes on. We are ready to hit the road.”

  “Yes!!” he says with a fist pump before tackling me with a hug and running back out of the room. “Dad! We’re going now.”

  “Have you got your shoes on?” Flynn calls out, making me giggle. If Harvey doesn’t have to wear footwear, he won’t. He’s been that way since he was a toddler.

  “Yeah, Dad,” He sighs, giving me a glimpse of what a future will be like with a tween and then teenager. At least if things go the distance with Rhodes and I, he’ll have already survived the teenage years with Jake and will have hopefully learned a few tricks and tips to pass on to me.

  With a last look in the mirror, I move downstairs to find Harvey waiting impatiently by the front door and Flynn leaning against the door shooting me an amused smirk.

  “Ah, and she goes with those jeans. There’s no way you’re gonna win now,” he teases.

  “They’re my Lucky jeans.” Casual date means comfy yet still sexy enough to distract Rhodes from kicking my ass, so I paired a loose-fitting Delish V-neck tee with my favorite butt-lifting jeans—because I’m almost thirty-seven, and gravity doesn’t care how much you lunge or squat or Zumba.

  Flynn’s grin widens. “Lucky by brand, not by nature. At least Rhodes will learn about your never-give-up attitude.

  “Thanks for the encouragement,” I mutter.

  Harvey steps forward and grabs my hand, giving me a squeeze and looking up at me. “It’s okay, Mom. I can be your partner if you want? The Duncans vs the . . . What’s his last name again?”

  “Anderson, baby.”

  “Right. The Duncans vs the Andersons. We can make it a competition, and then I can win for you.”

  “Damn, kid. Maybe we should do that.”

  “Then again, Jake might want me to be his partner, and then I’d have to decide if it’s kids vs parents.”

  Flynn chuckles and I join him. “Let’s hit the road, and we can decide who partners with who when we get there. How does that sound?

  “Yeah! Let’s go then.” Harvey turns and gives Flynn the same tackle-hug he gave me earlier before grabbing my hand again. And with a goodbye wave and a mouthed “just relax” from my ex-husband, Harvey and I walk out the door—destination City Mini Golf.

  Forty minutes later, we’ve parked and fed the meter on the eastside of Columbus Avenue and are walking hand in hand toward Millennium Park before spotting Rhodes and a glued-to-his-phone Jake waiting for us.

  “Hey.” I step forward to give Rhodes a hug.

  “Hey, sweet—Dee.” He catches himself, and I snort, earning myself narrowed albeit amused eyes before he turns to Harvey. “Hey, Harvey. Good to see you again.”

  “Hello, Mr. Rhodes. Hey, Jake,” my son says, almost vibrating with excitement and anticipation. When I say he was so looking forward to seeing Jake again, I caught him practicing conversations in the bathroom mirror last night. It was equally adorable and heartwarming.

  Jake slides his phone into his back pocket and grins. “Hey, bud. I hear you and I are gonna kick some serious parent-butt today.”

  Harvey’s chest swells. “Yeah. My dad and I play all the time, and sometimes he lets me win. I don’t tell him I know that. I pretend I’m super good and he must be bad for losing to a kid.”

  “Oh yeah, Harvs. You and I are going to get on so well.” Jake jerks his head to the side. “Wanna come in and we’ll make sure we get the good putters. Winners need the best equipment. Right?”

  Harvey nods excessively before the two of them walk away.

  “Now”—Rhodes closes the distance between us—“I can give you a proper hello.”

  I open my mouth to say something, but he uses the opportunity to wrap an arm around my waist before gently gripping my chin and kissing me like it’s leading to the bedroom, not that we’re standing in a central city park outside a mini-golf course. I have to grab his biceps and hold on as he kisses and nips and explores every inch of my mouth with his tongue. I fight to keep up and give as good as I’m getting back from him. “Damn, honey. That is a welcome.”

  He grins, his eyes crinkling at the sides as we stand close in each other’s arms. “We didn’t talk about PDA and Harvey, so I decided to go for friendly not intimate.”

  My stomach flips, and warmth fills my chest. “Thank you. I guess tepid warmth would be a good approach. Slowly but surely.”

  “Sounds like a plan. I’m onboard for however you want this to go today. Harvey knows we’re dating, right?”

  I nod, and he continues.

  “And Jake is old enough to get what’s what. So, I’ll follow your lead on all of this. Making sure you’re comfortable and Harvey is okay with everything is a priority, yeah?”

  “Stop making me want to kiss you again,” I murmur, melting against him. He chuckles and brushes his lips gently against mine.

  “Not going to happen, sweet cheeks. I’m going to get you addicted to me as much as I am to you,” he says quietly, moving to press a kiss on my jaw. “But until I can do more than this . . .”

  His voice is soft and low and my body is demanding everything and now.

  Giving my libido whiplash, he straightens and tangles his fingers with mine. “We should really get inside, because Jake is a good kid, but there’s no telling what tricks of the trade he’s passing on to your son.”

