Still leaning toward Monahan, T.J. waved a hand betweenthem. “So he knows about this little reunion?”
“He’s the one that suggested it.”
This revelation rocked T.J. backward, bringing him fullyupright. “You can tell him for me to take his fucking money and shove itwhere the sun don’t shine.”
The surrounding tables had stopped buzzing, and all eyeswere riveted on them.
T.J. didn’t care. He shook his phone. “Thanks for theinterview, Captain.”
Money’s eyes bugged. “Shanstrom,wait. You recorded us?”
“Damn straight.” While Monahan gawped, T.J. liberateda few bills from his wallet and slapped them on the table. “For my drink.”
T.J.’s recording might not have been legal, but he didn’tgive a flying fuck. Let the attorneys fight it out. He was done withthis shit-show. Yeah, he’d delivered the punch, but these guys went beyond thepale. Pivoting on his heel, he strode through the restaurant, ignoring thecurious patrons. The moment he hit the pavement, he crossed the street anddidn’t look back.
Despite the weight of Kevin May’s injuries, despite thelawsuit pressing down on him, despite the looming admission to Natalie, T.J.felt a lightness in his step as he walked.
He was staking a claim on his life.
One more hurdle to jump.
He pulled in a breath and tapped Natalie’s number. “Hey, Ineed to see you.”
.~* * * ~.
Natalie’s spidey-senseshad been on high alert since Tyler’s call. He needed to see her about what? Notabout fixing her chairs, surely. Maybe he was canceling his dog-sittingcontract. Her stomach bottomed out at the thought. Not only would she bereturning a chunk of money, but she wouldn’t get tosee Ford anymore. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized how attached she’dgrown to the cross-eyed pup.
Not seeing Ford also meant not seeing Tyler. Her heartwobbled. Apparently, she’d grown attached to Ford’s owner too.
When the Schwarzenegger Special pulled up outside, and itswell-cut owner and his dog hopped out, she braced herself. Tyler headed up herwalkway, his expression broadcasting he wanted to kick someone’s ass. Why?
“Guess you’re about to find out, Nat,” she murmured toherself.
But a funny thing happened when she opened the door. Hisfeatures softened into a smile that said he was happy to see her. It slid intosadness, which really perplexed her.
“Hey.” She stood aside to let them in.
“Hey. Thanks for letting me bust in on you at the lastminute.”
Ford went straight to the back door, and Tyler followed,opened it, and let him into the sunporch. Suchnatural, casual actions, yet the air felt charged, electrified, like a stormwas about to unleash its fury. Did he feel it too?
Hand still resting on the doorknob, Tyler turned to faceher. Even in the muted light, she made out the flash in his hazel eyes as hefixed them on her. The look was blazing, intense. Her skin tingled as though itmight catch fire.
Self-conscious, she sidled to the refrigerator. “Can I getyou anything?”
“No, I’m good. Thanks.”
Arms folding across her chest, she leaned against thefridge. “You said you needed to talk to me?”
“Maybe I will have something.”
Okaaay. That bad, huh?
She pulled out two beer cans, popped their tops, and handedhim one. He studied the label way more intently than it merited. “Echo Brewing?What’s Echo?”
She waved her hand vaguely over her head. “A craft breweryabout twenty-five miles north.”
He took a long sip, the maelstrom still stirring behind hiseyes. “So how’s your boyfriend?”
Not what she expected, and it threw her. “I’m not sure.”
He arched an eyebrow at her.
“I haven’t seen him for a few days,” she explained. “Nor amI likely to.”
Hyperaware of his every move, she gauged how long it tookhim to register what she’d said. Slowly, deliberately, he set his beer down.The intensity seemed to drop a few notches. “What happened, Natalie?”
She mirrored him, setting down her own untouched drink witha sigh. “Kevin and Kristin patched things up, which means I’m out.”
.~* * * ~.
Natalie’s words hit T.J. like abucket of crushed ice—shocking, freezing, melting on contact as the chips slidto the ground. Had he heard her right?
“He broke up with you? After what you sacrificed for him?”Stunned, he stared at her for long beats. A moment ago, he’d been thinking, This is it, moment of truth, and he’d beendreading it more than he’d dreaded his dad’s beatings.
But now he was blown off course, pissed as hell at KevinMay.
“It’s okay. I’m okay,” she said soothingly. Hebelieved her. “It’s the best outcome. For everyone, especially his daughter.”
A tremor of hope rippled through him even as reality wrappedits steely arms around it and choked it off.
Do. Not. Go. There.
“I’m happy for them. Truly,” she added.
The outer crust of his heart may have cracked a fraction,though he couldn’t name all the reasons why. Sympathy. Relief. Sadness. Beingknocked on his ass by her incredible kindness.
Was she was being stoic, merely hiding the hurt that surelywas there? He knew only too well what that did to a person’s soul. “What about you?”he said.
She gave him a wistful smile. “I’ll survive.” In thatmoment, he made up his mind. He wouldn’t pile on more shit by telling her whohe was. Not yet. Confession temporarily derailed. Give her a day torecover. Three. Then he’d tell her. For sure.
Appraising him as if reading his every thought, she crossedher arms over her chest. “So you needed to talk to me about something?”
Shit. What lie to come up with now?
“It’s about Ford, isn’t it?” she prodded.
Wow. She’d just made it easy. He pulled both hands throughhis hair and laughed nervously. “You must be psychic. I actually have a favor toask. There’s this … thing I have to go to in a few weeks that could go late,and it might be easier if he stays with you overnight. I’ll double your rate.”
.~* * * ~.
Natalie wasn’t sure why, but Tyler’srequest—which should have made her breathe a sigh of relief because he wasn’tfiring her—gave her a hard, fast jab instead. “What thing?”
“A black-tie charity event.”
The jab dissolved into inexplicable disappointment. Shepictured him all dolled up in Armani with a gorgeous woman hanging on his arm. “Um,sure. Just let me know what day, and I’ll put it in the schedule.”
“Awesome. That helps a lot.”
She sagged a little.
