We all fell into a contemplative silence as we stood around Mr. Anderson’s room. A nurse would come in periodically to change IV bags or check Jerry’s vitals. Gen fidgeted like she was uncomfortable, but Justin was in a bad spot. Leaving him alone didn’t seem like the best choice, given the circumstances, so we stayed.
We spent the day sitting with Justin and Jerry. Justin loved the man like he was his own father, not that I could blame him. Justin’s father was a drunken asshole who had never been able to hold down a job for more than a few months at a time. His mother had worked herself to the bone to make sure a roof was kept over their heads.
Hours later, I needed to move. Sitting still wasn’t in my nature. Justin had nodded off once or twice, but Gen had sat peacefully, lost in her thoughts for the duration. I stood up and stretched.
“J, I’m going to head on out. You need a ride or anything?” I asked, nodding to Gen.
“No, I’m good. I think I’m going to stick around for a bit. He should have someone here with him if something happens or if he wakes up.”
“What if Lanie shows up?”
Justin shrugged. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other. I think after all these years, we’d be able to have a simple civilized conversation.”
“That’s not what I mean, and you know it,” I pointed out.
“I know. It’ll be all right, T.”
I hadn’t seen Justin as shaken as he was since Lanie had hightailed it out of Elk Springs without warning or word to any of her friends. Gen stood and crossed to where I stood. Her hand slipped onto my back, trailing her fingers over its planes. With each stroke of her fingers, the tension melted away.
“Let’s get out of here,” Gen suggested, laying her other hand on Justin’s shoulder and giving him a gentle squeeze.
He gave her an appreciative smile and turned, giving Jerry his full attention. I think more than caring for the man, he was waiting for Lanie to show up. I couldn’t blame him. If Gen disappeared without a word, I’d be desperate for some sort of closure too. Gen moved first, brushing past me and stepping out into the hallway. I followed after her, letting the door click close behind me.
“Do you think he’s going to be all right?” Gen asked, still eyeing the door we’d just come through.
“Justin? Or Jerry?” I clarified.
“Well, both, but I meant Justin.”
“I don’t know, but I hope so. He’s all fun and smiles to everyone else, but the guy’s been through a lot. One of these days, he’s not going to be able to charm his way out of his troubles, but I don’t think today is that day. He’s tough,” I explained as we started down the hall.
“I really hope so,” she murmured.
Me too.
Chapter 10
Gen
We emerged from the hospital well after the sun had gone down. I pulled my coat tighter around me. The temperature had dropped and was well below freezing, but thankfully the wind had died down. The clouds were thick and blocked out the moon, making everything seem darker.
Talon’s truck sat under one of the only lights in the parking lot. It only took me a second to realize that something wasn’t right as we approached.
“What the fuck?” Talon sighed and stopped, staring at his precious Ford.
It sat a little off kilter with one of the tires completely flat. It wasn’t just flat, either. The sidewall was torn open, leaving no possible way for it to be an accident.
“I can go back in and request the security footage. I’ll be right back,” I offered and spun to head back into the building.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s done and over with. There’s a spare under the rear. As long as there aren’t any other complications, I should have it swapped out and have us on our way in fifteen,” he said, stepping around the back of the truck.
He crouched low and began pulling the spare tire out.
“Talon, someone did this on purpose. If anything, they should be held accountable and be made to pay for the damages,” I pointed out, my anger rising to a simmering boil at the audacity of some people.
“And I agree, but right now, I just want to get out of here and grab some food with the way your stomach’s been growling for the last hour.’
As if on cue, my stomach roared in protest of my prolonged fasting. It’d been hours since I’d eaten anything, but Justin needed the company. However, there was nothing like that holding me back right then.
Talon twirled the lug wrench around as he pulled the lug nuts off and put them in his pocket. I moved closer in case he needed the help.
“You look like you know your way around a car,” I noted.
“Because I can change a tire?” He chuckled.
I grinned at the ridiculousness of my statement though I didn’t answer him.
“My dad was a mechanic. Some of my best memories are working with him on his blue ’68 Chevy Chevelle in the garage while my mom was cooking dinner,” he said, nostalgically.
Talon never quit working. He lifted the spare tire onto the wheel and placed the first lug nut on.
“It sounds like you and your dad were close,” I mentioned.
He wrenched the lug nut tight and went onto the next one.
“We were. It was just the three of us, so we did a lot together as a family. Then, my mom died,” he explained, getting quieter throughout his story.
My heart ached for the family he’d lost. It wasn’t the picture-perfect family, but he’d had his people. He’d known the love of a mother and a father. Neither had ever been a part of my life.
“When I was little, I used to imagine what my life would have been like. I had this image in my head of who my parents were and the perfect little life we’d have together. They’d take me to the beach and the zoo. We’d get ice cream after a good report card. I know it’s stupid, just a childish fantasy, but sometimes I think it would’ve been really nice to know who they were.”
Talon stopped everything he was doing and locked eyes with me.
“You didn’t have parents or a family?” he asked, sympathetically.
There it was. The pity. I hated it.
