Chapter 18
“What are you doing here?” Staci asked in shocked anger at seeing her former mentor standing there, who had been the one to take her to court for a second time. Tony’s grip tightened on her, lending her support.
“Can we speak?”
“Speak.”
“Privately?”
“No, if you want to speak, then you can speak right here and right now. However, you will listen to me first.” She didn’t wait for him to respond.
“Once I walk out of this building, I will never see you again. You were my mentor when I was young. I looked up to and respected you while I was trying to navigate the adult world at the age of thirteen. You were like a second father to me. I thought I meant something to you, but when I started being successful outside of working with you, you became jealous and bullied me, along with your friends. It was proven in a court of law, not once, but twice, that the ideas were mine. I even held the patent on them. Now, you and your friends take me back to court with lies. I used to respect you, but no more. I won’t even mention the trust I had in you that you shattered by your actions.
In my book, you will never get that back from me.
” She crossed her arms over her middle, lifted her head, and looked down her nose at him.
“I’m done, I have nothing more to say.” She looked at her empty wrist, then back at him.
“You have two minutes of my time, then I’m gone. ”
“I’m sorry,” Professor Denike said. “I believed my cousin when he said he could help me get that grant. I believed that I was right, for that, I’m sorry. All I saw was the numbers of that grant and thought I could go places, that I could finally get out of debt.”
“That’s not what the grant money was for,” Jason spoke coldly. “It was specific to helping veterans to get them a new prosthetic, not pay for your personal bills.”
“I know that now.” He sighed heavily and looked at Staci with what she could only describe as puppy dog eyes. It was a disgusting look on a fifty-something-year-old man. It reeked of desperation. “I was wondering if I could work with you.”
The group stared in stunned silence and turned as one to look at Staci.
Her response was delayed by several seconds as she stared at Denike with a completely blank face.
Then she tipped her head back and burst out laughing.
She laughed so hard she had to lean over and put her hands on her knees to catch her breath.
When she stood up again, while still laughing, she turned on her heel, and walked away, never looking back. The group followed her.
Outside, they stood in a circle, and Tony gathered her in his arms. She had stopped laughing by then, and shook her head as she wrapped her own arms around Tony. The hug only lasted a few seconds, then she turned to the others.
“Did he really ask if he could come and work with me?”
“Yep,” Paula laughed. “I can’t believe the audacity he had.”
“Yeah,” Ilsa said with a giggle and a shake of her head. She looked at the group and sighed. “What is everyone going to do now?”
“I’m heading back to Broken Two,” Staci said as she looked at Tony with a raised brow. “Is that okay?”
“That’s fine, is there anything you want to see here, since you’re from here?”
“Nope, I did that before I headed to Colorado months ago. I have no reason to stick around here any longer. Besides, being here put me behind on working on Reid’s leg, which is almost done, and I’ve been working on Adele’s, and have a meeting with Opal when I get back.”
“Good,” Tony said, and turned to the others.
“We’re going home,” Marcia said, and Lloyd nodded in agreement. Everyone said they would be returning the next day, and Tony turned to Shay.
“What about you?”
“Well, since I’m on leave for thirty days, I was wondering if I could go to this place you told me about, Erin’s Way?”
“I’ll answer here,” Jake said as he held out his hand to shake. “I’m Jake Cogburn, boss of Brotherhood Protectors, Fool’s Gold.”
“I’m Hank Patterson, founder of Brotherhood Protectors, and his boss,” Hank, who had been silent for the last two days said.
“You’ve passed the background check, I personally don’t think there would be a problem, but let me call Erin.
” He put actions to words and whipped out his phone in front of them and placed the call.
“Hey, Erin, it’s Hank Patterson. I’m in Seattle with the others, the case is over and they’re coming home, I’m going back to Montana. There’s a guy here named?” He looked at Shay with a raised brow.
“Commander Shay Hall,” Shay, Marcia, and Tony said as one.
“Commander Hall.” Hank paused, listening, then smiled into the phone. “He says he’s off for thirty days. Probably twenty-five by the time he gets to Colorado.” He listened again and grinned as he hung up and turned back to Shay.
“Erin said it was fine, this way she can meet you, show you around, or have someone show you around, and tell you what you will be doing. If you want, you can even help Tony out at New Double.”
“What’s that?” Shay asked.
As they walked toward their cars, Tony, Marcia, and Lloyd explained what Erin did and about all the irons she had in the fire, along with how everything worked. Shay opted to fly to Colorado with them, and two days later they drove into the driveway, passing beneath the Erin’s Way sign.
“Holy shit,” Shay said and stared at the barn yard.
“Yeah, it gets better,” Staci giggled. Because she wanted to get to work, Staci caught a ride with Lloyd and Marcia to Broken Two as Tony went to the back door to the main house.
Around seven that night, Tony pulled into ‘his’ space in front of Staci’s cabin, smiling when he saw lights on inside, and her van was parked outside.
