“Probably,” I answer, swatting her colorful braid.
Her hair is always a different color. Today it’s teal. It amazes me how she can camouflage herself during a mission when she’s so colorful.
“Let’s go home. I’ll cook tonight.”
“Great, he’s cooking,” Fish says, joining us. “You heard that, Sir Byron Langdon. Drive your ass to Beac’s.”
“Just call him fucking Lang,” I say, hoping his communicator is still on and Lang can hear me.
As we approach my SUV, I spot Mane and San leaning against it.
“Lang says that everything is under control.” Mane fists bumps with G. “That was pretty badass.”
“My favorite part is when you transformed from naïve student to”—San glances at her and shrugs—“you?”
“Let’s go before people start recognizing us,” I warn them, unlocking the car and getting into the driver’s seat. “The plane is ready for takeoff.”
“I thought you were driving,” G says, pulling a granola bar and water out of her backpack.
“It’s faster to fly,” I answer casually, instead of saying, “Your father wants you back in Seattle, now.”
“So, what’s happening with your Dad’s will?” Grace asks.
Could we avoid talking about parental units for at least a day or two? I don’t bring up your overprotective dad. You don’t mention my fucking father.
I blame her for answering the fucking phone when my brothers called. If I had ignored them…well, they’d have come to find me. Our father’s will is too important to ignore. With a snap of his fingers, he can end the livelihood of thousands of people—and he’s dead. Who has that fucking power?
William Aldridge.
But, if he’s the Thanos to our world, I’ll make sure to pull a Dr. Strange-Ironman-Antman move on him and avoid any destruction.
“Have they found a way to get you off the hook?” San asks.
“Nope. So far, the answer is I have to live in Baker’s Creek for an eternity,” I answer, driving toward the airport. “They’re already building my studio. The contractors that will be building my underground home are already working on it too.”
There’s no way I’m going to share my space with them. I need a place where I can practice and another one where I can talk with The Organization in private. I’m still pondering how the hell I’ll do my job. I’m the team leader. There’s no fucking way I’ll let my people go into a mission without me. That’s like sending them to the grave.
“It’s only eighteen months,” Grace reminds me.
“We have work to do,” I protest. “A lot is happening in the world. I don’t have time to sit back and relax—while dealing with my brothers. All five of them.”
Knowing G, she has some kind of silver lining speech ready in case my brothers say, “There’s no other alternative. You have to move with us, now.”
“But—”
I shake my head. “Not today, G.” I don’t want to discuss my father, my brothers, or the stupid will. For now, I want to pretend it’s not real.
Chapter Five
Beacon
“You don’t pay me enough for this,” I joke when I enter Mills’ place. “Can we discuss your relocation?”
His glare shuts me up. “What happened?”
“I think they’re going to release me from my contract.” He sighs.
For a moment, I’m speechless. What can I say that will make him feel better?
“My agent threatened to drop my ass,” he continues. “It’s the stupid will. I already told him I’m not going to live in Baker’s Creek.”
“We’re not?”
After my father’s funeral, the fun part began. His lawyer announced that we’re inheriting all his shit. There’s a catch, though. We have to stay in Baker’s Creek for eighteen months, starting next week. Not only that, but we can’t leave town. William Aldridge was insane, even though the bloodsucking lawyer swears he was in his rightful mind when he wrote his last will and testament.
I don’t care about the fucking money or his assets. However, if we decide not to follow the stipulations, he pretty much ruins the town and all of his employees.
He scrubs his face down with both hands.
“Think about the implications,” he states. “My son will be three by the time we leave. He might get attached to a bunch of losers who can’t pick up the phone to say happy birthday every year. He’s had enough disappointment in his life, and he’s not even two.”
I pat his back. There’s nothing I can say because I’ve been there on the receiving end of getting attached and then disregarded. We could talk for hours about the pros and cons of the stupid will. There are no pros; the list of cons is lengthy.
I switch gears and propose, “Grace and I want you to come to live with us in Seattle.”
“You two are finally together?”
“I’m the one with the jokes, not you.” I head to his fridge, looking for something to drink. “Anyway, we can help you with Arden while you concentrate on getting that knee…I don’t know, fixed? Is that the term?”
“Home is here, in Vancouver,” he states.
“You want us to move here so we can help you?” I offer.
He smiles. “The other fuckers could learn a lesson or two about how to be a brother from you.”
“I know I’m awesome as fuck, but I’m serious, man. You and Arden are alone most of the time. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone close by to give you a hand?”
He looks at his watch, then at me. “Why don’t I get through this meeting and then we can talk about the future?”
“Sounds like a plan,” I answer instead of arguing with him.
I don’t want to think that he’s in denial, but maybe he needs to reassess his goals. If I had an injury like his, I’d accept all the help I could get so I can get back on my feet. As they say, everyone feels and reacts differently. That reminds me of Hayes and his impromptu visit.
“Did Hayes come to visit you?”
He shakes his head. “Should I be expecting a visit from him?”
I shrug one shoulder. “Probably.”
“What did he want?”
“He apologized for being an asshole,” I respond and wave a hand. “It’s mostly a shitty campaign where he promises to do better but asks to please join him in Baker’s Creek.”
He snorts. “I don’t believe anything he says.”
“Grace says he was being honest.”
“Grace was there?”
“We were hanging out when he came to visit. I wasn’t going to answer the door, but you know her…”
“She’s the sensible one of the two of you,” he remarks.
I scoff. “In any case, he swore to be a good brother from now on, but he asked me to go with him—for the town.”
He snorts. “What if you don’t go? It’s over?”
I shake my head. “Surprisingly, he said something like, if I don’t, he hopes we can stay in touch.”