Chapter 19
Nineteen
Stone stared at the sidewalk in front of Dolly’s. That was where it happened. Where he was shot. Where he lost his memory, and almost lost his life. It just looked like a regular slice of concrete to him. Nothing life changing about it.
And yet it was.
It’d taken far too long to get up the courage to return there.
He pulled his baseball cap down, steadied his breath and closed his eyes, willing his other senses to bring back some sort of memory.
A sound that would trigger something. The light touch of the breeze.
A scent that had also been there that morning. Anything.
Please.
But nothing happened. And after a few minutes, his stomach growled, no longer able to ignore the scents of breakfast in full swing inside the diner.
It was probably for the best. The walk over to Dolly’s had been enlightening.
He’d seen two news vans camped out across the street from Montgomery Defense.
Whoever was inside those vans was absolutely terrible at stakeouts, because Stone walked right out of the office and down the street without a single tail or confrontation.
Mae was going to kick his ass when he got back.
But there was something simmering deep in the pit of his stomach…
something that screamed he just needed to find the right thing to trigger his memories.
And then he would know. They’d have a face.
Maybe Stone knew the person. It had to be all connected, and he knew the key to everything was locked away in his broken mind.
Stone walked inside and slipped through the door, smiling as the chime of the bell had Dolly’s head swinging over to look at him.
“There he is!” She laughed as she made her way around the counter.
Dolly was one of his favorite people in Silver Springs, and being around her just really reminded him of his own mother.
It didn’t hurt that she loved to feed him pie.
And Stone was happy to take all the slices Dolly could dish out to him.
“Oh, honey, I’m so happy to see you here. ”
“Shh, Doll. I’m happy to be here, but we gotta keep it quiet. Mae will tie me to the bed if she finds out I left the apartment.”
“I get it.” Dolly patted his arm. “But I wouldn’t blame her for tying you up, sugar. A body like that… If I was your girl, I’d do the same thing. Nothing like some fast and hard cardio to really get you back in good shape.”
“Mom!” Lachlan Ford, one of Dolly’s countless sons and the town’s only mechanic, barked from the counter. “God, I didn’t need that image in my mind this morning.”
“Oh, hush, Lach. How do you think I became your mama? You aren’t adopted. And I’m no less of a woman just because I got married and had kids.”
Lachlan ran his hand over his face and grimaced before getting down off his stool. “Of course not, Ma.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’m gonna go get a cup of coffee to go from the kitchen and head up to the shop.”
Before he left, Lachlan’s hand stretched out to Stone. “We’re all really glad you’re okay. You need anything, just say so.”
“Thanks, man.” Stone shook his hand and took over the stool he’d been sitting on.
“Oh, wait!” Dolly waved at her son while reaching into her apron pocket. “Did you drive here this morning, sugar?” she asked Stone.
“No, I walked.”
“Lachlan, honey, I had your father put some jugs of water from the springs in the back of the truck this morning. Will you drive it over to Montgomery Defense and just let them know it’s for Stone to drink?”
Lach smiled as Dolly tossed him a set of keys. “Sure thing, Ma.”
“Water from the springs?”
“Goodness, don’t tell me you haven’t been keeping up with your town lore!”
“No, Dolly, I have. I forgot about the springs… What's everyone say? They’re magic, right?”
Dolly laughed. “Not magic. Healing. The water in the springs on our ranch will cure whatever ails you. Gunshot wounds and all. I sent some down to the hospital with Colt while you were still getting your beauty rest in that dramatic coma of yours. ”
Mae.
She needed it more than him, now. He’d take the water, but she’d be the one drinking it. If it could help bring him out of a coma, then it could certainly help heal her broken heart.
“I appreciate you thinking of me.” Stone swallowed past the lump in his throat.
Jessie, Dolly’s daughter, came out of the kitchen and made a beeline for him.
“Stone! Are you sticking around for breakfast?”
“I think I will. Can I get a veggie omelet and a cup of coffee?”
“Of course.” Jessie smiled. “I’m really glad you’re doing better. We were all praying for you. And I’m glad you still want to come in here…” Her eyes went over his shoulder, growing wide as she looked out the big window that sat at the front of the diner.
“I love this place. You think anything would stop me from getting a slice of your mom’s pie?”
“Happy to hear it. I’ll have that breakfast out to you in just a few minutes. Anyone else joining you?”