He hurried onto the porch and instead of knocking, he opened the door and walked in, calling out, “Honey, I’m home!
” He laughed when she rushed up to him, wrapped her arms around him, and brought his head down for a kiss.
“I missed you.”
“I wasn’t gone that long.”
“I know, but I really like spending time with you at the end of the day. How did it go with your Commander and Erin?”
“That’s why I’m late. After talking with Erin, she had me take him around to everything. I left him over at New Double’s main house talking with Ducky and Clem, they invited him to stay in the main house with them as they talked about what New Double is all about.”
“Why them?”
“Clem and Cole ran the ranch when it was in Wyoming, it was called The Double A, after Naomi’s grandparents.
That’s who she inherited the ranch from, then when her father turned into a raging bastard, worse than usual, Erin gave her the opportunity to move the entire ranch here.
I don’t know the logistics of it, but I do know that the land is Ducky’s or Erin’s and Ducky has life use of it.
That’s why they brought the ranch here.”
“Hence, the name New Double?”
“Correct. They work with racehorses, Erin’s Way does stallions, studs, and brood mares. And Broken aka Broken Wheel rehabilitates horses that were left to die, or taken to slaughter. Once they are healthy and whole, they help humans learn how to ride.”
“Right, it was mentioned that I might want to go over there and discuss cases with the parents. If I can’t make a prosthetic for them, I might be able to see if there’s anything I can do to help them, if they need the help, or recommend someone else to help them.
Or get their contact information and reach out to them after I’ve fulfilled the terms of my grant contract. ”
“Correct. Because of the holidays coming up, and the winter, until she’s more established, Erin doesn’t have any clients at Broken at this time.”
“When will she get more?”
“In the spring, and this time with Katherine’s help, they should have a full calendar throughout the year. At least everyone’s hoping.”
“And everyone still does what they do with the horses without the clients?”
“Yes, they still have to be fed, watered, and worked with. Erin runs a very tight ship.”
“I know,” Staci said, and brought him to the stove in the kitchen. “I’m not cutting you off, but I want to show you something.”
“What’s that? Wait, what smells so delicious?”
“Meatloaf. Lois only left about ten minutes before you arrived. She helped me make it, and I just have to remember how to make sure the potatoes are done.”
“Pick up your fork,” Tony said as he pointed to the utensil sitting on the counter.
Nodding as she did so. “Reach in and poke a potato. If the fork slips right through without any resistance, then they are done.” He carefully watched her and nodded when the fork sliced the vegetable in two.
“Good, turn off the flame, get a strainer,” he said, and grinned when he saw one in the sink.
“Pour them in, then dump them in the bowl.” He continued to explain how to mash them with the masher, then showed her how to use the mixer.
“Why both?”
Tony had kept some out before using the mixer and had her taste, then the bite with the mixer. “Which is better?”
“Mixer,” she grinned and as he finished with the potatoes, she picked up a can and held it up. “Do you like beets?”
“I do.” She opened it and expertly drained them, put them in the bowl, and used the microwave.
In minutes they were sitting at the table, and neither of them spoke as they ate.
When he cleaned his first helping, and reached for another of everything, Staci’s heart grew.
She knew by his expression he hadn’t done it to make her feel good.
He genuinely enjoyed her cooking. As she finished, she moved her plate to the side and studied him intently.
“What?” he asked with his fork paused halfway to his mouth.
“Nothing.”
“Staci, you’re staring at me like I have food all over my face.” When he reached up to check, she reached out and stopped him.
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
She shrugged. “I’ve been thinking, and I want to talk to you about something, but not until you’re done eating.” She shook he head when he set his fork down. “No, finish. It’s all good, I promise.”
Tony looked skeptical, but he finished the meal, then together the two of them took care of the food, did the dishes, and cleaned the area. When they were done, they settled back at the table.
“Talk to me.” He didn’t hesitate in his demand to get answers from her cryptic statement earlier.
Staci drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She reached out and took one of her hands in his. “I like you Tony. I mean, like really, really like you.”
“Go on,” Tony said with a smirk.
“You’re not going to make this easy on me, are you?” She laughed.
“Well, since I don’t know what this is, then yeah, I’m not.”
“Fine,” she said in a huff, but there was no heat behind it.
“I’ve never done this before and I want to know if you feel the same way about me that I do you.
If you do, then I want to take this relationship to the next level.
” Before she had a chance to look up from the table, he scooped her up and placed her on his lap.
“Yes,” he said before he lowered his mouth to hers. It was a long time before they broke apart, and when they did, they were both breathing hard.
“As much as I want to carry you to your bed right now, I’m going to have to decline.” He saw her expression and placed a finger over her lips to stop her from speaking. “I don’t have any protection with me.”
“Oh, then in that case, I forgive you.” She giggled as they snuggled and made out more. They ended up going to her bed, except instead of making love, they cuddled and talked well into the night.