Page 76 of No Hope of Rescue

I’m just getting ready to raid her fridge and finally take a shower when there’s a rap at the door.

It’s Ross.

“Cute place,” he says, stepping inside. His arm is in a sling. The other holds a takeout bag.

“You got Thai?”

“This is a fucking act of love, bro,” he says, setting the bag on the table. “I had to drive to Morrison and then sit in the car and smell it all the way here.”

“How’s your arm?”

“Going to be laid up for a bit. Nothing bad. No PT.”

I nod, setting plates on the table.

“I stopped at your mom’s place. They told me you two were here.”

I knew he had stopped by. He and Mom had a back-and-forth about him wearing his sling. He’d kept trying to take it off while visiting with her and Codie. After he left to come here, she’d texted me her wish that he wear it. Period.

“Codie was dressed and making dinner. She said you’re taking her to a dance in April?”

I nod. “Spring Carnival.”

“You’re her date? She seems like she’d have boys all over her. I mean, in a good way.”

“How is any of that good?” I grin. “But I get what you mean.”

“She seems quite the catch—smart, pretty, mature.”

“Boys her age, well, you know. You were one.”

He nods. “Not really mature.”

“Exactly. I think she intimidates them. I always go as her date. Beer?”

He nods again and cracks open the frosty can after I hand it to him.

“Listen,” I start. “What you did today was above the call of duty. I don’t know how I can ever thank you enough. You put yourself at risk for us and my family. And—”

“And you would have done the same for me.” He takes a swallow. “There is one thing you can do.”

Too busy to look up from piling heaps of glass noodles, beef, and veggies onto plates, I can only glance quickly at him. “What?”

“Let me buy the company that helicopter.”

I stop for a moment. “I can’t.”

“Riley said you guys didn’t win the grant.”

“True, but—”

“So how are you going to compete?”

I shake my head. “I just can’t let you do that.”

“There’s a second part to this,” he says, straddling a chair. “I want to work for you.”

“You don’t have to work, though. That’s the thing.”