Page 39 of Nixon’s Promise

Ten minutes later they’d pulled the spark plug, cleaned it, and put it back.

“Try her now,” Nix told the kid.

He gave it a kick and she fired right up.

“Hey, thanks.”

“Any time.”

With a flick of his fingers Zack was off and Nixon headed into the house smiling. Unbeknownst to him, his smile wouldn’t last long, nor would the happy, carefree mood that had started in McKenna’s kitchen and only grew when he’d helped the boy.

Nixon was fixing to throw some burgers on the grill when he heard tires crunching in his drive. McKenna was earlier than he’d expected. Not that he minded. The more time they had together, the better. He hadn’t been lying when he told her he was going to take his time tonight. The first time he had her was amazing. But Nix knew if he’d had more time to build her excitement it’d be incendiary.

He strolled to his front door thinking of all the things he was going to do to the beautiful woman. But when he opened the door all thoughts of driving McKenna wild flew out the window.

“Swagger. Long time.” His friend and former teammate greeted.

“Damn, Alec, good to see you.”

The two men completed the manly ritual of the one-armed embrace, complete with a good pounding on the back and separated.

“What brings you all the way out here?”

Alec Hall left the teams a few years before Nixon, and rumor had it, he was now working for Homeland Security.

“I was hoping you’d have some time to help me.”

“Come in.”

The two men entered and Alec looked around the mostly empty living room.

“You trying out the minimalist way of life, or what?”

Nix knew his friend was trying to make light of his lack of furniture without actually showing his concern.

“Still sortin’ some shit out,” he said by way of explanation. “Wanna beer?”

Alec nodded and Nixon told him to take a seat and went to fetch their drinks. He wasn’t entirely sure if Alec’s unannounced visit was a good thing. But he’d hear his old friend out and help if he could.

He handed the other man his brew and for the first time wished he’d had more seating in his living room.

“What’cha need?” Nix inquired, taking a long tug of the cold brew.

“What are your plans now that you’re out?” Alec asked his own question instead of answering.

“Don’t have a plan beyond gettin’ shit straight around here.”

“Bullshit. I know you, you always have a plan. Then you’d make sure we all had two backup plans. So?”

Nix didn’t stop his smirk. He had been known for his skills of planning and executing an operation.

“I have a few things up my sleeve,” he admitted. “But I haven’t worked out the details.”

“Any interest in DHS?”

Homeland Security? That would be a negative. Nix had no interest in being tied down to a schedule.

“Hell no. No offense but I’ve given all that I’m willing to give to the government. Too much fuckin’ red tape and politics. I wanna stay in the private sector.”