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“I’m just really excited. I didn’t think I could find work so quickly, and I didn’t think I’d find something so good. The benefits are great. Medical, dental. Even a really good retirement plan. Lucy, it’s going to be great. I’ll be able to take care of you guys.”
“I don’t need you to take care of me.”
“I can take care of Harley. Pay back child support. Whatever. It’s going to be awesome.”
“What kind of job?”
Deciding he isn’t stoned, just thrilled to share his good news, I step aside because it’s freezing outside.
If he found something so quickly, then it must be around here, and that gets me excited as well. I smile because things like this don’t happen for me. Things don’t work out for me. I’m always forced to make a sacrifice.
“Offshore oil rig,” he states as he steps inside, raising his hands to his mouth and blowing on them to warm them up.
“Like in the ocean?”
He nods, his smile wide, eyes bright and beaming.
“We live in New Mexico.”
“The job is in Texas. Well, offshore in Texas.”
“Texas?”
He nods as if he’s won the lottery, and he’s still trying to wrap his head around it as well.
“What?” That screeched word comes from Harley, and we both turn to see our son standing to the side with tears rolling down his cheeks. “I don’t want to move to Texas.”
“It’ll be fun, buddy. You can swim in the ocean.”
Harley shakes his head violently before running up to Robbie. He pulls back his little leg and kicks Robbie right in the shin. Harley’s eyes widen dramatically before he spins around and runs to his bedroom. His door slams, but the walls are so thin, we can both hear his little sobs.
I stare down the hallway in shock because Harley has never done anything even remotely violent in his life before. I don’t know how to react. Do I punish him?
“I thought he’d be excited,” Robbie mutters as he bends forward and rubs the spot on his shin. If he’s not going to make a big deal about it, then neither am I.
“Change is hard for kids,” I say because I refuse to lie and say that he’ll get over it. I also won’t tell him about the conversation I had with Harley earlier. “When do you start work?”
“In a week.”
“A week?”
Robbie is still smiling. “I’ll go ahead of you guys and make sure everything is lined up. I was told they provide room and board for families.”
“We are not living together, Robbie.”
“I’ll be offshore nearly all the time, Lucy.”
“Absolutely not.”
His smile widens. “I figured you’d say that. It’s a duplex. Any problem with living next door?”
I huff. “You’re an asshole.”
He chuckles, but then his face falls when he looks down the hallway. “Is he going to be alright?”
“I hope so. I’ll have a chat with him.”
Robbie leaves only a few minutes later because sticking around for a serious conversation with Harley would be just too much of a parent thing to do. I’m not winning any parenting awards either because it takes me twenty minutes before I go into his room to speak with him. He refuses to talk to me, so I just sit on the edge of his bed and rub his little back until he falls asleep.
Chapter 18
Snake
I’m a patient man. Three weeks ago, nothing bothered me. I was happy-go-lucky. I lived life in the moment. I went with the flow. Now? Every damn thing gets on my nerves.
I don’t realize how bad I’ve gotten until I consider tilting over the fridge when the automatic ice machine in the freezer drops ice into the tray and then refills, the sound more annoying than ever today.
“You seem tense,” Kincaid says as he enters the kitchen, heading for the coffee pot.
And not once since joining Cerberus have I wanted to punch my boss in the nose for just speaking.
He cocks an eyebrow at me as if he can read my mind when I turn to face him. I see the challenge on his face, but I only consider it for a second.
“I have news, but it doesn’t look like you’re in the mood for it.” The slow stir of his spoon through his coffee makes me want to flip the fucking table.
“Will waiting change anything?”
He shakes his head.
“Might as well get it over with then,” I mutter.
“We were able to lock down a job for Robbie Farrow.”
I nod, knowing they’d be able to find something for him.
“It’s in Texas, offshore oil rig.”
I grind my teeth so hard I wonder how much more they can take before they crack.
“Shadow was able to find a duplex for them to live in, so they can live really close to each other.” He watches my face as he takes another sip of coffee. “He’ll be out on the rig a lot, but he’ll be right next door and can see the kid easily when he’s home. He’ll be right there if Lucy needs anything.”
