Chapter 10
The next morning, Cole attended PT, did his assignments, and then proceeded down the mountain.
One of the older veterans told him where to find Aleski to procure the Russian vodka.
He made a list of items he needed from the store to make an Irish coffee for Victoria and he texted Ty asking for a fudge brownie to go.
When he walked into Bryanna’s bakery, Aleski’s eyes zeroed in on him as he stood in the kitchen with flour up to his elbows, making bread.
“Hi, Cole. I’m Bryanna, Saint’s wife. How can I help you this morning?” she asked pleasantly.
“I need to speak with Aleski. Do you mind if I go in the back?” he asked.
“No. Please send the teens up here. Aleski’s language can become quite colorful at times and I don’t need to correct a bunch of teens thinking their cool swearing in Russian,” she said, moving on to the next customer.
“Thanks,” he said before walking behind the counter.
He approached the stainless steel table, refusing to break Aleski’s stare.
“I’m sure you know who I am. Word has it you can help me procure a bottle of Russian vodka for Ivan. I believe when a man makes a mistake, he needs to own up to it, and I owe him an apology,” Cole said firmly.
Aleski chuckled and shook his head. “You think my boss will roll over like your dog over there because you bring him a drink? You’re sadly mistaken.”
“Since you know him, maybe you can tell me what will work. I’m new here and I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot,” he explained.
“I think you already have, my friend,” Aleski said, kneading his dough and placing it into pans. “Ivan’s in a lot of pain because of your mutt. Why should I help you?”
“I made a mistake. If you can’t help me, I’ll find someone who can,” Cole said, refusing to grovel to the man.
“All right. We Russians like to give you back…what do you say? Shit?” Aleski said, washing the flour from his hands.
“Ivan can get vodka whenever he wants. But he did like those cookies in your tin. Perhaps if you shared the recipe with me and made him a batch, he might find a way to ease up on you, no?”
“How does me sharing the recipe with you help me with Ivan?” he asked.
“Because I can make them for next time you screw up. Plus, it’s my price for helping you. It’s not good for me to give you information about my boss,” Aleski explained.
“Fine, I’ll bring you the recipe this afternoon. What about Victoria? I heard she likes Irish coffees. Can I use it to bribe her?” he asked.
Aleski’s eyebrows shot up, and he peered out of the opening to check Bryanna’s whereabouts. “The Serenity women are tight. They will tattle on us men in a hurtbeat.”
“Heartbeat,” Cole corrected him. “What type of whiskey do I need?”
Aleski wrote it on a slip of paper. “You make another stupid mistake, you see why I say hurtbeat. Bring it to her in a pretty cup. She will snub her nose at you, but she’ll drink it once she gets a whiff of the whiskey.
Hand it to her, make apologies, and leave.
No begging. A man on his knees will send the wrong impression and she’ll have your private parts diced into tiny pieces of meat like she promised. ”
Cole took the note and hastily put it in his pocket. “What about Kassie?”
“Continue showing up. Actions speak louder than words with that one. She’s a goody shoe,” he said.
“A goody two-shoes?” Cole suggested. “I’m taking her a brownie. You telling me to stick around?”
“These women have babies and watch everything they eat. She will take a bite and say she’s fat. You help with teens and veterans and her heart will go to mush. Then, you’ll apologize,” he advised.
“Thanks, Aleski,” Cole said, before he turned and headed for the door.
He needed his mom’s recipe for the cookies and the ingredients to make them.
At least he held out some hope of making amends.
He glanced over to the nearly empty community center and frowned.
Adding it to his list, Cole needed to find a way to bring the citizens back to the meeting place.
Two hours later, he and Brody arrived at their cabin loaded down with everything to make amends.
Preheating the oven, he went about emptying the grocery bags and pulled out a bottle of Irish whiskey and Russian vodka.
He washed his hands and followed his mom’s instructions to the letter and his house smelled of cinnamon.
Brody curled up in his bed, watching him with curious eyes.
“The cookies will take ten minutes. I’ll wash the pretty coffee tumbler I purchased for Victoria and then we’ll brew the coffee,” Cole said to his partner. “You’ll need to stay on your best behavior, too. I don’t want Ivan to tell Kassie he doesn’t want you near the kids.”
Brody whined and let out a little bark.
“Don’t worry, buddy. We’ll make this work. Hannah’s counting on us,” he assured the dog.
Brody barked as if understanding his master.
