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Tonight, when I drive past Nolan’s mother’s house, I’m surprised to see another car in the drive, one I don’t recognize parked behind Stu’s.
I don’t stop though. Like the car, seeing Maria is another reminder, one I don’t need too often.
I pull up at the cabin and head inside where I dump my keys in the dish, a gift from Maria when Nolan and I first moved in, and go straight for a shower. I throw on a pair of sweatpants, sans underwear, and head to the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge. Popping the top, I take a deep mouthful before settling in the chair on the small porch.
My phone chimes with a message, and I pull it free, almost certain it’ll be the girl from the other night. I don’t even need to open it. The tag line on the photo she sent is enough;I’m stuck and need you to come rescue me. ;)
I chuck the phone down on the small table and put my feet up next to it. Thankfully, tonight is her last night in Silverbell for a while. She’ll go back to her fancy life looking for her next meal ticket while Daddy continues to think his little princess is sweet and innocent and hoping she’ll bag herself, and him, a rich bachelor.
Living in Silverbell has its perks when it comes to the ladies, especially around this time of the year with a different event every week and a constant stream of tourists. Nolan and I learned that early on, then with the added bonus of being firefighters, it was like Christmas every day.
Shitting in your own front yard is a definite no, no. We learned that early on too. Well, Nolan did after he screwed the mayor’s daughter in high school only for him to come banging on his parents’ door shouting about how Nolan corrupted their precious Chastity. Oh the irony of that name. What the mayor failed to realize was she’d already made her way through the football team.
I chuckle at the memory of Nolan’s mom’s face as the mayor shoved a picture at her showing Nolan fucking Chastity, who was bent over her father’s desk no less.
I chug down another mouthful as my phone chimes again. Seems Aria is keen for another round, but I’m not interested. Once was enough for me.
I’m not looking for anything other than a quick fuck. Shame I didn’t remember that before I jumped into bed with her. I have much more important things on my mind. And as if to prove my point, my cell rings, but this is a call I can’t ignore.
“What?” I bark down the line in greeting.
“Asher, such a nice way to greet your uncle.”
“Yeah, well, you ain’t such a niceuncle, so cut the shit and get to the point.”
“Watch your tongue, boy.” I roll my eyes at his threat even though he can’t see. “I need another favor.”
“And I told you the last time, I’m done.”
“Not up for discussion if you enjoy your freedom, boy! Now…” I let him waffle on, explaining shit I already know, then when he’s done, I end the call without a word, switching it to silent just as it starts to ring again.
A noise through the trees to the left has me turning that way to see a couple stumbling drunkenly toward another cabin. The woman laughs and almost tumbles to the ground before the man throws her over his shoulder, which induces more laughter, then they disappear inside.
Finished with my beer, I get to my feet and head back inside, locking the door behind me. After switching off all the lights, I climb into bed and attempt to sleep.
It’s not a great success. My body clock is screwed from my shifts at the station, add to that the telephone call with my Uncle Ray and it’s a recipe for disaster.
* * *
A bang wakesme a split second before my bedroom door bursts open.
“Fuck off, Jackson,” I growl before burying my head under my pillow.
“Good morning, to you too, Ash. Get your ass up. I’ll make you a coffee.”
“Why the hell do I need to be up this early on my day off, explain, please?” He doesn’t answer, so I climb from the bed on sleepy legs. I take a piss then traipse into the kitchen where I find a cup of coffee waiting for me and Jackson sitting at the breakfast bar sipping his own. “This better be good, man,” I tell him, sitting down opposite him.
“What better reason do you need than the sun is shining and we’ve got a day off.” I arch a brow at him over the top of my mug. “Okay, fine. Dad asked me to drive out to Virginia Beach and pick up some paperwork for some big project proposal.”
Jackson’s Dad, Stu, works at the Town Hall in the zoning and planning department, and this is not the first time we’ve gone on a document run for him.
“Why can’t he do it?”
“He’s stuck at the office all day with some emergency issue and needs them today.” He raises his brows expectantly with a smile meant to convince me I need to spend the day in a jeep with him and his crappy taste in music instead of catching up on my sleep.
“He knows there is such a thing as a courier, right? Someone that actually gets paid for this shit,” I say, getting to my feet, I refill my mug and hold my hand out for Jackson’s, but he shakes his head.
“I’ll owe you one. Come on, Ash, what do you say?”
