Chapter 4 #2
More than fair, little man, Shane thought.
But instead of rebuking him, he reached out to shake Kevin's hand.
The seriousness with which Kevin regarded Shane's hand before shaking it impressed him.
He caught a glimpse of the man Kevin would become and that man was a good one.
But in the meantime, where was the squirrely boy who couldn't stay quiet or in one place for more than ten seconds before something new and shiny overtook his attention?
This has got to be serious.
Kevin looked up at him, all boy again as he asked. "Can we take Peetie?"
Shane grinned. Kevin adored Peetie as much as Shane did. "Yeah, buddy, we can take Peetie."
Kevin looked relieved. "Good, because I think I'm gonna need him to soften up Mom." Then he considered. "And if that doesn't work, he can always guard me from her."
Shane held back a snort. This kid was killing him.
“Do any of you have her cell phone number?” Shane asked.
“Affirmative,” Kyle said. “Arden’s got it. I’ll text her.”
“You don’t have to do that, Mr. McGuire, I’ve got it.”
But of course, Kevin had his mom’s number even though he didn’t have a phone.
The adults in the room looked at each other, feeling foolish for not asking him first. Kevin rolled his eyes like Adults, sheesh.
He gave Shane April’s number. He punched it into his phone.
Then he ruffled Kevin's hair and told him to go out to reception where there was a charity box of snacks on the desk.
“Pick something that doesn't have sugar in it.” He looked at Jodie. “Put it on my tab.”
She grinned and nodded. “You got it.”
Shane pointed at Kevin. "And don't even think about leaving reception. I'll be there right after I text your mom." But Kevin was already halfway out the door at the mention of 'snack.'
“Wait up, Kevin,” Jodie said. He stopped and came back to her. “Let’s go find something to do while we wait.” Jodie put her arm around Kevin’s shoulders and led him back to the lobby.
Shane held his phone up and told Kyle, “I’ll call her and take him home.”
“Noted.” Kyle said. “While you’re at it, tell her I’m hiring Kevin as my new security troubleshooter. What is it with people sneaking onto Watchdog property with bicycles? First it was Ellie, now it’s a little kid sneaking past my cameras and alarms.”
Shane chuckled. “It’s not just any little kid. When he’s not distracted, Kevin’s a wicked smart little guy. Just like his mother.” He turned to leave Kyle’s office.
“How are things between you and April these days?”
Shane stopped in his tracks. How could he even begin to answer that question?
“Fine.” Shane said flatly. “Let me go call her before she tears the entire state of Colorado apart to find him.” He started down the hall toward an empty conference room before Kyle could ask anything else.
Were things fine between them? Oh hell no.
He never, ever talked to anyone about his feelings for April.
Except for Ben, who knew the whole story.
But, Shane was a fool if he thought his boss hadn’t noticed a change in their relationship, ever since the drive-by.
April had gone from flirting right back at Shane to avoiding him when possible, and when not, doing her best to not engage.
Shane shut the conference room door, hit call, and April answered immediately.
“You bastard. Where is my son?”
Shane flinched from the icy venom in her voice, directed right at him. Then he realized his number came up on her phone as private. This wasn’t personal, this was the voice of a mother who would scorch the earth to get her son back.
“April, it’s okay. It's Shane. I've got Kevin. He’s safe.”
She gasped. “Shane? Oh, God, I'm so, so sorry. I didn’t know it was you, the number came up private. I thought it was…never mind what I thought. Kevin’s okay? Where did you find him?” Her words practically ran together.
“Yes, he’s okay. He just—”
Shane almost told April that they didn't even have to go searching, Kevin had shown up at Watchdog’s doorstep. But, he decided to hold off until he knew what had inspired—or more like driven—Kevin to come all the way out to Watchdog.
“—took off on his bike after the fight to cool down.”
She sighed wearily. “I was worried sick, but I can’t say I blame him. I used to do the same thing whenever I fought with Regis’ mother in high school.” She laughed bitterly. “I guess she’s right; the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Only, she called my son rotten.”
Shane frowned, then it clicked. “You mean Leslie? Are you telling me her little brat’s been picking on Kevin? And when did she have the nerve to say that bullshit to you?”
“Yeah, Kevin punched Regis today, and of course Pirogue called in Leslie first and told her everything. She shot her shitty little remark at me on my way in to talk to him. Also, she’s going to sue us.
” If April sounded weary before, she sounded downright dead-tired now. “I’ll come get Kevin. Where—”
“No need, I’ll bring him home.” Shane paused. He hadn’t been to April’s place since he’d returned to Lyons. Bringing Kevin there felt too intrusive, especially since the freeze-out after the drive-by. “Are you at Riversong?”