  I giggle and shake my head. “Right. Let’s go stop the teen from corrupting the tween, shall we?” Rhodes leads me inside the gates and toward the concession booth where we find the kids waiting for us.

  “Jeez. Take your time, slow pokes,” Harvey says with a laugh. “Right Jake?”

  “Maybe they’re scared that they’re going to get beaten by a couple of kids.”

  Harvey looks up to Jake, and I’m already seeing hero worship at play. “Yeah.”

  “You paid?” Rhodes asks Jake, who scoffs and shakes his head.

  “You think I’m going to pay when I know you will anyway. You always said, you date, you pay. So, Daddio . . .”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Rhodes muses, laughing under his breath as he steps up to the window. “Two adults, a student, and a child.”

  “You want a family pass? It’s cheaper,” the booth attendant asks.

  “Sounds good,” Rhodes pays for all of us, and we’re directed to the next window over where the yo
ung guy behind the counter goes to Harvey first.

  “Hey, dude. I can tell by looking at you that you’re a bit of a putting shark. Am I right?”

  Harvey blushes a little and bumps one shoulder. “Yeah. I’m not bad.”

  “Oh, you’re one of those guys. The ones who make you think you’ve got a chance when really they’re going to whip your butt.”

  “That’s me.” He stands a little bit taller under the attention.

  “Better get the best putter for the best player,” the attendant winks at Harvey before looking the rest of us up and down then turning away. He returns with four putters and four different-colored golf balls a minute later.

  He hands me the scorecard and pencil. “And for the lady, ’cause we all know these guys will try and cheat to impress you.”

  “You’re not wrong there.” I laugh when my three playing partners big and small scoff in defense.

  The attendant holds his fist out to Harvs. “Good luck, putting shark. Make sure you do a victory dance at the end when you win, okay?”

  And after an exploding fist bump—from both of them—Rhodes runs his arm around my waist and the four of us follow the signs toward the first hole of eighteen.

  Halfway through our game, I’m starting to think Brad was right about Harvey. Or else Rhodes and Jake are playing bad for his benefit. Whatever the case, I don’t think I’ve laughed more on a family outing in years. Jake is a born entertainer, and you can tell the relationship he has with Rhodes is rock solid. They look out for each other. They’re always joking, teasing, or cheering each other on.

  Whereas Harvey has been focused on two things: impressing Jake and winning.

  But I’m relaxed, I’m happy, and I’m definitely enjoying the subtle and sometimes discreet ways Rhodes has been flirting and touching me. The current hole we’re on has a windmill that rotates to block a ball-sized tunnel through to the other side, and so far I’ve missed it three times, much to Jake and Harvey’s glee.

  Rhodes comes up behind me, cloaking my back with his and holding me close as he mimics my stance and reaches around to cover my hands over the grip. “Now this is how we should be playing mini golf. Definitely much better,” he croons in my ear, sending a shiver through me. I discreetly push my ass into his pelvis, my lips curving into a smirk at his barely audible groan and the growing hardness I find.

  “Behave, sweet cheeks.”

  I turn and meet his eyes over my shoulder. “And where’s the fun in that?”

  “Oh, we’ll have fun in this position, just not when our kids are right there.” Rhodes’s voice is laced with humor and heat, which makes me laugh and clench my thighs together in the same breath.

  “Step away from your teammate, Dad. No cavorting allowed,” Jake announces rather loudly.

  Rhodes groans and shifts back, taking a deep breath as he does. “Damn smartass.”

  “Pleased to be of service, Dad,” he says with a smirk before turning back to me. “C’mon, Dee, chant the rotations in your head and hit the ball on the count of three so that you’re through the gap before you hit four. Get it?”

  “Yeah. Let’s give it a shot, right?”

  “Ha, get it, Mom? Give it a shot,” Harvs says, hilariously stating the obvious and making us laugh.

  “See, I’m not just a pretty face.”

  “No, you’re a damn sexy one too,” Rhodes murmurs behind me.

  I whirl around and point a finger at him, narrowing my eyes. “Behave, Mr. Anderson. You’re not supposed to distract your own teammate. Besides,” I say, lowering my voice, “if I don’t get the ball in the hole, you won’t get the pleasure of watching my ass when I bend over to collect it.”

  “My eyes have been glued to your ass since the minute you first arrived, Ms. Duncan. So don’t worry about me.”

  “Good to know these jeans are appreciated,” I say with a wink.

  “Everything about you is.”

  My breath hitches, but I quickly cover up my reaction. There will be time for that later, whenever Rhodes and I can arrange our adult alone time. Something that is definitely overdue.

  “C’mon, Mom. Hit the ball already,” Harvey calls out, making me roll my eyes.

  “Kids these days, I dunno . . .” Then I bob my head in time with the rotations, taking Jake’s advice and counting. When I hit three, I tap the ball hard with the head of the putter, and thankfully it slides past the blade of the windmill in time to a chorus of applause from my three male cheerleaders.

  Harvey runs and hugs me tight before straightening and trying to look cool again. Jake offers me a high five, and Rhodes wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into him, touching his lips to my temple.

  God, I could get used to this.

