Page 142 of Fly's Path

“Buying you time lost me my girlfriend.”

He chuckles as he pretends to push buttons and move cords around. It almost looks like he knows what he’s doing. “No, it didn’t. But she did almost lose her mind that night.”

What does he mean? “There’s no way she’ll forgive me unless I tell her.”

“So tell her.”

The bottle slips out of my fingers, clattering to the bar loudly. “What?”

“I said, tell her.”

“But you said…she could be a plant. That we couldn’t trust her.”

“I also said we needed to do some research into her. Which I did.”

That means…she’s cleared…but…“How? You wouldn’t trust a random stranger with the lives of Torque and Ryot if she was just some random person off the street.”

“She is off the street.”

What does that mean? Why does Fly spend half his time speaking in riddles?

“Lola came from Willow Street…I won’t tell you her story. You’ll need to talk to her about that, but yeah, you can trust her not to sell us out. Which means you have an ally here as well as a possible girlfriend.”

I can tell her the truth. “I can tell her. This isn’t some joke? I can tell her?”

“Brother, you know I don’t play games like that. Especially with a woman who might end up being your old lady.”

A grin spreads across my face…my old lady. “I like the sound of that.”

“Can’t say I’ve been hating the sound of those three words myself lately. You’re all done. We’re watching you. Be smart.” He clicks a button on the tool and places it back in his bag. “Your sound system seems to be working fine now.”

Fly walks over to the bar. It’s hard to believe that’s him…“Thanks for the drink.” He shoots it. Placing the cup down with a wink, he walks out just like he came in.

My mind reels with hope for the future.

I need to go tell her.

I need to wrap my arms around her and reassure myself that everything is going to be all right.

But first I need to shower…and have six cups of coffee to hopefully sober up. There’s no way she wants me coming to her door half drunk in yesterday’s clothes.

Let’s Run

Sheridan

“There you are, Sheridan.” Viola’s waiting on the steps as I walk up. “We don’t have long, and I had an idea.”

Why does that scare me? “Morning. I hope you don’t mind that I brought a bag. I had an idea that might help Gabe.”

“Not at all. Come on in. Have you eaten? My boys are all in the kitchen eating like I never feed them, as boys will do regardless of their age.” Viola rushes through the house.

The fondness in her voice is what gets me. Even though I know in my head that my family was the oddity, it’s hard to believe that someone cares that much for a relative.

She wasn’t kidding. The island is quite literally covered in men.

“Boys, meet my friend, Sheridan,” Viola announces. “I think you’ve met everyone here except Tadhg—He’s been traveling for business. He works too hard—and my daughter, Bonnie.”

Bonnie looks nothing like Viola. “Nice to meet you.” Her fingers trail across Antonio’s back as she walks over. “Viola said you were going with her to visit our Gabe.”