“Oh, my, that makes this old woman very happy!” Aunt Betsy gets up to give me another hug.
Chief offers, “You're welcome to stay here while you settle in.”
“Thanks, but I have already booked a place at The Cottage, and I saw a house on the way in that's for rent. I’m going to check into it. It would be perfect.”
They exchange a look. “It wouldn’t happen to be on Willow Bend Street, would it?”
A lopsided grin slides sheepishly across my face. “Maybe.”
“I certainly hope so.” Aunt Betsy smiles.
I stand. “Listen, I have taken up enough of your time today, but I wanted to make sure I stopped by on my way in. I learned a lot over the past six years, and one thing is how important family is.”
When I push open the office door at Bruins Realty, Lucifer's on a leash.
“May I help you?” The receptionist asks.
“I’m here to rent the house on Willow Bend Street.”
She looks at her computer screen and informs me, “That house's listed with Maxine Reynolds. May I have your name?”
“Jocko Malone.”
She types. “Maxine will be right out to help you.”
She doesn’t bother hiding her curiosity and looks me up and down. That old feeling of about to be groped returns, so I take a seat on the couch while I wait.
“He's a beautiful dog. What's his name?”
“Thank you. Luce.” I look down, and he leans his head over and rubs my leg affectionally.
“Normally, we don’t allow animals inside.”
“Good thing he is't an animal. Good thing he's very well behaved.”
She smirks.
Maxine walks in all smiles. “Jocko Malone?” She offers her hand, and I stand to shake it. “Maxine Reynolds. I understand you want to see the house on Willow Bend Street?”
I shake my head. “No, ma’am. I want to rent the house on Willow Bend Street.”
“Well, that makes my job easy. Right this way then.”
Walking over to Sunnyville Trust and Loan, Lucifer and I pass Fire Station 13.
Suddenly, I hear, “Jocko?”
Grady Malone walks toward me with a huge grin on his face. He wraps me up in a big bro hug. “Cuz, it’s good to see you.”
“Good to be home.”
“And who do we have here?”
“Luce.”
Grady rubs his head and cuts his eyes at me.
“Lucifer.” I laugh.
He chuckles, rubbing his head and scratching behind his ears.
“He served five of the six years with me. Saved my life more than once. He's kinda special.”
Grady ruffles his neck, talking doggy goo-goo to him, but in a manly way. “He's a good boy. A real hero.”
“Yes, he is.”
“Mom called and told me you were home. She's already planning a welcome home dinner for you.”
Just then, the firehouse lights strobe, and the alarm goes off.
Grady reacts instantly, grabs my hand, pumps it once, “Glad you're home. Can’t wait to introduce you to Dylan.”
“Looking forward to connecting again.”
He runs inside, and I look down at Lucifer. “Come on, Luce. We don’t want to get run over.”
When we walk in Sunnyville Trust and Loan, everyone stops and stares. A man comes out of a side office and walks over with his hand outstretched, “Jocko Malone, I presume?”
“One and the same.”
“The whole town is already talking about your return. What can Sunnyville Trust and Loan do for you?”
“I’d like to open an account and transfer my funds.”
“I can take care of that for you. Right this way.” He escorts me into his office.
“News travels fast.” I comment on the way as people continue to stare.
He chuckles. “Maxine called.”
An hour later, Lucifer and I are heading to Miner’s Airfield to see Grayson. After my parents passed, Aunt Betsy made sure her three boys were always around, so I didn’t feel totally alone. Of course, they turned spending time with me into a competition. But Grayson had the advantage. He had Luke.
When I pull up to Mercy-Life, he's standing outside, grinning from ear to ear, dressed in his flight suit with two helmets in his hand. The first words out of his mouth when I step out is, “Airborne in five?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely!” Opening the back door, Lucifer jumps out and heels instantly. “Let me grab his flight gear.”
He springs into the bed of the truck, sniffs through the bags, bites the one holding his gear, lifts it, and brings it to me. I unzip it and pull out his jump vest, goggles, and ear protection. “Yes, you're going.” I tell him, and his tail wags.
Walking back to Grayson, he starts prancing, excited to be doing something more than lounging around.
“I take it he likes to fly?”
“He likes to work, and since we have been transitioning out of the military, we haven’t been able to do much of anything but run. I’m looking forward to getting settled and getting us both back in shape.” I bend down and strap his gear on.
Grayson scratches his cheek, smirking. “Cuz, if you're out of shape …” He eyes me up and down, then says, “Do the Malone brothers a favor for old times’ sake? Don’t challenge us in front of the wives.”
I laugh. “Don’t poke the bear then.”
“Fair enough.”
On the way to the helicopter, he asks, “You settling down in Sunnyville?”
“Yeah, I have unfinished business here.”
“Her name wouldn’t happen to be Jorja Jones, would it?”
I grin. “It would.”
Chapter Two
Jorja
Grabbing my laptop satchel off the kitchen table, I take an extra second to settle the weight on my shoulder when I catch sight of Maxine’s car pulling into Mr. Finkel’s driveway.
Hmm, anyone in there with her? Nope, she's alone.
Hurrying out the front door, not wanting to get caught in a conversation that will make me late for work, I hear, “Good morning, Jorja.”
Glancing back with a smile but not slowing down, I give her a tiny wave and pull open the car door.
She calls across the yard. “I rented the house yesterday.”
I pause with one foot in and one foot out. “That's good to hear.” I toss my tote in the car and nearly lose my balance.
“You are going to love him.”
“That's nice to know.” I plop down in the seat.
She shoos me off. “I know you're in a hurry. You can thank me later.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to be late.” I close the door, crank the car, and as I turn to back out of the drive … did she say them or him?
When I step into Better Buzz for my ritual coffee and cake, it’s buzzing with activity, and the line is longer than usual. Good thing I came 30 minutes early.
Waiting for my turn, I strain to hear what the hype is all about. The couple in front of me is talking about where they want to go on vacation. Their voices drown out any actual words I might be able to hear otherwise.