  We’ve just finished the horrible windmill hole when a familiar voice calls my name. Turning around I spot Faith and Bryant walking toward us, golf clubs in hand.

  “Hey, sis,” I say as we hug each other. “What are you guys doing here?”

  “Curing world hunger.” Bry embraces me after his wife. He shakes hands with Rhodes and Jake before ruffling Harvey’s hair.

  “They’re playing mini golf too, Mom. Jeez.” Harvs states the obvious, yet again.

  I roll my eyes at him and return to my sister. “I mean, where are the kids?”

  “We left them at home. I mean, they’re old enough to watch each other now, right? Toddlers are so mature these days,” Faith teases. “They’re with Bry’s parents. They offered to give us a break for a day date. It was either this or day drink, and we opted for the more responsible adult option.” Her eyes dance with amusement as she looks between the four of us. “And how about all of you? Who’s winning, Harvs?”

  “Me! But Jake’s helping. Mom and Rhodes aren’t playing very well.”

  “Is that so?” my sister replies with a laugh. “Let me tell you, I kicked Uncle Bryant’s butt.” She holds up her hand, and Harvey doesn’t leave her hanging, smacking his palm against hers triumphantly.

  “You rock, Aunty Faith.”

  “I know, but not as much as you, Harvey Duncan. You’re a rock star.” She smiles warmly at my son. “You’ll have to come out with us to the driving range one day. We can see how far and how hard you can really hit a golf ball.”

  Harvey turns to me, his eyes pleading. “Please, Mom. That would be so cool.”

  “Of course, bud. Anytime you want.”

  “Right.” Faith looks at me. “We won’t hold you up any longer.” I can see the questions in her gaze, all of which I cannot answer.

  Rhodes’s gentle laughter from beside me grabs my attention.

  “Yeah. Prepare yourself for a big phone call later, Bry. I think your wife is expecting a date debrief tonight.”

  My brother-in-law pulls my sister into his arms and chuckles. “I’m used to it with these two. Even as kids they’d sneak into each other’s rooms and whisper all night until Patricia would catch them out and send them to bed.”

  “Hey. It’s not our fault they separated our bunk beds and made us get our own rooms.”

  “Faith,” he says, trying to hold back a laugh. “You almost made her pass out when you were trying to test a hypothesis about hanging upside down for too long.”

  Faith’s eyes meet mine, and we both dissolve into giggles.

  “Oh no. Now we’ll never finish the game,” Harvey says.

  “Why’s that?” Jake asks.

  “Once Mom and Aunty Faith start giggling, they’re lost forever,” he replies dryly.

  I simmer down and quirk a brow at my son. “Hey, mister. You do know I can hear you, right?”

  His lips curve up, and suddenly I have images of a teenage Harvey doing the same thing to me. Dammit. Why do kids have to grow up?

  “Well, we’ll leave you all to it. Have fun. And, Rhodes, you should come over and see the renovations we’ve done,” Bryant says, shaking Rhodes hand again.

  Rhodes’s head jerks back. “You’re renovating again? Jeez. I haven’t
even completed renovation round one on my place”

  Bry shrugs. “Whatever the wife wants, the wife gets.”

  “And this wife wanted to change my theme to mid-century modern, starting with tiles.” Faith flashes us a beaming smile.

  “Cool. I’ll definitely call around for a beer on one of my days off then. Maybe I’ll bring Dee and some of Faith’s design ideas can rub off on her too. Lord knows I need all help I can get with colors and fabrics. That was always Lily’s domain. Jake and I make do, but there’s something to be said about a woman’s touch, right?” He pulls me into his side again and, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, I wrap my arms around his waist, anchoring myself to him like he’s doing to me.

  I crane my neck to meet his gaze. “Oh, maybe you’ll bring me along, huh? To my own sister’s house. Jeez. Get set up, they said. He’s a good guy, they said.” I’m trying to hide my surprise at the ease in which he talked about me helping renovate while seamlessly mentioning his wife’s name in the same breath. It’s definitely an adjustment for me, but I’m slowly getting used to the fact that Lily is still a big force to be reckoned with in the lives of the Anderson men.

  “Damn, I think I like it when you’re a little feisty,” he murmurs, snapping me from my thoughts.

  “See you,” Faith and Bry say, seemingly enjoying this show far too much.

  I wave goodbye but don’t look away from Rhodes’s beautiful blue eyes, totally ensnared in his charming web. “You want me feisty? Oh, honey, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

  “Is that so,” he murmurs, his gaze dropping to my mouth, my tongue instinctively darting out to wet my dry lips. The rumbling growl deep in his chest has me pressing myself closer to him.

  “Um . . . guys?” Jake says.

  We both turn our heads at the same time to meet the amused grins of both Jake and Harvey.

  Jake winks at us. “We’re just going to go get some snacks.”

  “You want my wallet?” Rhodes asks.

  “Nope,” he replies, jerking his head in the direction of the food carts we saw when we first arrived. “C’mon, Harvs. Let’s go refuel for the rest of our butt-kicking mini-golf mission.”