Page 127 of Only for Love
CHAPTER FIFTY
Grayson
I tap the pen on my list, sitting at the coffee shop where I’ve been making notes about where to look for jobs. I’ve had a few offers come my way, one of which I will eventually accept. Summerland doesn’t have many opportunities for men like me. I let out a deep breath and tap the pen again. I could do security on Emma’s campus. Ryan said he could pull some strings and get me a job with the county. I’ve been asked to teach self-defense at the local gym, though I’m not at all qualified for that. Going to war and being a built guy doesn’t mean I know the moves to keep a woman safe from a bad situation—though Emma said the job offer had nothing to do with me knowing anything about teaching self-defense. I roll my eyes and tap on the paper again.
A footstep behind me catches me off guard. I turn and blink, slowly standing from my chair to meet Delta team’s Brock Gamble.
My head tilts. “Hey, how goes it?” I don’t have time to rehash what went wrong on the Emerald’s op a few weeks ago, but I knew it was only a matter of time before they wanted their belongings back. I stopped using their phone when I got my own, but damn, I’m going to miss that truck.
Brock nods. “It goes.”
“Good.” What does this guy want?
“Was trying to get a hold of you. But the phone’s turned off.”
I shrug. “It wasn’t my phone. I needed to drop it to Parker but didn’t have the chance.” Or rather, I didn’t make time, not wanting an awkward conversation like this.
“That so?” He shifts, his boots scraping across the tile.
“Parker could’ve pulled my new number.”
Brock’s narrow gaze is cold. “I have no doubt he could.”
This conversation blows. Not only is it awkward, but I also don’t want it in a damn coffee shop where the Summerland County rumor mills will churn. Word will get back to Emma, who will stress about money.
I reach into my back pocket to grab the truck’s key and loft it to Brock. “Suppose you’re here for that.”
Brock catches the key but stays quiet.
“I fucked the Emerald’s job. Lost the Titan opportunity. I get it.”And seriously, dude, just leave.
“Not exactly.” He tosses the key back.
I catch it but don’t drop my hand. Not trusting the situation, not seeing his point of view, I’m wary and tired of wishing the Emerald’s job had gone a different way. Working on a black-ops team based near my family? A job like that is impossible not to wish for, but I’m realistic enough to know it’s not going to happen.
Hell, the job doesn’t matter. I’ll flip burgers to make Emma happy… even though I hated putting that on the list of job possibilities.
“Sit down, Ford.” Brock drops into the opposite seat. He rolls up his sleeves, showing off his ink. “Sit already. Jesus Christ.”
So I sit. Crossing my arms, I’m unsure of what he wants. “What’s up?”
Brock leans forward, placing his elbows on the table. “I heard the audio playback of you trying to save your dying team.”
A boulder lodges into my throat. “Alright.”
“I heard you go try your damnedest out there.”
My chest feels tight. “Tried. Did not succeed.”
“Son, shit like that happens. Short of hell’s angels showing up and letting you off the battlefield, you can’t survive. You weren’t supposed to make it. No one on that team should be alive. You understand that?”
“Seems like some better men should’ve had my place.”
He tilts his head. “The fact that you think that… confirms this conversation.”
“What conversation?”
“Anyone who handled their shit like you did in Kirkuk deserves a place on my team.”
