Page 95 of Summer Holiday Lifeline

“But he’s also a kid.”

“No shit.” Myles stalked towards the customer service desk.

“So is it really fair to leave her care to him?”

Myles stopped and turned on him. “You think that’s what I’m doing? Is that what he told you?” He snarled, mostly at himself. “Don’t answer that. It’s none of my business what he tells you.”

“No. It’s not. But today, I think you got sidetracked. Or, more likely, dragged into some kind of rescue mission that had nothing to do with you.”

“There was a kid, Ozzy, Jet’s age, and he was getting beat up.”

“And you had to jump in and be the hero.”

“I had to not let him get pulverized by two grown men twice his size. You would have done the same.”

Ozzy pursed his lips, but finally grunted. “Probably. But Tris would have rightly torn a strip out of me, because I have to think of him now, and getting into the middle of a fight does not put him first.”

“Maybe he would. Or maybe he would have pushed you into the brawl because he knows as well as we do what it’s like to be the one who can’t defend himself.”

“Doesn’t change anything. You have them to think about.”

Myles grunted.

“I’m not trying to be a dick here.”

“Just comes naturally.”

“Comes from being your friend, asshole.”

“That’s great. Thanks.”

“Can I help you?” The perky clerk behind the counter grinned at them, blithely pretending their snark wasn’t happening. “I’m Kimmy. What can I do for you?”

“I need to add my nephew’s name to Shelly’s pick-up list, please.”

Kimmy nodded. “Sure thing.” She squinted at him. “We have a first-aid station⁠—”

“I’m fine.” Myles mitigated the snappish tone with a weak smile.

“If you need it,” she said, her tone mild if less perky, and she pointed to a door off to one side of the lobby.

“Thank you.”

“What’s your last name?”

He managed to get Jet added to the list, and after a second of hesitation and a glance at Ozzy, who sighed and gave the slightest of nods, he added Ozzy’s name too.

“Thank you for that.”

“No point in putting his name on there if he has to get someone to drive him over here anyway.”

“I appreciate you having my back.” They left the front counter and went back to observing the swim practice while Shelly ate her food.

“Going to tell me what actually happened?”

“Does it matter?”

“It distracted you from your kids, so yeah. It matters.”