“I gave Johnny—and you—another day. Figure this out, and you'd better be back to work on Monday, or I swear to God, I will drive to Arizona myself and finish what that truck started and drive you off a cliff. Now go save my best friend from his self-destructive bullshit.”
Chapter 19
Wyatt
He feltfoolish standing on John’s doorstep holding a bottle of wine.
What the hell am I doing?
Steph’s motivational speech had bolstered him all the way here, but once he got off his motorcycle and walked up the front steps, nerves got the better of him and he hesitated, hand hovering over the buzzer. He still had time to run, to put his helmet back on and walk his stupid, sorry ass out of there before he humiliated himself any further.
C’mon, Wyatt.
You can do this.
He sucked in a fortified breath and nearly jumped when the door swung open, startling him. A little girl, no more than five, stood before him, dressed in a fluffy yellow dress with a golden crown, holding a sparkling plastic scepter.
“Hello!” She flourished her scepter rather sharply at him. “You bow in the presence of a queen.”
Wyatt snorted and covered it quickly with a cough, sinking into a bow, “Your majesty.”
She patted his shoulder with a snap of the glittering scepter. “Rise, knight.” He once more tried not to laugh, as she indicated to his black helmet with narrowed eyes, “Armor?”
“Safety first, your highness,” he tapped his knuckles to his head, and she nodded approvingly.
“My mom makes me ride with my helmet, too,” she declared loftily. “Says I’ll end up in Uncle Johnny’s realm if I don’t.”
He smirked, nodding. “I would have to agree with your mother. I work in Uncle Johnny’s realm, and it can be, at times, a treacherous place. Not a place fit for a queen such as yourself.”
She sniffed, “What is your name, knight?”
“Wyatt. I’m training to be a doctor like your uncle.”
She beamed, “Cool.”
“Is your uncle around?”
“Out in the backyard grilling a turkey.”
“Do you mind if I come in? Or I can stay out here until you get him.”
She hesitated, and then he heard a voice behind her. “Olive, really? How many times do I have to tell you to let an adult answer the door?”
A woman appeared in the doorway, her rich brown hair in a scattered, messy bun. She wore pale blue jeans and a long forest green blouse, with dark blue eyes—John’s eyes. This must be his sister, he realized.
“Hi, sorry,” she said with a bland yet pretty smile. “Can I help you?”
“I was just stopping by to say hi to Dr. Donnelly. I was in the neighborhood.”
“With a bottle of wine?” She asked, her gaze narrowing.
“He did me a favor last week…” He paused, glancing at the little girl named Olive, knowing he needed to keep this story kid-friendly. “He saved me from a mighty troll. I’m here to give him my regards.”
She nodded, glancing behind her as though debating on leaving him on the front porch.
“This is Dr. Wyatt. He works with Uncle Johnny,” Olive stated, smacking her mom in the butt with her scepter. “There’s another doctor here today, too. Dr. Sammy! He’s cool.”
Wyatt remembered that Samuels practically threatened John for an invite to his Thanksgiving.
