Chapter Sixteen
After a night of sex and cold pizza, I managed to get a couple of hours of sleep. Char had gotten up before me, and when I heard the shower, I couldn’t stop myself from joining her. No matter how many times I had her, it was never enough.
She stepped into a lacy pair of pink panties that didn’t do much to cover her ass cheeks, revealing the perfect curve she got from her time doing Pilates.
“Not going bare today?”
“Not at work.”
“I’ll just have to rip them off of you later.”
“You are not ripping another pair of La Perla.”
“You have multiple pairs of those two-hundred-dollar pieces of fabric?”
“Yes, and don’t think I forgot you owe me a pair.”
“Why would you spend so much money on something no one sees?”
She shrugged, then slipped her arms into a matching bra that was probably just as expensive. “They make me feel sexy and confident. Just because I didn’t have someone to see them didn’t mean I didn’t want to feel those things.”
I snaked my hand around her waist, pulling her to me. “You are both things, with or without the expensive lingerie.”
“Thank you.” She lifted on her toes and kissed me. “But it’s still nice to get that confidence boost. No one might see them, but I see myself, and I like the way they make me feel.”
“I’ll buy you a new pair.”
“Good.”
I nuzzled her neck, and her hands slapped my chest with a shove.
“I am already running late. Keep that mouth of yours to yourself.”
A knock on the door downstairs had her eyes go wide. “Who the hell could that be?”
“I’ll get it.”
“No!” she exclaimed. “What if it’s—?”
“What if it’s who? Nero and Wyatt have already caught us together.”
“My sisters cornered me here.”
“Exactly, which means the entire town knows by now.” It was the biggest downside to small town life. I was a private guy, but privacy meant shit to the people of this town. It was why I lived tucked away in the woods.
“Still. Just stay here.”
She stepped into her pants and yanked them up, grabbing her blouse as she made her way downstairs. Jack followed her, and I didn’t stop him.
The door opened, and Franc’s voice filled the house. “Brady here?” he asked, sounding confused.
“Why would you think that?” Char asked, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“His truck is in your driveway and… Hi, Jack.”
I pulled on my clothes and hurried downstairs. “I’m here.”
Char turned to me and sighed before pushing the door wide. She grabbed Fanny right before the cat made a great escape.
“What’s up?” I said to Franc as if me being at his sister’s house was totally normal.
“I’ve been trying to get in touch with you. You’re not answering your phone.”
“Battery died.” A wave of concern slammed into me. “Everything okay?”
“Fine, but you left me hanging yesterday. I wanted to make sure everything was okay. By the looks of it, I’d say he’s still alive.”
“The doctors said his vitals were fine, but because we didn’t know how long he was in the house with the propane, they wanted to keep him overnight for evaluation. I was going to the hospital once I dropped his cat off at my place.”
“I need to get to work, but I’ll stop by the distillery later.”
That was code for we’ll talk then . God only knew what the hell he wanted to talk about. The last conversation I wanted to have with my best friend was anything pertaining to me sleeping with his sister.
“Sure thing. I’ll be there.”
Franc looked around me. “Running a little late today, Char?”
She ran a hand down the front of her pantsuit, trying to swat away the cat hair, but she was still holding Fanny, so it was futile.
“I was distracted,” she said. I bit back the laugh begging to escape and shot her a knowing smirk.
“I feel like I’m in the fucking Twilight Zone,” Franc said as he made his way down the stairs and to his truck.
“That went well,” I said as I closed the door.
“He didn’t punch you, so I say it was a win. Besides, we’re two grown adults who can make our own decisions without comments from the peanut gallery.” She grabbed her bag. “Now I really need to get to the office. Can you lock up before you leave?”
“You’re trusting me to do that?”
“I think you’re capable.” She pressed up on her toes and kissed me. It was too damn fast, and I wanted more, but she was quick to pull away. “Be nice to Fanny. She had a traumatic experience last night.”
“I think she’ll survive.”
Char got on her knees and gave Jack some love before grabbing a lint roller, giving me one last kiss, and stepping outside.
“Be careful,” I called after her.
She spun around and smiled. “I always am.” Her foot slipped on ice and her legs went wide. I leaped out the door, Jack at my side. She managed to straighten herself before I got to her. I held her arm to make sure she was okay.
“Damn you.”
“You’re going to blame that on me, too?”
She poked my chest. “I told you. You’re a distraction.”
“Poke me again, and I’ll carry you right back in the house and show you what kind of distraction I could really be.”
She hesitated for a moment, as if she was mulling it over. “Feel free to raid the fridge. I have eggs and bacon. Or I have overnight oats. I also have oranges and bananas. If you didn’t distract me earlier, I would have made you breakfast.”
“I’ve been fending for myself most of my life. I think I can handle breakfast. Go,” I said and smacked her on the ass.
Her eyes widened, mouth dropped open in a too sexy O.
The things I wanted to do to that mouth. “Keep making that face, and I’ll throw you over my shoulders.”