“It was a long time ago, and that chapter of my life has been closed for a lot of years.”
“You’re talking about family, doll. That shit stays with you for life. I get it; you don’t want to talk about it. Just know that when you’re ready to talk about it, I’m here.”
“I don’t need you to feel sorry for me. I do just fine for myself without them.”
“You’re right. You’ve done extremely well for yourself, but you’re wrong about me. This ain’t pity. This is understanding. I see you, all of you. You’re hard as nails when you think people are watching. Hell, I think you do it just to make yourself think you are. When you let those walls down, though…there’s one hell of a woman under there. I’d really like to meet her sometime.”
“Do you know what the statistics are for children who grow up in foster care? I can tell you firsthand; the odds are stacked against you every single day. Then there’s the unlucky ones like me, who never found the family that liked me enough to keep me around. I aged out.”
Talon’s face was pained, but he wanted understanding, and god damn it I was going to give it to him.
“Everyone thought I’d wind up pregnant at sixteen, on drugs, homeless, unemployed, and uneducated. I had to fight every damn day to prove them wrong, and I did it without help from a single one of them,” I said breathily. My emotions were getting the better of me in spite of all my efforts to keep them under wraps.
Talon stood then and in one step, pulled me into his arms, crushing me against his chest. I struggled, trying to pull back, but he held firm.
“I’m sorry you were born to people who didn’t deserve you, and I hurt for the kid who never knew what a real family was like; but all of that fight they fueled in you brought you here. I won’t ever be sorry for that,” Talon said softly.
I quit struggling in his arms.
It didn’t do any good to try anyways, yet the feeling of his strong arms around me made me feel something I’d never felt before.
He made me feel safe.
“You don’t even really know me,” I whispered into his warm chest.
“I know you enough to know that you’re worth the effort and the wait.”
As much as I may have wanted to argue, I couldn’t. I didn’t even know what to say. I feared opening my mouth and having to feel the years of anguish and dashed hopes at being told those very words. Surrendering to him, I sank into the warmth he offered, and for the first time I could remember, I let myself enjoy it.
Breaking the spell Talon had cast over me, my stomach let out another uproarious growl. I snorted, burying my face in his chest to stifle the chortles I couldn’t contain any longer. Talon’s belly shook with his near silent laughter.
“I hear ya. Give me just a minute, and I’ll have the spare on. Then, I can take care of the demon possessing your stomach. Deal?” Talon offered.
“Deal, but only if the exorcism involves a beer. I don’t know about you, but after the day we’ve had, I think we’ve earned at least one,” I countered.
“I like the way you think,” he said, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead.
He released me and went back to his task. He was quick and efficient, not missing a single thing as he worked. In under five minutes, the spare was on and looking like there was never anything amiss. Talon hefted the enormous tire into the bed of the truck, seeming like the thing weighed no more than a gallon of milk. How much damn time did that man spend in the gym? I tried to hide my surprise, but I had to admit, I was impressed.
Giving me a swift smack on my backside, he passed me and swung open my door. A cheeky half grin lifted one side of his mouth, putting his knee-weakening dimple on display. His eyes danced as he tipped his head toward the cab of the vehicle.
“After you, milady.”
“He has manners! I must say it’s a big step up from slamming the door in my face,” I pointed out as I moved in and climbed into my seat.
“I’m never going to live that down am I?” he joked.
I shook my head. “Nope. You’re stuck with it for life.”
He shut my door, shaking his head the whole way around to his side. In no time, we were on the road and on our way back toward Elk Springs. The conversation was light, never delving into anything too deep or heavy. Truthfully, I think neither of us wanted to go back to the tension of the earlier afternoon. It didn’t change anything. We couldn’t get attached, not when my orders could change, and I’d have to be on the road out of Elk Springs any given day. I didn’t need the distraction; lord knows that. Yet, the more time I spent with him, the weaker my walls against letting loose and having a bit of fun while we could grew. Even my most stringent argument didn’t seem like such a big deal anymore. I was human. Humans have needs and desires, and I’d neglected mine for a long time.
One of my foster mothers had once said that life was what happened when you’re busy making plans and the phrase stuck with me. I’d been dedicated to my plans. Relentless in their pursuit, even. I knew if there was a man who could turn my head and make me see the beauty of where I was at the moment and slow down to appreciate it, it would be Talon Becker.
I had been lost in thought and not paying too much attention to the trip. Mostly, I just stared out the window at the blackness of the forest lining the road. Occasional lamp posts dotted the landscape; it was how I knew we were finally coming back into town. Then, out of the darkness, the neon sign planted in front of the Moose Jaw shone brightly like a beacon for weary travelers.
“Hmm, I didn’t know they served much by way of food,” I noted.
“Then, you, my lovely lady, are in for a treat. The Moose Jaw has the best hot beef sandwich west of the Mississippi. It is the perfect meal to pair with a cold night and an even colder beer.”
The savory richness of beef and gravy made my mouth water. A fresh hot meal was practically an oasis among the sea of frozen and microwavable crap I’d been living on. Talon turned into the parking lot and glided into a spot. He climbed out and marched around the truck to my side. I had my door open before he got there and hopped down.
