43 - AMBUSHED
Derek
There was too much smoke. I built the fire too hot because I always build the damn fire too hot. I didn't look around to see if anyone noticed.
"You're gonna get burned again, D. You should let Aaron do that," Josie quipped.
Laughter.
Dammit.
"Yeah, D. Let me take that over. Fire hurts, brother," Aaron said.
I turned to him, grim-faced. "Mocking a man with a genetic disorder is incredibly problematic, Aaron."
Aaron looked momentarily confused. "D, I wasn't talking about your ugly face, I meant the wimpy pain thing."
Laughter again, this time some of it was mine.
"Fine, Aaron, but don't come crying to me when you get burned." I handed him the spatula.
He took it and immediately moved all the burgers out of the perfect line I had them in. Then grinned at me. Fucker. I almost twitched. I pretended I didn't notice and turned away. He laughed anyway.
I looked for Jess—there, not running, just building what looked like some kind of dirt fort with Mindy and Jeremy, Aaron and Josie's eight-year-old twins. Sitting up. Color good. Talking.
"I'm watching her, Derek, don't worry," Josie said. She didn't look up from the cooler when she said it. "Here, have a beer and relax. Tell us about the doctor you had dinner with."
Here it was. The deadly attack I'd been waiting for. I reached out to take the beer as a tiny cheer went up—Josie, Terry, his wife, Katie, Karl, the rest of them. Then Aaron yelled, "Hey, wait. I definitely want to hear this one."
This felt like an ambush, only because it was an ambush.
I sighed dramatically while my mind raced. "There's nothing to tell, it's just about the MRI machine."
Josie nudged Karl with her elbow. "Oh SURE it is, Derek. If it's not the Doc, tell us all about this new drug you've obviously been taking."
"He's been whistling," Karl said to nobody. Sticking a knife in me.
"I don't whistle." Traitor.
"You whistled in the truck on Tuesday. Like a bird. Terry heard it too." Karl looked over for confirmation.
Terry just nodded contentedly, from a chair that was too small for him.
I looked around, trying to think of something funny, but they weren't going to let it go. Problem is that I actually didn't know what to admit to. "Jesus, can't a guy be fucking happy once in a while without the whole attack?"
Aaron looked comically at Josie, then Terry, and at once they all said "NOPE" and cracked up.
Karl cut in. "Seriously, D, tell us what's up. Everyone here knows everything about everyone, it's not like there's secrets."
Which is true. I've carried Karl's kit when he was hurt and Aaron has actually carried me out of trouble. There's a photograph of it somewhere that if I ever get my hands on I'll destroy.
I put my foot up on the picnic table bench and leaned on my knee. "Okay, children, because you are all acting like children, gather round and let Papa Derek tell you about the great romance."
They did it too, leaned in, looking fascinated. Terry cupped a hand behind his ear. Josie put her chin in both hands like a girl at a campfire.
One beat. Two beats. THREE beats…
I leaned back. "Yeah, I got nothing, sorry." Suckers. My turn to laugh.
A chorus of groans went up. Josie threw a napkin at me.
Success. I'd put them off. They were no match for me.
Just as I opened my mouth to put the final dagger into this treacherous conversation, a deep bass voice cut me off.
"I've seen her, D," Terry said, in that slow drawl he seemed to turn on and off at will. "We all know she's way out of your league. But we ain't gonna stop asking, so just spill it."
Fucking Terry, I thought. Then said it. "Fucking Terry, of course it would be you."
His laugh sounded like breaking boulders.
"Where the hell have you seen her, anyway?" I demanded.
"Hospital. You told me to wait in the truck." He took a long pull on his beer. "But I didn't hear you, so I didn't wait in the truck."
"So you can do irony but can't take orders for shit?" I gave him an intimidating CO look. It hit him like a fly hits a windshield.
"Seriously, D," Katie added. "Does she know?"
I started rubbing my jaw.
Then Aaron, the comedian. "Does SHE know? Hell, Katie, ask Derek if HE knows. He's fucking oblivious."
She nodded at him, then asked, "Well, Derek. DO you know?"
Unfortunately, I had built this team on people who were smart, tactical, and relentless.
Then, the worst thing. They all just looked at me, expectantly.
No cover, no exit, and my own perimeter guys running the encirclement.
I was fucked.
"Okay, okay. What's not to like? Lacey's smart, tough, good-looking." I shrugged. "But it's not like I asked her out, or we're going steady. It was just dinner."
"Lacey," Josie said. "Not Dr. Bonds?"
She looked over at Katie, who shook her hips. "Oooh, Lacey!"
Then Aaron opened his mouth and in a once-in-a-billion event, he closed it without saying anything.
"Say it," I told him.
"Nope," he said, cheerful, and flipped a burger that did not need flipping. "I'm having a lovely afternoon." I squinted. Why isn't he going in for the ki—
Then the trap shut, coming in on my six. "Dr. Lacey? She's really pretty! Daddy made dinner for her!" Jessica climbed on the bench, then jumped into my arms.
"Do you like her, Daddy? I like her a LOT!"
"Where did you come from?"
"The fort." She said it like I'd asked something stupid. Then she reached up and pulled her own ponytail sideways, messing it up deliberately, watching my face the entire time, and waited. She learned that from Aaron, that bastard.
I lasted maybe two seconds. I fixed it, and she laughed like that was the funniest joke that has ever been made by anybody in history.
Aaron put on his Eeyore-mournful expression. "Oh D. It's over now, man. Just surrender and make it easy on yourself."
Jess gave him the stern four-year-old glower. "Stop being mean to Daddy."
He backed off, holding up his palms. "I'm outgunned. He's all yours."
Josie walked by and patted my arm. "Anyway, Derek. We're happy that you're happy. Just keep us in the loop."
"There's no loop to—" but she just kept walking and waved it away over her shoulder.
Aaron came over with the burgers. "Give up, man. You ain't even fooling the kid. Have a burger."
I took one. It was burned on one side.
"Hey," he said, quieter, not looking at me, in the register he uses about twice a year. "It's good. That's all. It's good."
"Eat your burger, Aaron."
"I'm just saying it's good."
"What do you want written on your tombstone?" I asked.
Aaron almost spit his mouthful out, laughing.
Then, the persistent Tiger. "Do you like her, Daddy?"
"Yeah, Jess. I do like her. Of course."
Of course.