“You really are an ogre.” With a laugh, she got in her car and drove away.
Jack followed me into the house. I straightened up a few things, but for the most part, Char had already handled it. I had caught her at two am in the kitchen washing dishes. I picked up a towel and dried while she finished washing before carrying her to bed.
I grabbed a banana and went to leave with Jack when I remembered the damn cat. “Fanny, let’s go!” It took me all of two seconds to realize Fanny did not listen like Jack. I didn’t even know where the damn thing was. “Jack, where’s the cat?”
Jack tilted his head and stared at me.
“Some help you are,” I mumbled as I started looking under the couches and in cabinets. I didn’t have time for this shit. With Char gone, the list of crap I had to do today rolled through my mind. I was already running behind.
“Fanny! Get your ass over here!” I waited, but of course the cat didn’t show. With a grumble, I went upstairs. I got down on my knees and there, cuddled under the bed in a blanket, was the damn cat. “Did Chardonnay make you a bed while I was sleeping?” I asked as I reached under the bed, praying that cat didn’t attack my hand. I very slowly pulled the blanket until the blanket and cat were in the open. I picked Fanny up in the blanket, making sure to keep her claws secured beneath the material. I’d bring the blanket back to Char later.
She clearly didn’t mind lending it to Fanny. Char might have had a tough exterior, but she really was soft on the inside. “Time to go.” Fanny meowed and would have swatted me if she wasn’t swaddled. “I know. You have such a rough life.” I patted my leg. “Jack, let’s go.” He bolted down the stairs, waiting for me at the bottom. I opened the door, and he took off. Fanny tried to make her escape again, but my reflexes were much quicker than she anticipated. I hugged her to my chest and hurried to the truck.
The sun shone brightly above, causing a near blinding reflection. The ground wasn’t nearly as slippery as I expected, and I got to the truck and Fanny inside without incident. Jack jumped in and growled.
“Jack, don’t,” I said, and with a pathetic whimper, he plopped on the passenger seat. “I know, boy. It’s not ideal. But pretty soon we’ll be back to you and me. We’ll even go for a long walk through the park. What do you say about that?”
Jack answered with an excited bark. I gave his ears a good scratch, then threw my truck in reverse and got my day started.
After dropping Fanny off, Jack and I headed to the distillery to make sure everything was in order and ready to open tonight. I pulled in and was surprised to see Meadow’s car in the parking lot. She had a bag of salt in her hand.
“Hey there, boss,” she said as I hopped from my truck.
“You don’t start until four. What are you doing here so early?”
“I had nothing else to do and had some leftover salt after I sprinkled some in front of my apartment door. I thought, why not come down here and make sure everything is ready to go for tonight?”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I appreciate it, but next time, keep your salt. I have plenty.”
“Good to know.”
My cell that I finally charged rang. I retrieved it from my pocket and saw the hospital number flash on my screen. “I have to take this.”
“You go do you,” Meadow said.
I answered the call, and the woman informed me Ron would be discharged at two. That gave me a couple of hours to finish what I had to do and get over there.
“You’re good here?” I asked Meadow.
“Sure am. If you can unlock the door, I can set up.”
“You have four hours before we open.”
She shrugged. “I don’t have anything else to do. Most places are still digging out, and I spent enough time in my apartment during the storm.” A sadness crept across her eyes, but I wasn’t a therapist, nor was I capable of dealing with someone else’s emotions when I couldn’t even deal with my own.
“Understood,” I said and unlocked the door. “Have at it.”
“Thanks, boss. Everything okay with you?”
Thoughts of Ron and that shitshow ran through my mind, but then Char’s face rushed in. “Everything’s fine. Got a lot going on at the moment.”
“If you ever need anything, let me know.” The kindness in her tone made me realize she wasn’t just saying it to say it. She meant it.
“I appreciate that. I’ll see you later.”
“No rush. I got things under control here. You do what you gotta do.”
Just then, a loud honk echoed through the parking lot.
Meadow laughed. “Is Jack honking at you?”
“The bastard has no patience,” I muttered. I gave her a nod and hopped into my truck. “Seriously?” I said to my impatient pup. “You have to stop that.” He gave me those damn puppy dog eyes, and I gave in, scratching him behind the ear. “Brat,” I said and popped the truck into reverse.
I needed to swing by the VFW and hope that Ron’s friends were there. I didn’t want to ask for any favors or help, but I couldn’t watch the man twenty-four-seven. As much as it pained me to admit it, I needed help. It was just about noon, and with Albert’s farm stand closed for the weather, I expected him to at least be hanging around. The parking lot was nothing more than a square of gravel. It was plowed the best it could be, and I was relieved to spot not just Albert’s truck but Ray’s, too.
Not wanting Jack’s impatient ass to honk at me, I motioned for him to follow. The VFW was about as outdated as it could get. Wood paneling lined the far-right wall, adorned with evenly spaced mirrors to make the space feel larger. A row of empty tables and chairs sat along the wall, ready for events. The far-left wall displayed military memorabilia and photos of fallen soldiers. And the back wall featured a long bar with stools and more wood paneling, while a few slot machines sat off to the side.
