Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
MATTHEW
“Williams!” Sheriff barks, making me sit straighter in my seat. “Where is that report I asked for hours ago? Do you not know how to type?”
My gaze meets Nico’s, who’s sitting across from me, one of his brows twitching slightly.
“I left it on your desk, Sheriff.”
The man’s eyes narrow into tiny slits as he glares at me, his teeth grinding. Without another word, he marches into his office.
Fucking asshole.
He’s been like this the whole week, riding my ass like it’s his favorite hobby, barking out orders and yelling if they weren’t completed fast enough for his liking.
No matter how much I want to tell him to go fuck himself, I have to keep my mouth shut. Jenkins would like nothing better than to find an excuse to fire me, and I’m not going to make it easy for him. Oh no. If he wants to give me the boot, he’ll need to find a damn good reason to do so.
“Damn, he really doesn’t like you,” Nico winces.
“No shit. What gave it away?”
My deadpan tone has Nico snort out a laugh. At least one of us finds it funny.
“You sure you haven’t killed his dog or something?”
“Do you think there’s a dog that likes him? Please.” I shake my head. “Even his own shadow is trying to run away from him.”
Nico chuckles. “You’re both stubborn as mules.”
“I’m not stubborn. He’s been acting like an asshole since the moment I entered the station.”
“Oh yes, you are. And he’s not any better. Both of you hold on to old grudges that should have been left in the past.”
I grit my teeth, annoyed at the direction this conversation is going. “Trust me, I want nothing more than to leave the past in the past. I just have to survive until he retires. How long can that take?”
The guy’s ancient. He can’t possibly work much longer. The moment the thought pops into my head, I know I’m screwed.
“Knowing him?” Nico shoots me a pitying look. “They’ll have to carry him out of that office in a casket. That guy lives for this job.”
I run my hand over my face. “I’m so fucked.”
“You totally are.”
My gaze darts toward the time at the bottom of my computer screen. “Well, just a few more minutes, and I’ve survived anot—”
As if on cue, Jenkins barks from the office, “Williams!”
Nico and I straighten in our chairs, just staring at one another for a heartbeat before I push to my feet. Might as well get it over with.
“It was nice knowing you,” Nico whispers.
I shoot him a glare as I cross the room and peek into the sheriff’s office. “Yes, Sheriff?”
He’s been waiting for me because he lifts a piece of paper and waves it at me. “What the hell is this? Are you illiterate? You might have been slacking around in high school, but here we do things right. Fix this.”
He tosses the paper at me, and I barely manage to catch it before it falls on the floor. The report is crisscrossed with red pen, and I feel like I’m in fucking middle school all over again.
“Yes, Sheriff,” I mutter through clenched teeth.
His eyes narrow into tiny slits, not missing my attitude. I swear the guy brings out the worst in me, and no matter how hard I try, some days it’s difficult to keep myself in check. He presses his lips into a tight line before he shifts his attention back to his computer, effectively dismissing me.
Turning on my heels, I get out of the office. I can feel my colleagues’ gazes on me as I march back to my seat. I press my lips together, embarrassment and irritation swirling inside me.
Nico’s brows shoot up. “That bad?”
I toss the paper at him so he can look at it. “Fucking asshole.”
Nico lifts the paper, his brows pulling together as he scans over it and winces.
“Well, look on the bright side.”
I plop my ass down into my chair. “And what, pray tell, would that be?”
He hands me the paper. “At least you’re not fired.”
“He certainly makes me wish I was.”
I pull the paper out of Nico’s hand and glare at it. There is all of one typo; the rest are Jenkins’s corrections of my word choices.
Fucking asshole.
Wheels roll over the hardwood and then Nico leans against my desk, nudging my leg with his. Reluctantly, I look up to find his serious face.
“Look, Jenkins is…” He sucks in a breath as he thinks over his words carefully.
I lean back in my chair, quirk my brows at him, and wait to hear how long it takes him to come up with something nice to say about the man.
“He’s a hardass. But he’s not so bad.” My skepticism must be written all over my face because he corrects, “Sure, he’s rough around the edges, but he isn’t bad.
You two got off on the wrong foot, and your past sure as hell isn’t helping anything.
High school wasn’t that long ago, Williams, and we both know the shit you pulled.
You need to show him you’re serious about this. ”
I grind my teeth. “I am serious about it.”
