Page 47 of The Only Seconds that Matter
“Mike called her?”
“Immediately after he left, I’m guessin’.Man can’t take a punch without squealin’ about it.”
“So what’d you tell her?”
“I told her Taylor was gonna be here until she could come get her herself.She didn’t take kindly to it, but…” Johnny shrugged.“It is what it is.”
“When’s she going to be by to pick Taylor up then?”
“She don’t get off until eleven tonight.”
Victor let out a slow breath.“Great.Perfect.”
“I’ll stay here ‘til she shows up.”
“Don’t you have work today?”
“I called off the minute you wanted to talk to me about Taylor.”
“I still don’t know why she can’t just go home with you.”
“She’s happiest here.Trust me.”Johnny winced when he touched his nose, then slid off the driver’s seat and stood.He reached into his truck to grab his hat, and Victor couldn’t help but notice he’d put the gun in the front seat as well.So much for securing your weapons safely.The man liked to live dangerously.
“I can’t believe you pointed a shotgun at someone,” Victor muttered, and Johnny laughed.
“Yeah, you see the look on his face?Think he nearly pissed himself.”Johnny smirked.“The gun ain’t even loaded.”
“It’s not funny.”Victor frowned.“Threatening someone’s life can get you thrown in jail.”
Johnny shrugged.“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Do you ever think ahead more than fifteen seconds?”
Johnny laughed again.“Where’s the fun in that?”
Victor shook his head and sighed, then gestured toward the house.“I need you to babysit Taylor.I still have work to do.”
* * *
Taylor’s mood had somewhat recovered by dinner time.Victor hadn’t planned on guests, but he had enough food around to make some macaroni and cheese that Taylor wolfed down like a starved animal.Afterward, she fell asleep on the couch watching a Disney film, the dogs curled up next to her.Victor found Johnny on the porch afterward, smoking a cigarette.
“I didn’t know you smoked.”
“Don’t normally.Sometimes a man needs a smoke though.”Johnny shifted, silently offering Victor a spot on the bench beside him.
Victor sat, looking out across the dark of night.There wasn’t that much traffic this time of day, so it was just the late summer wind and crickets to keep them company.
“Want any?”Johnny asked, holding out the cigarette.Victor pushed it away with a wrinkled nose, and Johnny laughed.
“Figured you were too much of a square.”Smiling around the cigarette, Johnny took another sip before blowing smoke out the opposite side of his mouth.They sat in silence a while, as Victor didn’t deign the square comment worthy of a response.Maybe he was a square, but he was healthy and no one had ever pulled a gun on him.
“Shame you don’t have kids,” Johnny muttered, flicking the cigarette off the porch when he was done sucking on it.“You’re real good with Taylor.”
Victor shrugged.“I wanted them when I was younger.Now it seems less of a possibility.”
“Can’t be that hard to find someone.My sister’s been lettin’ shitty men knock her up for years, and they are all half the man you are.”
“I may have higher standards than your sister.”
