With bleary eyes, I studied his medal of honor and the assorted badges he’d earned for exemplary service, the flag he’d fought to defend, and then I looked at what I’d become. My own career cut short, I’d slowly devolved into this. A shame to his legacy, a black mark on everything he’d done. Chips cashed in, I only had one last thing to try. If that didn’t work...
Kicking my ass off the floor, I pushed through the headache and the hangover to the shower. For a while I stood under the warm spray and let it bring me back to life. After that, I dried off and dressed in dark jeans and a long-sleeved, white button-down. It would do for this errand.
A quick login to the firm’s server gave me the address I needed. I considered calling Nikki, but immediately dismissed that notion. She’d ask too many questions, and it’d be easier if I sent her an email. Or nothing. I hadn’t decided. I didn’t want people following me.
I threw all my shit into my pack and grabbed the keys to the rental. I had to return it since I was leaving the state, but I had money to buy something. It was more the delay associated with going through the process. I stopped in a used car dealership and bought a late-model, black pickup. Once I finished in Bayville, I’d drive it as far as Cleveland and fly the rest of the way to Montana.
I thought about my plans. Dad’s Medal of Honor should be with someone who deserved it. Lane was a baby, but maybe one day he’d do a better job carrying on our family legacy. I’d shot that privilege straight to hell.
The Jungle Gym was nicer than I expected from the tagline “Where the wild things are.” I expected it to be a bunch of MTV reality-show bad actors, since that was what this area was infamous for. Instead I found a decent-sized, respectable gym.
Someone spoke, but I didn’t acknowledge them. I was checking out the establishment when I said, “I’m looking for Kendra Woods. She goes by Kenny.”
“I’m Kenny.” The voice came from a tiny girl behind the counter. She was dressed in black and had enormous blue eyes.
Her appearance didn’t make sense, and I said what I thought. “I expected someone older.”
“I’m twenty-six, and you are...?”
She was pissed, but I couldn’t imagine my little brother having a baby with this person. She was not his usual leggy blonde. Nikki’s comment about them being very different echoed in my mind. Still, apart from the purple hair, she was cute in a waifish sort of way. Her eyes were a definite plus.
“I’m Stuart Knight. You know my brother Patrick. May I speak to you alone? It’s about my nephew.”
A tremor moved through my torso, and I reached up to rub the back of my neck. I needed to relax, but my action seemed to put her on guard. Probably all of this had her on guard, which wasn’t my intention.
Resistance stiffened her back. “We can talk here. Mariska’s my best friend.”
The person behind her stepped forward, and for a second, my control slipped. A pair of hazel eyes exactly like the sunset in the place I was headed struck me. Then her cheeks blushed a shade of pink...
“Hello,” I said, watching her.
“Would you like a smoothie? I make them myself, right over there.” She turned and pointed to the other end of the bar, and her chestnut hair swayed in long waves down her back. I imagined lacing my hands in those soft waves, pulling her head against my shoulder... “It’ll give you some privacy while you talk.”
“Thank you.” I looked down to break the spell, but my eyes caught on the sway of her ass as she crossed to the other side of the space. Small and perky, I wanted to see the mark of my hands on it.
Clearing my throat, I focused on Kenny. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. I have something for Lane.” I took out the medal wrapped in a piece of heavy black cloth and paused as she crossed to my side of the bar. “It’s my father’s distinguished service award. It was given to me when he died. I need you to give it to Lane as the first grandson when he’s older.”
Concern flooded her blue eyes, and I could tell she was smart. That’s when it all clicked. Patrick was a sucker for smart chicks.
“Are you ill?” She touched my arm carefully. “Do you want me to call Patrick?”
“No. I don’t want my brother involved.”
My voice was sharper than I intended, and another tremor tickled at my neck. I was losing patience. I needed to get out of here and to a drug store. I was about to pay for that fucking bender, and it was going to hurt like hell.
But Mariska was back. “On the house.” She held some kind of beverage. “It’s full of lavender and blueberry. It’ll help you relax.”
Just looking at her beautiful eyes seemed to help me relax, and her cheeks blossomed with that rosy glow. My gaze dropped to her full, pink lips, and a force inside me pulled. It didn’t make sense, but I wanted to explain why I couldn’t stay with her, why I couldn’t take her with me.
“I have to go,” is all I said.
“Where will you go?”
“My uncle has a place out west where I can breathe. It’s a place where I usually find peace.” Fuck. Why did I tell her that?
“Please let me call Patrick,” Kenny interrupted.
“Do not call my brother. I don’t want to see him.” My tone sent her back to afraid, but I couldn’t help it. I was barely fighting off the withdrawals, and her insistence pissed me off.