Chapter Sixty

This is the life, Colton thought to himself as he sipped lemonade while sitting on his back porch. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, and there was a breeze that kept it from being too hot.

Between sips he would toss a tennis ball to the end of his yard so Pudge could chase after it like it was the first time they were playing this game rather than the thousandth.

Colton smiled. The best part was the woman sitting next to him. He’d talked her into taking a break from the computer to relax. When he wasn’t throwing the ball for the dog, his hand rested happily in hers.

Ever since she’d mentioned how she might want a normal life, he’d been thinking about it. Imagining how it would be.

Wanting it.

Of course, in his fantasies they wouldn’t have two Glocks sitting on the small table between their chairs. For now, this was how it had to be. Always on alert and ready for anything.

But maybe one day, they would be watching Pudge play with a small child, and the only thing on the table would be the bouquet of flowers they’d picked together that morning.

He let out a breath at the thought just as Pudge started barking. His ball was stuck under the small shed at the end of the property.

Bark, bark meant come and free my best friend.

With a sigh of annoyance, Colton stood to make the voyage. He’d only taken a few steps off the porch when the gate at the side yard opened.

Before he could identify the visitor, Angel’s reflexes kicked in and her gun was up and cocked on the boy.

“Holy shit!” Kenny put both hands in the air as Colton took a step closer, holding his hands up in a stand-down motion.

“What’s going on?” Colton asked the neighbor kid, giving Angel an are-you-serious? look as she put the gun down and tried to act normal.

The kid glanced between them nervously. “I just wanted to ask you about shooting the gun. You said to give you a few weeks, but you never called.”

Colton’s shoulders notched down. “Jeez, kid. Why don’t you ring the doorbell like a normal person?”

Kenny’s wide eyes were still glued to the gun by Angel’s side, even though it was no longer pointed at him. “I thought if I rang the doorbell you wouldn’t answer. I figured you’d pretend you weren’t home.”

That was exactly what he would have done. Damn it.

Kenny spared a glance for Colton, but then went right back to staring at Angel. Colton wasn’t sure if it was because the boy recognized her, or because she was wearing short shorts and a tank top and Kenny was seventeen.

Pudge came up to investigate, and Kenny petted the dog. “Thanks for not having him attack me this time.”

“He didn’t attack you last time. Trust me. He can do far worse than hold you down.” Just ask Dane about the four holes in his leg.

Angel still hadn’t moved or said anything. It looked as if she wasn’t sure how to handle the situation. He didn’t blame her. He wasn’t quite sure what to do, either.

“Look. Now’s not the best time. Give me a few more weeks,” Colton said.

Kenny shook his head and held out his cell phone. “Nuh-uh. I know how this works. My mom does it to me all the time. Later never comes.”

“I promise, I really will call your mother to set something up, but as you can see, I have a guest.”

“And your guest could probably show me how to shoot as well as you can.” He nodded toward the gun in Angel’s grip.

Despite it hanging by her side, she was still holding it as though that was a totally natural thing to do.

“I need to do this.” Kenny looked back at Colton, and for once he didn’t look like a goofy kid. He looked like a man. “I need to see if I’m any good at it before I fill out an application for the police academy. If this is just one more thing I can’t do right, then I need to know before I sign up.”

Colton brushed a hand over his hair. He really wanted to help his student, but—

“Either you call my mother to set it up, or I’ll call the police and tell them you’re shacked up with The Mantis.”

“Shit,” Colton whispered with a grimace. It seemed he’d drastically underestimated the kid. “I really wish you hadn’t called her that.”