ALWAYS (A Wolfe Brothers Novel) (4 page)

“
Ajay?”

“
Nope.”

Gasping, Gramps covered his mouth.
“Jags!” He opened his arms and they embraced.

Cam entered the kitchen. Jags
followed.

Cam leaned against the counter and
crossed his ankles and arms. “Why are you back?”

Jags opened the refrigerator and
grabbed a beer. He set the bottle on the table and straddled a
chair backwards.

Cam downed his beer. “So it’s six.
What’re you doing here?”

Jags lifted his bottle and nodded.
“Cheers.” He sipped his beer.

A quiet knock resounded.

The chair scraped on the tile floor as
Jags jumped to his feet. He jogged through the dimly-lit living
room and opened the front door. “Tilly.”

“
Hello.” She slid a folder
from under her arm. “I brought references.”

Jags waved the folder away. He swept
his arm across his chest, stepped aside and bowed. “Come
in.”

“
Thank you.”

Jags guided her into the kitchen. “Cam.
I believe you know Tilly. She’s a nurse.” Jags sported a wide
grin.

Cam narrowed his eyes at
Jags.

Tilly sat on one of the rusted metal
chairs surrounding the card table. She flipped open the folder. “I
have references.” She fanned the sheets across the
table.

Cam didn’t much like all that voodoo
crap, but on the rare occasion, it did have its advantages. Jags’
empathic abilities trumped any reference she could produce. If Jags
trusted her, so would he.

Tilly said, “From what
Jags told me about Gramps I think he and I will get along quite
well. I just happen to love
Chances
Are
.”

Jags said, “She’ll come every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday.”

Cam grimaced. “On whose
dime?”

“
Mine” Jags said. “She’s
going to sit with him, make sure he doesn’t burn down the house and
anything else you need. You just have to let her know. She’ll be
here from six to eight. And what do you know? Today’s Wednesday.”
He looked at his watch. “And it’s 5:57.”

Cam jumped from his chair. He grabbed
Jags by the scruff of his shirt and held him against the wall.
“Swear to me you can afford this.”

Jags brushed his hand away and clapped
Cam on the shoulder. “I swear. Now let’s go get drunk.” Jags
gripped Tilly’s hand. “Where’s my manners? Nice to see you
again.”

When she tugged from his grasp and
failed, Cam bopped Jags on the head. “Do you have to do that to
everybody?”

Jags let go of her hand and stepped
backwards. Tears streamed down his cheeks. Curling his fingers in
front of his lips, he bit into his knuckle. “Please God,
no.”

Tilly frowned. “What did you
see?”

Jags shook his head. More tears fell.
“I’m so sorry.”

Tilly tucked a lock of her short blond
hair behind her ear. “I can handle it. Tell me.”

Jags shook his head.

She grimaced. “Does something terrible
happen to me or Nate?”

Jags shook his head. Red, swollen eyes
narrowed on her.

“
The triplets?”

“
Who're the triplets?” Cam
asked.

“
Nate’s younger brothers.”
Tilly said without taking her eyes off Jags. “Does something happen
to the triplets?”

Jags shook his head.

“
Nate’s
sister?”

Jags shook his head.

“
My sister, my parents,
Nate’s parents.” With a frustrated groan she gripped his arms and
shook him. “Tell me, dammit!”

“
I won’t.”

Tilly took a deep breath. When she
glanced toward Cam he offered her a small smile. He felt for her
but Cam was used to Jags’ stubbornness. Jags rarely revealed what
he saw in his visions and nobody knew why; just the way he’d always
been.

“
We’ll go have a beer,”
Cam said.

Nodding, Jags lifted his T-shirt and
wiped his tears.

Cam tilted his head toward the living
room. “Have a seat, Tilly. Got some things to go over with
you.”

With a forced smile she followed Cam
and sat on the faded blue sofa. From the end table, he picked up
the notebook where he’d jotted down Gramps’ quirks and how to deal
with them. He also listed Gramps’ medications, when and how much to
administer and possible side effects.

Halfway through the notes, Cam noticed
Jags peering through the curtain of the living room window then
glance at his watch. He’d grown impatient but Cam didn’t give a
shit.

Jags probably thought he was
overprotective when it came to Gramps and maybe he was but he had
no plans on changing.

Two steps down the walkway, Jags turned
and went back to the house. He cracked the door. “The vision had
nothing to do with any of your or Nate’s living relatives. I’m
sorry I can’t tell you more but does knowing that much make you
feel better?”

She gave him a small smile. “I suppose
so.”

“
The future cannot be
changed. Worrying about it will only waste energy and
time.”

“
I understand but it’ll be
hard not to think about it.”

“
Can you at least promise
you’ll try?”

She grimaced. “Sure thing.”

Chapter Five

Two nights ago, Maggie had woken from a
nightmare, a gory visual of a bullet exploding through Cam’s head.
She had sat up and wrapped her arms round her waist, desperate to
rid her body of a tortuous chill. Her body, slick with sweat, had
shivered from the cold consuming her. Even her teeth
chattered.

Fourteen years ago, her uncle had
killed himself and her father still mourned the loss. She didn’t
know Jags or Cam well, but if she could spare another family the
grief her family still suffered, she’d do almost
anything.

After her vivid nightmare, Maggie
talked to Tilly and found out she could help Cam in two ways. For
the first, she’d need her father’s help. The second required
seduction, an art she’d mastered long ago.