“Got to be faster than that,” I teased, wiggling through the small space left between his body and the truck.
He put his arm out, stopping me from moving all the way through the gap. His face came in close. I turned my head to the side, but kept an eye on him. The tip of his nose traced the line of my jaw from my ear to just shy of my lips. Every nerve was going off, shooting tingling jolts down my spine. It took everything I had to stop myself from turning my head and closing the distance between us. I needed friction, something more than the barest touch he was giving me. Even in a public parking lot with others nearby, I wanted him and there was no hiding it. Heat pooled low in my belly, soaking my panties through. Just as quickly as Talon had swooped in, he pulled back and dropped his arm. Turning his back to me, Talon marched toward the front door of the bar and held it open, waiting with a knowing cocky smirk plastered on his too handsome face.
I took a deep breath and straightened my clothes, hoping I wasn’t flushed to the brink of embarrassment. Talon Becker was playing a dangerous game, and I hoped he knew what he was doing because he was awakening something inside me, something hungry for more. I just hoped he’d be able to keep up if I ever loosened the reins.
Talon ushered me inside and to a table in a darker corner of the bar. It wasn’t nearly as busy as it had been the first time I’d been there, but it was a Tuesday, after all. I couldn’t very well expect the whole town to be out past nine o’clock on a weeknight. A few regulars sat sporadically along the bar. They were the same patrons who’d been there before, and I would even wager that if they moved, their stools would be perfectly molded to their backsides.
A perky blonde made her way to our table.
“Hi, I’m Ashley, and I’ll be taking care of you guys tonight. What’ll you be having?”
Talon answered first. “Two hot beef sandwich meals and two Coors Light ought to do the trick.”
“Alright. Thank you both so much. I’ll put those right in and be right back with your drinks.”
There was something about the intimacy of silence that made my whole being feel like I was practically vibrating. Talon had set me on the edge of desperation, and I was still reeling, not sure what to say. Talon definitely knew what he was doing, watching me like I was a five course meal. Neither of us uttered a word before Ashley popped back up with our beer and meals in tow.
“Two hot beef sandwiches. I’ll be back in just a moment to check on you guys. Enjoy!”
Staring down at the plate in front of me, I knew there wasn’t a chance I’d be able to finish it. The sandwich was smothered in brown gravy and piled almost six inches high. The rich aroma invaded my senses, inciting another roar from my hungry belly.
“This looks amazing; not going to lie,” I remarked.
“Well, who cares what it looks like? What matters is what it tastes like.”
I shrugged and cut a piece of the dish, bringing it to my mouth. The beef was so tender it almost melted on my tongue. Talon was right; it was the best hot beef sandwich west of the Mississippi. It just had to be.
“You like it?” Talon asked, watching each forkful of the succulent beef slip past my lips.
“Mmm, yeah,” I said, licking my lips seductively.
Talon’s stare followed every caress carefully, igniting that predatory delight that came with stalking one’s prey. It was a feeling I knew well because just as he was stalking me, I was drawing him in until he was right where I wanted him. I wasn’t afraid to go after what I wanted. Just so long as I could leave it at that. Simple. No strings attached. I couldn’t promise anyone tomorrow, but I could sure as hell promise Talon tonight.
We finished dinner slowly, drawing out our little game of cat and mouse. The waitress had cleared away our plates, and we sat
there delving into conversations ranging anywhere from our favorite species of fish to what our high school mean girls had been like. As it turned out, despite coming from two very different backgrounds, our experiences were very similar. There were always key roles in the hierarchy of high schools, and those roles were always filled by certain types of people.
I pushed my plate back from the edge of the table.
“I can’t eat another bite, but I want to,” I complained.
“If you can’t eat the rest, I’ll gladly help you with that.”
The man was eyeing the contents of my plate like he hadn’t eaten an entire sandwich of his own already. Turns out Talon was an eater.
“How do you even have room to think about eating anything else? I feel like I couldn’t even look at food for a week.”
“I have a really high metabolism, and I’ve always eaten a lot.”
I lifted and eyebrow and pushed the plate toward him. Without missing a beat, he cleaned my plate too. Signaling to the waitress, I ordered a few more beers, deciding the day had warranted a little extra relaxation. I finished two more in the time it took Talon to finish one, but he didn’t seem to mind. The stress was melting away as my body got warmer with the drink. I wasn’t drunk, but I was glad I didn’t have to drive myself.
The bar had slowly begun to empty out since our arrival until sometime close to eleven when aside from us, there were only three other patrons. It was the same time Talon noticed we were among the last people there.
“Let’s get out of here so the ladies can clean up and get home,” he suggested, draining the rest of his bottle.
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s getting late and I have to work in the morning.”
“Me too, but my shift is a little later.”
Talon slapped a crisp fifty-dollar bill on the table, much more than the check could’ve been. He didn’t wait for change, just shoved his wallet back into his pocket and made for the door.
Fly Me Home (Rescue Squad Shifters Book 1) Page 10
