I took another sip of my beer, pacing myself to make sure I could drive home. Moochie and I sat on the back porch, shooting the shit. His wife, Amber, had gone to Ketchikan with their two kids. The rest of the guys hadn’t been able to make it. As it turned out, Mom and Lex had been right. This had helped clear my head and get my thoughts back on track.
Moochie held his beer to mine. “So, you and Alexa still good?”
“Yeah, it seems like we were able to pick up where we left off.”
“Good. I’m glad. You guys always seemed good together.”
I tossed my bottle in the trash. “Thanks. I better be going. Next card game is at my place.”
“Perfect. I’ll let the guys know.”
In my truck, I rolled down the windows and headed back to my parents’. Tomorrow, we’d try to get back to our normal lives; me at the Red Onion and Lex at the clinic. It was going to be tough being away from her. Somehow, we’d have to work out a system that gave her independence but let me know she was safe at the same time.
I pulled into my parents’ driveway. My brothers were there, too. It felt good to have us under the same roof, united against whoever was out there.
I walked in the house and followed the sound of a movie coming from the living room.
Lex turned around from her spot on the couch. “Hey. We’re watching Die Hard. Your mom and I were outvoted.”
Hayden threw popcorn at her. “You wanted to watch Pretty Woman. No way in hell.”
“Might as well take my manhood away before I watched that sh—stuff,” Kane added.
I chuckled, joining Lex on the couch. “I’ve got to say, I would have voted for Die Hard, too.”
“Traitor,” she teased and gave me a quick kiss as she snuggled into my side. This was perfect. Through all the craziness, we could still find our normal.
But I knew the darkness wasn’t far away.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Drake
It had been a hell of a long day. I swore, everyone I knew came into the bar to talk about the recent Fall Festival debacle. Hell, the entire city council was up in arms about the complaints. Thank goodness, we had Hollis’s welcome party to diffuse the situation.
I dragged my feet up the stairs. So far, Lex hadn’t asked much about what Kane had found, so I hadn’t volunteered the information. We did agree that for this week, I would follow her to work and Hollis would follow her home. And the following week, we’d reevaluate the situation. It was a joint agreement to help keep us all living our lives but being cautious at the same time.
I opened the door to find Lex sitting on the couch with a glass of wine. Tonight, we were staying at my apartment over the Red Onion. “Hey, honey, I’m home.”
“Hey, how was your day?”
“People were bitching about the Fall Festival. You are my hero for suggesting the welcome party. Otherwise, I think all the council members might be in trouble.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, the patients complained to me, too. Since I’m Raquel’s sister, I guess they think I have some sort of sway over her. But then they hugged me and Hollis for saving the town.”
This town and the Fall Festival. Who would have thought? It was then I noticed the white box that had been in my room at my parents’ house now sat on the ottoman. “You still debating?”
“No, I don’t think so. I’m going to open it tonight. I feel ready, but I wanted you to be here with me.”
This got my attention. The last time Lex wanted to read something from her dad she did it alone, which had led to a whole mess of issues. This time, we’d face it together.
I joined her on the couch as she lifted the lid from the box. On top were several framed pictures. Picking up the first one, Lex smiled. “Look at this.”
She turned it toward me. It was a picture of the three of us fishing on the dock. “That was a good day.”
“It was.”
It had been the first decently warm day of spring. We’d gone fishing on the dock on the piece of land Raquel had inherited. It had been a day full of laughter. That night, we’d eaten fresh fish cooked over an open campfire and just enjoyed each other’s company.