“Yeah. I’m here.” Then quieter, almost to herself, “I’m always here.”
“Then we’ll meet you there,” Shane told her. “See you in a few.”
“Yeah, see you. Oh, and Shane?”
“Yeah?”
“It really means a lot to me that you found him. Thank you.”
Her words surprised him and the heaviness in her voice tugged at his heart. Maybe this was a new beginning for them. “April, I'd do anything for you and Kevin. Anything.”
But she'd already disconnected, and his words floated out into nothing.
True to his word, Kevin was still in the reception area. He was sitting across from Jodie at the desk, the two of them engaged in a puzzle. Shane had no idea where Jodie had gotten it, but he wasn’t surprised—she was twice as resourceful as some of their bodyguards, and that was saying a lot.
“Looks like you grabbed more than one snack,” Shane said, eying two empty potato chip bags beside the beginnings of the puzzle.
Kevin turned and looked up, but only for a moment before his entire attention zoomed in on Peetie, leashed and standing at attention beside Shane.
Kevin's smile threatened to split his face as he jumped up and out of the chair and sprinted toward the dog. Just like in Kyle’s office, he pulled up at the last second and looked back up at Shane.
"Now is he on duty, or can I still pet him?"
Shane's eyebrow quirked at Kevin's self-restraint. But when it came to Peetie, Kevin wouldn't risk doing anything that might get him banned from playing with the dog.
“You can still pet him. Besides,” Shane pointed out Peetie’s barely contained wiggling that had started the moment he caught sight of the boy, “I think Peetie would never forgive me if I didn't let you.”
“That's because Peetie and me are buddies, isn't that right, Pete?” Kevin said as he dropped to his knees (Shane envied kids whose knees hadn't been banged up by life yet and could stand the impact of a move like that) and vigorously scratched behind Peetie's ears as the dog groaned.
Jodie stood. "The second bag's on me," she said as she picked up both wrappers and tossed them in a wastebasket. "I'm just glad he's okay. You hear that, Kevin?" Kevin ignored her in favor of Peetie, who was now rolled over on his back for a tummy rub.
"Thanks, Jodie,” Shane said. “You're the best."
"I try."
"You succeed. Always." Shane smiled at her before looking down at Kevin. "Ready?"
Kevin stood immediately, suddenly serious. "Yeah." He looked at Jodie. "Thanks, Ms. Jodie. I wish I could finish the puzzle with you, but me and Shane have matters to discuss."
Jodie's eyes widened and she quickly swallowed a laugh. "Matters to discuss, huh? Well then, I won't slow you down, Mr. Taylor."
"Can you keep the puzzle like it is though?" he said, right back to being a kid. "Maybe we can finish it later?"
"I'll set it up on the credenza behind me until your next visit," Jodie said solemnly, eyes twinkling. “But, maybe next time you’ll let your mom bring you, or at least tell someone where you’re going?”
“Yeah, okay.” He rolled his eyes, but it was a good-natured gesture.
"Ready?" Shane nudged Kevin.
"Ready."
They headed for Shane's Watchdog SUV. “Hang on,” Shane said, stopping. “Where’s your bike?”
Kevin looked blank for a moment. “Oh yeah, my bike.” Then he tore off around the building.
“Kevin, wait!” Shane and Pete jogged after him. By the time they got around to the other side, he was gone.
“Kevin!”
The boy reappeared out of the woods surrounding the entire Watchdog compound, which included the main building and kennels, a shooting range, two obstacle courses—one for humans and one for canines—a town front facade for training dogs and their humans to find enemies and explosives, and three safehouses.
Arden’s farm was just up the road, safe behind Watchdog’s gates.
Everything was on one of the solitary foothills just a few miles east of Lyons, which was in the Front Range foothills proper.
Grinning, Kevin pushed his bike out of the trees and headed toward Shane and Pete.
Shane had to laugh—Ellie had appeared the same way, walking her bike out of the woods and into Bear’s life as he was fixing up one of the safehouses.
She’d put all of them on high alert and Kyle had beefed up the cameras.
Looks like he’s going to be dropping some more cheese on cameras for the woods.
Got it!” Kevin shouted needlessly.
“Double-time. Your mom’s waiting.”
Kevin hopped on the bike and sped past Shane and Pete to the back of the SUV. Shane followed, shaking his head. When he got to the vehicle, he opened the passenger-side door.
"Hop in. I'll get Pete and the bike secured, then we'll be on our way."
Kevin peeked around the side from the back. "Can I help?" he asked eagerly.