The Hero's Redemption

“Sometimes. Ryan is a real estate appraiser, if that’s what you wanted to know.”

She nodded, almost asking if he’d told the other man his own history, but glad she’d kept her mouth closed when Cole said, “Listen, unless you have something planned, I thought I’d make dinner tonight. Uh, if you don’t mind breakfast.”

“Breakfast?”

“I bought a waffle iron at a garage sale last weekend. I’ve been wanting to try it.”

She laughed. “What if it doesn’t work?”

“It heats up.” His rare grin flashed. “If the waffle sticks to it, we’ll have pancakes.”

“Works for me. Thank you.”

“I owe you a few dozen meals,” he said. “I wanted to ask you a favor, too.”

“Really? What?” He didn’t usually sound so casual about asking her for anything.

“I wondered if I could drive on I-5 tomorrow.” They’d talked about it, but hadn’t done it yet.

“Definitely. If you feel confident, you could take the test next week.”

“That’s what I was thinking.”

“Sounds good,” she said, smiling enough to satisfy him.

They agreed on six o’clock for dinner, and he went across the street to get a few more hours of work in. Erin wondered if the Zatlokas were paying him the same she had, or more. How much did he have stashed away? He hadn’t mentioned opening a bank account, but might have by now. Earlier, he’d talked about buying a bike to extend his ability to get around, but he never had. He must be saving for a car instead. That would give him real independence.

The thought made her glad and sad at the same time. His confidence grew by the day, while she was still trapped in her grief.

* * *

COLE’S PHONE RANG that evening, only a minute after Erin left following dinner and some lazy conversation over coffee. Dani, he saw, and answered immediately.

“Hey.”

“So, I was thinking,” his sister said. “Could I take you out to lunch someday if I drive down?”

“I’d like that,” he said. He didn’t bother pointing out that she’d be making a two-hour round-trip drive. She’d driven across the state to see him a dozen times during his incarceration. She wouldn’t say much, but he knew her husband, Jerry, hadn’t been very happy about it. Cole cleared his throat. “You visiting me in Walla Walla. I don’t think I ever said—” knew he’d never said “—how much I appreciated that.”

“I was the only person who ever came, wasn’t I?”

“Yeah.”

“Not even Lexa?”

He shifted uncomfortably, glad Dani couldn’t see him. “I told her I didn’t want her to.”

Funny, he hadn’t thought about Alexa in years. She’d been his girlfriend before his arrest. She had stayed at his side, even though she considered him foolish for insisting he was innocent, for turning down plea bargains that would’ve had him out of prison in three or four years instead of ten. He’d gradually come to realize she took for granted that he was guilty, whatever he said to the contrary, and that she really didn’t care.

That was the moment he had fully understood how low he’d sunk.

“You told me not to come, too,” his sister said tartly.

That made him smile. “I know.”

“I never liked her, anyway.”

He laughed. “Looking back, I’m not sure I did, either.”

“Hmph.”

When Dani didn’t say anything else immediately, he tensed.

“Dad asked about you.”

“I’m supposed to care?” Cole knew he sounded hard.

“You’d been doing some bad shit. Is it so surprising that he didn’t know where you’d draw the line?”

“Or if I would?” He shook his head, even though she couldn’t see that, either. “You knew better.” Although sometimes he’d wondered if she really did, or just loved him enough to lie to him. Thinking one person believed in him—he couldn’t afford to let go of that.

“Of course I did,” Dani said impatiently, “but you and I were still talking regularly. All he knew was that you’d gone to the dark side.”