Albert and Ray sat at the bar, each nursing a steaming cup of coffee.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Albert said, and Jack barked at the word cat. I scratched his head to calm him down.
“Albert, good to see you.”
“Is it?” Jack ran over to Albert and circled his stool until Albert relented and gave him some attention.
“How’s the old man?” Ray asked. I had sent Ray a text from the hospital to let him know what was going on. I didn’t want him to stop by Ron’s and worry. I wondered if Ron realized how lucky he was to have someone actually gave a shit about him. Even after every shitty thing he had done in his life.
“I’m going to pick him up in an hour. Last I heard, they said his vitals were good. I haven’t heard anything since, so I’m going with no news is good news.”
Albert bobbed his chin and took a sip of his coffee. “So, why are you here? It’s not like you came by to shoot the shit with us.” Albert was always a right-to-the-point kind of guy, and I appreciated that about him. It made it easier to cut through the bullshit.
“The doctor told me I need to hire a nurse for Ron. Basically, he shouldn’t be left alone for long periods of time. With the time I put in at the distillery, I can’t be there as often as is needed. I’m going to hire a nurse. I have to make some phone calls, deal with insurance and all the shit that comes with it, but in the meantime, I was hoping you guys would be willing to help out.”
“What do you need?” Ray asked without hesitation.
I probably should have thought this through. I was more worried about asking than anything else. Chardonnay would have had a freaking spreadsheet ready to go, delegating times like a drill sergeant.
Jack wandered around the perimeter of the place, sniffing the walls. I focused my attention on Ray. “Let me look at my schedule, and we can go from there. See if we can work something out that is convenient for everyone.”
“If you have him until six today, I can swing by and grab him, bring him here for a bit then crash at his place tonight.”
“I couldn’t ask you to do all that,” I said.
“It’s what friends and community do. We won’t leave you hanging. Right, Albert?”
“We’ve got your six,” he said.
“I appreciate it.”
“And we appreciate you,” Ray said. “Ron isn’t the same man he was when you were a kid. He’s a decent man now, but we are fully aware of the monster he once was. The fact you’ve stepped up for him?” Ray slammed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “You’re a good man, Brady. Don’t ever forget that.”
With a nod, I stepped back. Receiving compliments was always awkward for me. “Thanks. I’ll get a schedule together by the end of the day. We can talk when you pick Ron up.”
“Sounds good.”
I said goodbye to the two vets and made my way to the hospital.
I turned to Jack. “I’m going in. I’m going to leave the truck running. I don’t know how long I’m going to be. Can you please behave yourself?”
Jack tilted his head, but I knew better than to trust that innocent stare. I reached into the glove box and retrieved a bone. Jack went to snatch it from my hand, but I held it just out of his reach. “Promise you’ll behave.”
Jack barked, and I took that as an agreement. I handed over the bone, then headed into the hospital. I made my way to Ron’s room and was happy when I arrived he was being discharged. The nurse was going over some things with him, and I slipped into the room.
Ron caught my eye, and I swear a smile flashed across his weathered features. “Marcy, this is my son, Brady.”
“Brady, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“He’s single,” Ron said, and I narrowed my gaze at him. When the fuck did he decide it was necessary to tell people that? Besides, I wasn’t single. Or maybe I was. Chardonnay and I hadn’t had that talk. We’d been too busy doing other things.
“Don’t listen to him,” I said.
“I got everything I need from you, Ron. Thank you, and good luck with everything.” Marcy, a brunette, who was probably about ten years younger than me, turned to me. “I can go over the rest with you,” she said.
I followed her toward the nurses’ station. She looked at the papers in her hand.
“We’ve started him on a combination therapy that combines the benefits of a cholinesterase inhibitor and NMDA receptor antagonists.”
I stared at her, trying to understand what she was saying, but I had nothing. “What does that mean?”
“Cholinesterase inhibitor increases a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine, and that chemical helps with memory and learning. The NMDA receptor regulates glutamate, which is another chemical involved in learning and memory. This should help him with focus, memory, and reasoning. You need to make sure he takes these. He’ll need to take the Cholinesterase inhibitor at bedtime, and the NMDS receptor antagonists twice daily, so once with breakfast and the other before bed. I’m also going to prescribe a sleep aid to prevent any disturbed sleep cycles. Sleep is important.”
She might as well have been speaking Latin. I pinched the bridge of my nose, wondering how the fuck I was going to remember all of this. Maybe I should write this down. If Chardonnay was here, she’d have her emergency notebook out, jotting every single thing.
Marcy handed me a bunch of papers. “These are the prescriptions. It’s all written down here.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling slightly relieved.
“I also included some phone numbers for you regarding setting up a nurse and dealing with his insurance. They might give you the runaround, but be persistent.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. He’s good to go now. Good luck.”
Did I look like I needed luck? I sure as fuck felt like I did.