Nico nods. “And I believe you. I can see you’re trying, but you’ll need to show him that. Show him you’re not that boy spray painting around school, ditching classes, and getting in fights. Show him that you’re here to stay.”
My fingers squeeze into fists as I try to keep my cool.
Logically, I know he’s right. He’s not saying anything I’m not familiar with, and yet, a part of me can’t help but wonder why. Why do I need to prove myself to anyone? Why can’t my being here be enough?
Because you left like the coward you are. Because you thought your family was better off without you here until one of them was hurt.
Nico slaps me on the shoulder, snapping me out of my thoughts. “It’ll be okay. Just give it time.”
That’s easier said than done.
He pushes away from my desk just as my phone vibrates.
I pull it out of my pocket, noticing my sister’s name on the screen. I open the message, the words making me sit straighter.
Becky:
Mom’s having a good day. I just left with Jax, so I figured I’d let you know in case you want to stop by…
I shift in my seat, the collar of my shirt feeling tight around my neck.
She didn’t have to finish that for me to know what she means—I should visit while I can. While she’s lucid enough to remember me.
My palms turn sweaty. I tighten my hold on the phone, and the words on the screen start blurring together.
It’s been ages since I last saw her. What if she doesn’t want to see me?
What if my going there messes her up even more?
It wouldn’t be the first time. I remember the episodes she had during my teenage years.
The ups and downs. One moment she would be my mom, but in the blink of an eye that would change, turning me from her son into a complete stranger.
“Yo, Wiliams!”
“Yeah?” I blink and lift my head, Nico’s face coming into view. He’s watching me expectantly, as if he’d called my name several times and I didn’t hear it.
“I asked, what are you up to today?” Nico leans back against his chair, his hands crossed over his chest. “A few of us are going to the gym after our shift if you want to join us once you’re done here.”
My phone buzzes again.
Becky:
I told her you were back in town, but I don’t think she believed me.
I know she’d love to see you.
“Great, just great,” I mutter to myself as I run my hand over my face. “Can’t today.”
Matthew:
I’ll go there after work.
Nico tilts his head to the side, curiosity evident on his face, but he must see my dark mood because he doesn’t probe further.
“Okay, the offer stands if you ever want to join us.”
“Thanks.”
Nico grabs his things and slaps me on the shoulder as he leaves. “Try not to get fired while I’m gone.”
“Not making any promises.”
With a sigh, I look down at the report and then get to work.
“Hi, I’m here for Isabella Williams,” I tell the nurses, who have been watching me with interest across the counter since I stepped into the lobby of Helpful Hands.
The assisted living facility is located about an hour away from Bluebonnet Creek, and they focus on helping people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. “I’m Matthew Williams.”
“Oh, you’re Mrs. Williams’s youngest son. Your sister was here earlier and told us you might stop by after work, but it was getting late, so I figured something must have happened.”
Fucking Jenkins happened.
Just thinking about the man pisses me off all over again, but I force myself to shake it off.
“My shift ended later than expected,” I say noncommittally before quickly changing the subject. “Is she still…?”
My stomach rolls with unease as I try to come up with proper words to finish the sentence.
Good? Herself? Lucid? What are the words one uses in this kind of situation? Fuck if I know.
The nurse shoots me a gentle smile. “Mrs. Williams was still lucid when I last saw her. Come on, I’ll take you back.”
I shift my weight from one foot to the other as she walks around the counter and then to the glass door. She enters a code, and the door buzzes to life.
She looks over her shoulder as she pulls open the door and then waves me to enter. She must have noticed my gaze dart to the lock pad because she explains, “It’s just a precaution.”
I nod slowly, my throat suddenly feeling tight.
“Some people tend to wander off and get lost, even hurt, but as you’ll see, the inside is very modern and nice. It’s your first time here?”
“I…” I tug at the collar of my shirt, once again feeling as if I can’t breathe properly. “Yeah.”
She smiles at me reassuringly. “We try to make the place feel like a home away from home. Each of our residents can personalize their room as they wish. There are also a lot of common spaces for them to socialize and participate in activities. We have both medical personnel and volunteers who stop by to help us lead different arts and crafts groups to keep our residents entertained.” Her gaze darts to the bouquet in my hand.
“Your mother will love those. She really likes to sit out in our little garden, and she even tends to it occasionally when she feels up to it.”
“Yeah, she always loved to be outside,” I say distractedly as I scan the space.