The chip on his shoulder was a boulder.
“A smokejumper. An honorable position. And brave.” Which meant long hours and even days away. The pay was shit, the work brutal and dangerous. A new hire. My godfather’s hire. And if I had to guess which man of the two he’d mentioned, I’d say not the one from Idaho.
Another shiver reminded me I was likely out of my blessed mind.
“Stay with me. I can care for Sailor and make sure he’s improving. Ellie certainly thinks having you guys around is a good idea.”
The look on his face was sullen, embroiled in whatever demons he was fighting. I certainly didn’t need a single complication, but I also couldn’t turn him away.
That wasn’t the truth. I didn’twantto turn him away.
“Follow. Don’t follow. It’s up to you, Viper. I won’t hold your hand. The door will be unlocked. But if you come to the house, be mindful of the broken board on the front porch. And don’t you dare say anything about it either. Not a single word. And yes, my house is a mess but it’s my mess. Mine. I plan on organizing everything when I find the time.”
Frustration seemed to be my middle name. With my surroundings. With my bank account. With my lack of being in control.
Now, with him.
When he didn’t say a word, I huffed and walked away, muttering under my breath as I did.
“Men.”
CHAPTER 10
Viper
Guilt was the very reason I was in this mess to begin with.
Guilt for craving getting the hell out of Colorado so badly that I’d jumped at the chance of joining the military.
Guilt for almost never taking leave, which was why I hadn’t paid any attention to how sick my mother had become.
Guilt for allowing my sister to face the terrible illness afflicting our mother almost entirely alone.
Then there was the chapter that had derailed my entire life. But even the strong pull of guilt for all that had occurred wasn’t enough punishment.
As I leaned over the fence, studying the horses as they munched on some grass, I grappled with the fact I had a new wave of guilt eating me alive inside.
For taking Grace up on her kind offer.
The morning came early, more so because I hadn’t managed to catch more than five minutes of sleep. How could I? While I hadn’t lied to my host, I also hadn’t been forthcoming in the reason I’d been turned away from the motel.
While the bed had been comfortable, a hell of a lot better than in prison or even the shitty motel, I’d tossed and turned feeling guilty as shit the entire night.
Grace had placed her trust in me, which was honorable and misguided at the same time. Couldn’t she tell that I was a predator?
She’d brought me extra blankets, apologized for the room being cluttered, made certain I’d had clean towels for the bathroom, and had gone to bed.
Without grilling me on why I didn’t have enough money to rub two nickels together, as my mother used to say.
Maybe that’s why I was in such a shitty mood on such a beautiful morning.
Sailor was right beside me, enjoying the quiet walk since Ellie May had slept in Grace’s bed. Or so I assumed. While I’d heard creaks of the floor during the night, I hadn’t moved for fear of running into her. I’d crept from the house, doing my best not to make any noise.
At least the shower had felt damn good, but I’d worried about the use of hot water. Well, shit. Nothing was going according to plans.
A slight noise caught my attention and when Sailor bristled, I glanced in the direction his head was turned. “Oh, my God. Sailor. Quiet.” Very slowly I crept down the fence toward thegrassy patch between the corral and the clinic. The sight in front of me was amazing.
So beautiful and natural that I stood where I was without blinking.
