Big Daddy Sheriff (Big Cedar Daddies #1)

Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The night of the big sleepover rolled around, and Quinn could tell Alyssa was bursting with excitement as they arrived at Grace’s house.

He chuckled as he watched her practically skip out of his pickup and up to the front door.

“Slow down,” he called. “You’ll trip and hurt yourself.”

“Sorry!” she yelled back, though she barely heeded his warning.

Once they got inside the house, the girls’ excitement only ratcheted up even more.

“I can’t believe this is your first time here!” Grace said. “Want to see my treehouse? Daddy built it just for me.”

The girls hurried to the backyard… if you could call it that.

There was no fence and the property didn’t have a clear end, but there wasn’t another house anywhere close. There was a little bit of a clearing just off the deck, but after that, it was nothing but towering trees as far as the eye could see.

A lot of those trees were as skinny as they were tall. Some were thick and strong, though shorter, and were able to support the massive playhouse Theo had built for his Little.

It spanned the length of two sturdy trees, with a bridge connecting the double towers.

“This is amazing!” Alyssa cried. “I’ve seen the pics. But it’s even better in person!”

The girls hurried up the staircase and two the high platform. A waist-high wall ran the length of the square. On each corner, posts connected the wall to a roof. It was absolutely perfect.

The other Littles started to arrive. Soon, all the women were in the treehouse. The Daddies stayed on the deck, watching them, and chatting.

“Have you heard from anyone in Little Rock?” Doc asked.

Quinn took a drink of his beer and shook his head. “That’s what worries me the most. I don’t think those folks are just going to let it lie.”

“Do you think Arkansas law is watching them, keeping ‘em in line?” Joe asked.

“That’s the thing. I’ve talked to that detective. The one Alyssa’s been working with. She said there hasn’t been any movement. Apparently, Lana has some pretty powerful political connections that are working to jam this stuff up in the courts. Might be a while yet before they press charges again. If they ever do.”

“The American justice system,” Joe said with a snort, before raising his beer to his lips.

“Obviously, the longer those folks in Arkansas take, the longer my Little girl is in danger,” Quinn said. “And I don’t like it one damn bit.”

“Well, you know we’re all here to help,” Theo said. “Been a long time since I’ve kicked some ass. Sometimes I still miss my Marine days.”

The guys laughed.

“We’ll all help,” Clyde said. “You mess with one in Big Cedar, you’ve got to take us all on.”

Everyone voiced their agreement, raising their beers.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Quinn said. “But I’m much obliged to you all for the offers.”

“You think everything’s good in town while we’re out here?” Doc asked.

“Yeah. We’ve got those crazy firefighters watching everything. Lord help us,” Quinn said.

Everyone laughed again.

Theo stood. “I best get the grill going. Anyone need a fresh brew?”

The others stood.

“We’ll give you a hand,” Quinn said. “And yeah. I could use another beer.”

Before he followed the rest of the men inside, Quinn stepped to the railing on the deck and called up to the women in the treehouse. “Don’t be going off. Y’all hear? Just the treehouse, the deck, or inside. No exploring the woods without at least one Daddy with you.”

He knew he spoke for the rest of the group, as they’d laid out the rules of the sleepover amongst themselves earlier.

“Yes, Daddy,” Alyssa hollered.

“Don’t worry, Uncle Quinn,” Mindy said. “We’ll be good.”

Quinn smiled and waved before turning around to go inside.

He hoped those women would live up to their promise. But he also knew how Littles could be.

Trouble.

They could be pure trouble.