ALWAYS (A Wolfe Brothers Novel) (5 page)

“
I can smell it an ocean
away. Who’s getting them for you?”

“
I don’t
remember.”

Cam stepped from the shadows and walked
toward the kitchen.

“
I need to talk to you,”
Jags said.

Cam groaned.

“
I know,” Jags said. “I
used the four-letter word you hate so much.”

Cam leaned against the counter, a
bottle of beer in his hand. “It’s only 12:15 so you’re not here to
go out drinking. You must’ve had another vision. I’m not
interested. I don’t care if you saw the President of United States
being eaten alive by giant beetles.” He took an angry swig of his
beer.

“
The first time I touched
Maggie I had a vision of you and her at Critters. You had a man
pinned to the wall. And you were pissed as hell.”

“
You hardly ever tell me
about your visions. Why now?”

“
I also saw Maggie hiking
with a little girl. They get hurt real bad. I want you to take her
hiking and teach her the basics.”

Cam took another swig. “What for? The
future can’t be changed. You said so yourself.”

“
There’s more to this than
you know. Just trust me.”

“
Why don’t you take her
hiking?”

“
Because I don’t think
Lori would appreciate it,” Jags said.

“
You’ve been dating for a
week. Give me a break.”

His brother dated a lot of women but
never got serious with any of them, as to why, Cam had no clue.
Jags was sensitive and kind and Cam was sure he’d make some woman
very happy. Why hadn’t Jags let himself get close to any of the
many women he dated? At least he wasn’t like his other brother
Ajay, who would donate a kidney if it meant he’d get
laid.

“
This screams setup,” Cam
said.

“
She did help
you.”

“
Help me?”

A slow smile formed on Jags’ face. “Any
news on the rezoning quest?”

“
My lawyer called
yesterday. My petition finally went through.” Cam smirked. “But
something tells me you already knew that.”

Jags opened the refrigerator and
grabbed a beer. He plunked down at the table, popped the cap and
sipped his beer. “Maggie’s father is Mayor Stewart. I told her
about my vision and that if she’d talk to her father on your
behalf, you’d teach her to hike.”

A burst of heat swept over Cam’s body.
Sweat bubbled on his forehead. His hands trembled. He forced back
the rage and growled, “Why did you do that when you know I can’t
leave Gramps alone?”

Jags popped from his chair and leaned
against the counter beside Cam. Shoving an elbow into Cam’s side,
he said, “Take Maggie hiking. A couple of days doing something you
love to do anyway. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“
Do I really have to
answer that? What about my waking nightmares?”

“
Separate tents,” Jags
said.

Gramps, Ajay, Dad and he were pawns
Jags used to contort life to his musings. Cam would die for Jags
without a second’s pause, but his tireless pursuit to mold Cam’s
life was positively fucking frustrating.

“
Listen,” Jags said.
“Write down everything I need to know about Gramps. I promise I’ll
follow your instructions to the letter. If it’ll make you feel
better, I’ll ask Dad to help out.”

Cam couldn’t remember the last time he
hadn’t succumbed to Jags’ whims. For whatever reason, he just
couldn’t say no to him, but he took comfort in knowing most people
had the same affliction when confronted with his unwavering
tactics.

“
I don’t want you
bothering Dad.” Cam’s knuckles curved under his chin. “I’ll think
about it.”

“
Okay.”

“
That’s code for I’ll come
back to haunt you if you don’t do it.”

“
Save us both the time and
just do it.” Jags opened a drawer, fished out a pen and wrote on
Cam’s forearm. “That’s her cell number.”

Cam turned. With his hands braced on
either side of the stainless steel sink, he hung his head. “I hate
you.” He spoke the words even and slow.

“
I love you.” Jags clapped
Cam on the back. “Brothers.”

Cam groaned. “Fuck off.”

# # #

Cam emptied the dryer, folded the
clothes and put them away. After playing poker all afternoon with
Gramps, he made a peanut butter and banana sandwich and set it on
the tray.

His cell phone rang. “Yup.”

“
Cam?”

“
Yup. Who’s
this?”

“
Maggie. We met last
weekend. You remember? The day you tried to shoot your head
off.”

He scowled at the phone and brought it
back to his ear. “How the hell did you get this number?”

“
Jags,” Maggie said. “He
said he had a vision of me getting hurt and I should learn to hike
and that you would teach me.”

Cam rolled his head and
cracked his neck. His stomach churned. Heat coursed through his
body. Pain drummed behind his eyes, giving him the mother of all
migraines.” Jags was mistaken.”
Cam
grabbed a bottle of beer from the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
“Hello?”

“
I could have those
permits revoked.”

His hands, damp with perspiration,
shook as he popped the cap. “You bi—”

“
Don’t say it.”

Cam chugged his beer as he crossed the
room and sank onto the sofa. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate what
you did. I don’t know what Jags told you but I’m not an expert
hiker. You should hire somebody who is. And I can’t leave my
grandfather alone.”

“
You had no problem
leaving him alone last weekend. And that’s not the only reason I
want you to take me hiking. I thought maybe we could be
friends.”

For the first time in a long while, Cam
considered the possibility death might not be the only option.
Running his restaurant would be distracting and a good avenue to
vent some of his unwarranted and unreasonable anger.

But two obstacles stood in his path;
finding time in between caring for Gramps, and a hot saucy redhead
who wanted to be friends. Would she really revoke the permits if he
didn’t take her hiking? He threw an arm over his eyes. “Want to go
hiking?”

“
This weekend good for
you?” she asked.

Cam dragged his hand through his hair.
“Sixty percent chance of rain this weekend.”

“
I have tennis every
weekend,” Maggie said. “I already cleared my schedule.”