Maggie entered the spacious home
office. A rectangular maroon rug covered most of the walnut
laminate flooring. On the wall behind the desk hung a portrait of
their family dog, Jimmy, the sweetest cocker spaniel ever born on
this planet. He died last year of old age. His custom-made dog
house remained by the back door under the overhang.

“
Daddy?” She circled the
mahogany desk, her fingertips gliding along the dark
wood.

“
Uh oh.” He pushed from
his desk and swiveled toward her. “You only call me Daddy when you
need something or you’re in trouble. Which is it?”

She walked behind the distinguished
gray-haired man and dropped into an oversized leather seat opposite
her father. “Busted.”

He rolled his chair back to the desk.
“Spit it out.”

“
You know the old Copper
Creek place?”

“
The abandoned restaurant
off Highway 105?”

“
I need it
rezoned.”

“
Why?” he
asked.

“
The person who bought it
can’t get the permits needed for repairs because it’s zoned as a
historical building.”

He palmed his forehead. “I miss the
days when all you asked for was money.”

Maggie rolled her eyes. “Can you do it
or not?”

He clasped his hands on top of the
desk, a silver thick ring on each hand, one high school, one
college. “Tell me about this friend.”

“
What do you want to
know?”

“
For starters, his
name.”

She frowned. “Why do you assume my
friend’s a man?”

He gave her a sidelong look.

“
Fine.” Maggie sighed.
“It’s a man.”

“
Now that we’ve
established the gender of said person, how about a name?” He slid a
narrow drawer open and retrieved a black marbled notebook and
matching pen. He fanned the pages and tore out a clean sheet. Pen
in hand, he said, “Name.”

She gasped. “Shit.”

He scribbled ‘Shit’ and
peered at her. “Does
Shit
have a last name?”

“
That’s the problem.” She
groaned. “I forgot to ask Jags what his last name was.”

Rocking back in the executive chair, he
dropped the pen. “Not exactly what a father likes to hear from his
daughter.”

She didn’t have the best reputation in
town, and until now, hadn’t realized her father knew it
too.

“
And what the heck is a
Jags?” he asked

“
He’s Cam’s stepbrother,
the one who needs Copper Creek rezoned.”

“
And this Cam is?” He
arched his brows.

“
A friend.”

His brows furrowed. “Is he
gay?”

“
No.” She clucked her
tongue. “I barely know him. He’s a friend of a friend.”

“
Let me get this straight.
You want me to rezone said property for a man who is a friend of a
friend?”

“
Can you help or
not?”

“
Under one condition.”
Pointing a finger, he said, “Get a job.”

“
Not this
again.”

“
You can’t live off me the
rest of your life. You’re twenty-four. It’s time to grow up. Do we
have a deal or not?”

Glancing down, she noticed the leather
band on one of her green sandals had a tear. She’d have to go to
the mall today and get a new pair. Hopefully, they still carried
this style.

“
Yeah, deal,” she said,
her focus still on her sandal.

“
I want proof that you’ve
sent your resume out. That means if you get a letter from a company
regarding your resume, good or bad, I want to see it.”

“
Okay.” She looked up and
absorbed the disappointment painted in her father’s eyes. “So
you’ll help Cam.”

He swiveled toward his monitor. “Only
because the place is an eyesore and I’d like to see it
restored.”

Maggie skipped around the desk and from
behind hugged him. “Thank you, Daddy. Thank you.”

“
I’m not making any
promises.” His words blurred against her arm.

“
One more
thing.”

He swiveled toward her. “How
much?”

“
A thousand should do
it.”

He turned back to his keyboard. “I’ll
have it wired this afternoon.”

She kissed him on the cheek and quietly
stepped toward the hallway. Pausing in the threshold, she said,
“You’re the best.”

He waved her on. “Yeah. Yeah. Don’t get
all mushy on me.”

She hid a smile. “Wouldn’t dream of
it.”

# # #

From the portable dispenser, Rane
poured himself a cup of water and sat in the same seat as
yesterday. The same people filled the room. Jewel wasn’t late but
was still one of the last to arrive.

Her red short-sleeve sweater cut low
across her chest. Her black skirt stopped just above her knees and
hugged her round ass.

Brisket that had probably been boiled
in grease, mushy potato salad, wilted coleslaw, and stringy green
beans were brought in for lunch. Decadent chocolate cake smothered
in whipped chocolate frosting was offered for dessert.

Rane waited for everyone to pass
through the line before he approached the long table.

At the end of the day he rushed to his
car. Gripping the wheel, his knuckles white, he waited. When Jewel
exited the building, he started the engine. As she drove from the
parking lot, he shifted to drive.

My sweet, let’s go
home.

# # #

Cam stood in the corner of the dark
living room, hiding in the shadows.

Jags burst through the front door. “Hey
Gramps.” His almond carpenter pants hung loose.

Damn!
Cam silently vowed to put some weight on that boy.

On the front of Jags’
shirt a large eye winked and above was written
I’m not wearing any undies.
A silver
loop earring dangled in one ear and a silver stud in the
other.

Jags kissed Gramps on the top of his
head. “Where’s Cam?”

“
Who’s Cam?” Strings of
gray resembling guitar strings crossed over Gramps’
head.

“
The miserable SOB who
makes you the to-die-for smoothies.”

“
Oh, Cam.” Gramps frowned.
“Who are you?”

He kissed the top of Gramps head again.
“Someone who loves you.”

“
Jags!”

“
Gramps!” They
hugged.

“
Did you bring me any
cigarettes?” Gramps asked.

“
You don’t
smoke.”

“
I don’t?”

“
No. But you’ve been
smoking, haven’t you?”

Gramps sighed. “What gave me
away?”