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.”