He covered his mouth with his fist.
“How many miles were you thinking?”

“
I don’t know. Something
we could do in two days. Start Friday. Get back Sunday.”

“
Have you ever been on an
overnight hike?”

“
No.”

“
The only restroom for
miles is a hole in the ground.” Cam waited. He waited some more.
“Hello?”

“
I’m okay with
that.”

“
Do you have hiking
boots?”

“
No.”

“
Buy some. Today. Wear
them as much as possible for the next three days. Sleep with them
on. If you get a blister halfway through, I’m not carrying your ass
the rest of the way. I will leave you wherever you
drop.”

“
Are you always this
charming? Or am I special?”

“
I’m not trying to be a
dick, but I am not friend material. I’m doing this as a thanks for
helping me and because I don’t want to see you get hurt while
hiking, but that’s as far as this goes. We will never be
friends.”

“
Sure BFF.”

“
Separate
tents.”

“
Got it.”

“
Come Sunday we’re even,”
Cam said. “I owe you nothing. I’m paid in full.”

“
What time on
Friday?”

“
Noon. What do you have
for supplies?”

“
A sleeping bag. I could
probably borrow a tent.”

Cam sighed. “Get a pen and paper. I’ll
wait.”

# # #

After work, Jags drove to Conroe’s
Flowers & More florist shop. Approaching the counter, he
stretched out his hand. “Good afternoon, Charlie.”

The elderly man rocked back on his
heels and they shook. His yellow crooked teeth showcased a genuine
smile. “Mr.—.”

“
Damn it. Call me
Jags.”

“
Jags. I’ve your order
right here.” Charlie pulled a bouquet of flowers from under the
counter, seven black and seven white roses.

“
Sure appreciate it.” Jags
took the flowers. “Charge it to my account.”

Charlie waved. “See you next
Tuesday.”

Jags laid the roses across his lap. He
shifted to drive and drove to Oak Creek Cemetery. Upon arriving, he
climbed out of the truck and strolled through the sea of
headstones.

When he found Keith Hammond’s grave, he
knelt on one knee and bowed his head. “I beg your forgiveness. I
will carry the injustice until my heart stops beating.”

After laying the fresh roses down, he
grabbed the wilted flowers he’d left last Tuesday, stood and walked
to the woods edge. He came upon a shallow hole on the edge of the
woods. Dropping to his knees, he pulled a lighter from his pocket
and lit the wilted flowers on fire. “I beg your forgiveness. I will
carry the injustice until my heart stops beating.”

The ashes grew cold before he climbed
to his feet and strode back to his truck. He folded his arms over
his head and leaned against the driver’s door, his forehead pressed
against his forearm.

“
God help me.”

Chapter Six

Cam had tossed and turned all night,
dreading the idea of leaving Gramps’ care to his irresponsible
brother. He slid his phone from his pocket and checked the time.
Jags was forty minutes late, not surprising. Maggie hadn’t arrived
yet and for some reason that hadn’t surprised him
either.

Cam heard a knock and
cursed under his breath. Whipping the door open, he said, “About
friggin’—”
He
could overlook the green T-shirt with ‘Princess’ spelled out
in silver glitter, but her green beaded necklace and emerald loop
earrings warranted a significant smirk.

Maggie’s red hair draped over her
shoulders. Soft curls framed her beautiful face. Her full lips
formed a sexy smile and he grew erect. Three days alone in the
woods with her. Why the hell had he agreed to this?

Vow of celibacy.
The thought slammed into his consciousness like a
wet rag. “Dammit.”

“
Something wrong?” she
asked.

“
I’m gonna be a minute.”
He walked to the bookcase behind Gramps’ recliner, propped a booted
foot behind and crossed his arms over his chest. “Jags isn’t here
yet.”

She followed him inside. Her gaze
settled on Gramps. “Are you going to introduce us?”

“
He won’t remember you
five minutes from now.”

“
Introduce us
anyway.”

Cam stretched out his hand, his
expression one of boredom. “Gramps, this is Maggie.”

“
Did you bring me any
cigarettes?”

Cam said, “You don’t fuckin’
smoke.”

“
I don’t?”

“
We both know you’ve been
smoking. Where did you get the cigarettes from?”

“
I don’t
remember.”

Jags rushed through the front door. He
wore an Affliction-Brandon red shirt, mid-rise maroon sneakers and
a silver hoop earring in each of his ear lobes. “Hey sweetness.” He
hugged Maggie and crouched beside Gramps.

“
Did you bring me any
cigarettes?”

Jags sighed. “You quit smoking. Don’t
you remember?”

“
I did?”

Jags glanced up at Cam. “One of these
days we’re going to figure out who’s getting him the
cigarettes.”

Cam nodded. “And then beat
the piss out of ‘em.”
He
pulled a tray stand in front of Gramps and set a
sandwich on top.

Gramps said, “I don’t like peanut
butter and banana sandwiches.”

“
You love ‘em.”

Gramps shoved the plate away. “Get this
horse manure away from me.”

Cam slid the plate back. “Take a bite.
You’ll see.”

Maggie walked into the kitchen. “I’ll
make him a sandwich. What kind does he like?”

He stormed after her, infuriated she
had the nerve to butt her nose where it didn’t belong. As if she
would know more than he, what Gramps liked or needed.

“
I can take care of it
myself,” Cam growled. “And he likes peanut butter and banana
sandwiches.”

Maggie opened the pantry and scanned
the shelves. “It would seem he doesn’t.”

“
Mind your own damn
business.”

Maggie closed the cabinet and walked to
the living room. She grasped Gramps’ bony hand, kissed him on the
cheek and nipped at the sandwich, gagging as she
swallowed.