Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 17558 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 88(@200wpm)___ 70(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17558 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 88(@200wpm)___ 70(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
Lucy.
“Listen, Dougie—”
“Hey, Titus, I don’t wanna hear any excuse, all right?” Douglas says into the phone in that way that only close friends can say to each other. “What I want to hear is ‘Okay, Dougie, I’m on my way over.’”
I sigh. I know he’s right. I also know that his daughter is like my Kryptonite, and I’ve got to quickly get my place in order so I can start inviting him over here instead of having to go over there.
She’s all I can think about the whole ride over to Dougie’s. This really is insane. I feel like my entire world’s been turned upside down. I don’t want her near me, because I know my desire will only increase exponentially, but at the same time, all I want is her in my arms.
It’s like the world’s greatest dilemma.
When I pull up to Dougie’s house, I take a deep breath and think seriously about whether or not I should seriously just turn around and go home. I could make up an excuse later as to why.
But that would be a cowardly move, so I get out of the truck, march up to the front door, and barge right into my best friend’s house.
“Hey!” Dougie calls out when he sees me. He’s already in the kitchen getting dinner ready. He does, however, wave a hand in my direction and point upstairs. “Keep it down a bit, okay? Lucy’s upstairs. I think she’s tired and may have gone to bed early.”
I take a long, deep breath and disguise it with a head nod.
Well, thank God for that, I think as I take a beer Dougie hands me.
Dougie puts the game on, and we make the typical small-talk and do a bit of food prep as we watch, but all I can think about is the fact that his built-for-porn daughter is sleeping upstairs less than thirty feet away from us.
I’m nearly overcome with desire, but that desire hasn’t shut down my brain completely. I haven’t forgotten my promise to Lucy.
“Hey, Dougie. Your daughter’s art is good. Damn good if you ask me.”
Dougie looks over at me and grins. I know him well enough to know that he’s smiling out of pride, but there’s also something there about him not wanting me to bring up this conversation.
“She is good. Started when her mom died.” Dougie’s wife, Diana, died just when I was leaving for the service. One of my biggest regrets was that I never got a chance to go to her funeral. “She asked you to speak to me about it, didn’t she?”
I chuckle. He and I just know each other too well.
“I really think you ought to give her a shot, Dougie.” He sighs and gets up from the couch, goes into the kitchen, and immediately starts to cook the steaks. I follow him in. “She’s really good, pal. Says she’s had some shows.”
“She needs to go to school!” he snaps. I don’t take it personally. “She is good, but she needs a backup plan. Life comes at you hard when you least expect it, and if this painting thing doesn’t work out for her…”
Dougie sighs and looks over at me.
“I just want what’s best for my daughter, buddy.”
My daughter.
His words ring in my ears like the sounds of a gun blast. The guilt I’ve been trying to get a handle on hits me like a 7.6mm sniper shot right in the chest. “I know, pal. I know.”
4
Titus
“You come highly recommended,” Mr. Forest, the suited man sitting across from me, says. He’s got that smugness that I normally don’t like, but it doesn’t read as arrogance, and I really need a job now that I’m home.
This would be private security for the vice president of a very big financial company. Not quite Fortune 500, but close. Normally even getting an interview for a position like this would take months, if not years, but my buddy Damon put in a good word for me, and that’s why I’m here.
Compared to what I’ve been through, this would be basically a babysitting gig. And the pay would be astronomical. Even if I don’t get hired, I’m in Damon’s debt.
“Well, no offense, sir,” I say. “But compared to war, what you need me for would be a cake walk.”
“None taken. This country owes you a great debt.” It always kind of annoys me when civilians who have never seen combat say that, and it’s obviously completely insincere, but again, I let it slide. I need the job. “Titus, I see no reason not to hire you right here on the spot. The job is yours.”
He stands and offers me his hand, which I quickly take.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Can you start next week?”
“Yes, sir, I can.”
He nods and picks up his tablet.
“I assume you can find your own way out?”