“Just me this morning. And no rush. I’m not technically supposed to be here, so I’ll just slide into my usual booth and be hiding.”
Jessie laughed. “Your secret is safe with me. We’ll try and keep those shitty reporters out of here too so you can eat in peace.”
“Have they been bugging you guys?”
“A few tried to come in here and get us to answer questions,” Dolly sighed. “But we made it clear they aren’t welcome here.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
Stone made his way to the back corner of the diner, where the booth he normally occupied with the guys sat empty.
A few people smiled at him, or nodded as he walked by, but it didn’t escape his notice that several people turned away, too.
That article had convinced more people in Silver Springs than he’d wanted to believe that he and his team weren’t the men they worked so damn hard to be.
And that stoked the anger that was starting to fester in his belly.
Jessie came by with her pot of coffee, filling his cup right to the top. Stone watched out the window as people walked right over the spot where he’d nearly died… or had died, but was too damn stubborn to stay that way.
“So, you get shot and you think the team rules just don’t apply to you anymore?”
Stone lifted his eyes off his phone, but he knew without looking who was standing beside the table.
“Track. You already have breakfast?” he asked as Gage slipped into the booth, opposite of him.
“Nope. Sloane and Lily have a late start today so I figured I’d pop in here and grab something for them. But I’ve got time to eat if you want some company.”
He nodded, knowing Gage would likely stay no matter what. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
“Hey, Gage.” Jessie bustled up to the table, sliding Stone’s plate to him.
Gage flipped his coffee cup over, and Jess poured the hot liquid right to the top before refilling Stone’s.
“Are you sticking around or just here to tell this guy how happy you are to see him out and about like the rest of us already have?”
Gage laughed. “Well, seeing as how I have the honor of still seeing his ugly mug everyday, I think he already knows I’m happy he’s still here. But I would love to sing the praises of your vanilla cinnamon waffles with a scoop of your coffee ice cream?”
“Ice cream in the morning. What would the good doc say?” Stone chuckled, knowing full well that Sloane wouldn’t mind.
“She’ll only be mad if I don’t bring an order for her.”
“Got it.” Jessie smiled. “And I’ll put another waffle order on hold for when you get ready to go.”
“Two orders on hold, Jess. Can’t leave Lily out.”
Jessie laughed. “How does Gunner feel about you feeding his wife?”
“If he was really worried about it, he’d be here ordering for her. But just in case… maybe it stays our little secret?”
“All you guys just pop in here hoping I’ll keep my mouth shut…” Jessie laughed as she turned away.
“What was that about?” Gage asked.
Stone smiled. “She’s keeping a secret for me.”
“Hmm. You wanna talk about it?”
“You already know. You caught me here.”
“Ah, I see. I thought maybe you talked to her about Mae.”
Stone pressed his lips together, waiting for Gage to elaborate.
“I’m starting to think you might be as stubborn as we all know Mae can be. Do you want to talk about it?”
Damn. “About what?” Stone asked, already knowing the answer.
“The baby.”
A boot lodged itself in his stomach.
“It should have never come out that way.” Stone looked across the table and watched his friend’s face fall. “Not because I didn’t want you guys to know, but because Mae… She doesn’t want to face what happened to her. What we lost. It feels like I’m losing her, too.”
“People process grief differently.” Stone’s gaze dropped to his coffee cup as Gage continued. “It’s been overwhelming. What you went through… and now this. What we asked of her… "
Stone’s head snapped up. “What? What are you talking about?”
“Nothing.” Gage looked out the window. And something itched deep in his brain. Stone knew he wasn’t telling the whole truth.
“Track. Don’t bullshit me. I’ve got enough on my mind. Gunner said something the other night and now this—”
Gage’s hand came up, resting in the air between them, cutting off Stone. “We kept her out of the loop with what was going on with Lo, and that whole article mess. Didn’t know it was going to blow up like this. Become such a goddamn nightmare. We should have protected her more.”
The tension in Stone’s jaw loosened. It really was a shit show. “I saw a few people I didn’t recognize on the walk over here.”
“Probably more reporters. Cap got a request from a national news program this morning. I’m sure you saw the vans outside the office. What a nightmare. Honestly, I’m surprised they’re not swarming Dolly’s right now. Can’t breathe outside without them trying to get a statement.”
“Maybe we should have gotten breakfast to go…”