Cole placed the freshly baked cookies on the cooling rack and penned the recipe on a card for Aleski. He reread the instructions twice before he made Victoria’s drink. Taking a sip, he saw why she preferred it. With the chilly weather, it warmed him to his toes.
Cole packed up the brownie with all its condiments, placed the cookies in the tin, grabbed the baggie with extra cookies, and made a fresh drink, putting it into the pretty steel mug.
Brody jumped up as Cole headed toward the door.
He’d drop off his offerings, make his apologies, attend a veteran meeting, and help with the sign-up sheets for the activities. Hopefully, Kassie or Doc noticed.
Taking the path to the hospital, Cole rehearsed what he planned to say to each of them.
By the time they arrived, Brody agreed he had fine-tuned his speeches.
He entered the hospital and inquired about Ivan’s room number.
The room grew quiet as if anticipating his death, while the teen searched for the number and gave him directions.
Cole walked down the hall and knocked on the entryway of Ivan’s room.
“Come in,” Victoria called pleasantly. When she saw who entered, her nose scrunched up and her eyes narrowed threateningly.
“I’m aware you know who I am, but we haven’t formally been introduced. I’m Cole. Please let me apologize for my blunder yesterday and for the bite you sustained by my dog, Brody.”
Brody, sensing the tension in the room, sauntered to Victoria and greeted her prettily. Always a sucker for a dog, Victoria bent to pet him.
Cole stepped forward and placed the tin on Ivan’s bedside table. “I heard you liked these. Again, please accept my apologies.”
Ivan grumpily pulled the tin closer and opened it. His eyes widened at the sight of the cookies. He took one out and offered it to his wife and then one for himself, not bothering to ask Cole if he wanted one.
“Here, Victoria, I think this might go down with your treat. When I saw the mug, it reminded me of you,” he said, handing her the tumbler.
Victoria scowled in annoyance at him as she accepted his offering. She took off the lid and steam rose toward her nose, letting off the scent of the whiskey. She smiled, then recalled Cole, her lips tightening as she replaced the lid and sipped.
“Leo asked us to drop by and introduce ourselves. Since you obviously know me, an introduction seems silly. I can’t blame you when I didn’t see the gun until I got closer.
Victoria insisted I see the eye doctor, and they dilated my eyes,” Ivan explained.
“I appreciate the cookies, but next time, I prefer a handshake.”
Cole turned to Victoria. She ignored him while she sipped her special brew.
“Victoria,” Ivan chastised.
She scowled. “He hurt you. You may forgive him for a tin of cookies, but it’ll take more than a cup of coffee for me.”
“Tori,” Ivan admonished. “He’s new. We’ve all made mistakes.”
“Yeah. Leo makes a ton of them,” she said stubbornly, glancing at Cole.
“It’s all right,” Cole interrupted. “I know my actions hurt your family and I accept full responsibility. Hopefully, in time, you can see Brody and me as an asset to the team.”
Ivan cleared his throat, making Victoria roll her eyes.
“Oh, fine. I accept your apology,” she said begrudgingly. “Just remember, I don’t offer a second pass. No one hurts my family and walks away.”
“Thank you. I understand. If you’ll excuse me, I have to find Kassie. I have some major ass kissing to do,” Cole grinned and turned around, signaling Brody to follow. They passed the second unit when Brody stopped and whined at Hannah’s door.
“Sorry, buddy. We can’t go inside. Kassie’s rules,” he told him as he continued walking.
He glanced back to see Brody staring forlornly at Hannah’s room.
“Come on, buddy. Don’t make this harder,” he coaxed.
Brody slowly caught up but stopped every couple of steps as if resisting the urge to run into her room.
“Don’t even consider it,” Cole warned.
Brody’s head sank low as he followed his master. Cole knocked when he arrived at Kassie’s office. He turned the knob, letting himself inside. He placed the bag with the handwritten card on her desk and left.
They went to the entrance and Brody whined.
Cole felt the same way, but he knew he needed to make amends.
“Hey, Cole,” one of the veterans called. “Gary caught the flu and he’s supposed to drive the bus to pick up the seniors for bingo night. Any chance you can do it?”
“Yeah, sure,” he agreed, returning to the check-in area. “Oh, shoot. I don’t know the route.”
The veteran turned to a couple of teens. “Mike, Glenn, will you please go with Cole and show him the route? It’s the same one for the food deliveries.”
The teens nodded and grabbed their jackets while Cole collected the keys.