Vicki wanted to get to know the woman independently of her relationship with Miles. She would make a point, from now on, of calling Charity for chats. Instead of only having awkwardly tacked on exchanges with her after FaceTime conversations with Miles. It was important, because she was almost certain Charity would be part of the family very soon.
“Morning, Tyler. I hope you had a good night’s sleep after yesterday’s fuckery,” Brand greeted without preamble.
Ty had, in fact, not had a good night’s sleep at all, but he nodded nonetheless.
“Good enough.”
Brand and Miles Hollingsworth were both stern-faced and somber, while Colby looked stressed and concerned.
“Well then, let’s get right to it,” Brand said. He steepled his hands and leaned toward the screen. “Everyone agrees that your actions in this unfortunate incident were laudable, Tyler. We see no need to draw this matter out further. I advise you to take the rest of the week off and continue as Victoria’s primary protection officer after the weekend.”
“But—”
“I’d like to personally thank you for your swift and professional reaction, Tyler,” Miles interrupted. “If you hadn’t been there, I shudder to think of what could have happened.”
As did Ty. But this wasn’t at all how this meeting should be going.
“You haven’t heard what I have to say,” Ty said, not at all sure why he was pushing the matter.
“I can guess what you’re going to say,” Colby spoke for the first time. “You feel responsible, right? You think it’s your fault? You’re good at your job, Tyler. And the fact that you feel that way, is a reflection of just how good you are. But some things are beyond your control. It’s how you react to crises that truly counts.
“We’ve read the police reports, spoken with the responding officers, reviewed the CCTV footage, and we’ve all spoken with both Victoria and Chance. We’re satisfied that there’s nothing you could have done better.”
“As you know, we have trauma counselors available should you require one,” Brand reminded him.
“Sam,” Colby said in a softly chastising voice, and Brand sighed.
“Uhm, what I meant to say is, you’re required to attend at least three sessions with one of our counselors.”
“I don’t nee—”
“You do,” Colby interrupted, her voice brooking no argument.
“Thank you again, Tyler,” Miles said, and Tyler nodded, feeling dazed. Miles continued speaking, “Have a good day, Miss Campbell. Brand, I’ll see you later.”
Brand grinned. “Don’t forget to bring that rib sauce Lia likes so much.”
“Will do.” Miles’s face vanished from the screen.
“Looking forward to seeing you next month, Tyler. See ya, Colby,” Brand said. The words were barely out before something caught his attention off-screen. “Connor, no put that—” His connection was severed abruptly and he disappeared as well.
“Looks like Brand’s babysitting again,” Ty chuckled and Colby stifled a giggle.
“Ty, don’t beat yourself up over this, okay?” Colby said a moment later, her smile fading. “I want you to come in for your first session with Skoobs tomorrow morning at ten.”
Ty scowled. Fuck, not Skoobs. The skinny guy—whose name was actually John Skubek—had a long, trailing salt-and-pepper beard, dressed like a hippy, wore sandals, and said cringeworthy bullshit like fulfillment is what drives self-actualization. What in the actual fuck did that even mean? He liked to punctuate every statement with “man” or “dude”. It was insufferable.
Ty stifled a groan. Enduring an hour of that would be torture. He’d take ten armed guys over one session with Skoobs any day of the week.
But it was procedure and he had to do it. “I’ll be there.”
“Good. Get some rest.”
And then there was just Ty. He sneered at his image on screen and closed the Zoom page. He was still a little bemused by how the meeting had gone, he’d been expecting a massive fallout, and he had come away from the incident without even a slap on the wrist.
It didn’t feel right.
He sat for a moment, wondering how soon he could head upstairs to see Vicki. If her brother was home, which was likely, the man might find Ty’s constant presence inappropriate. But Ty was reaching a point where he didn’t actually give a fuck how it looked to anyone else. He was concerned about her, and he didn’t see why he should apologize for that.
Then again, who knew if Vicki even wanted to see him after the dumb shit he’d said last night?
A sharp knock on Ty’s front door startled him from his thoughts.
“It’s open,” he called, recognizing that no-nonsense rap as Chance’s.
“My hands are full,” his friend’s muffled voice called through the door, and Ty groaned. He pushed to his feet and crossed the short distance to the door.
Chance was grinning at him, a carton with two massive cups of coffee clutched in one hand and a large, windowed pastry box—from Ty’s favorite coffee shop—in the other.
“Hungry?”
Ty nodded and stepped aside to let Chance in.