Chapter 15
Devon left just as the sun was falling low in the sky, casting a golden glow over everything, even the dilapidated, but remarkably sparse greenhouse site.
With Sophie’s blessing, the listing had been temporarily withdrawn, she explained. Then she sneaked off to leave without saying goodbye. Nick knew he was part of the reason she’d pulled away from all of them, so he caught her just before she left.
“Devon, you still sore?”
“Shouldn’t I be?”
“I think we should talk about it.”
“Yeah, whatever it is,” she said sarcastically.
“I still think we should talk.”
“Well, I’ve got dinner to go to and you have all your buddies arriving at any moment, so we’ll both be busy.”
“Are you coming back here tonight?” he asked. He wished she’d asked him to accompany her.
“Does it make a difference?” Her eyes were cold. He’d been hoping keeping his distance would soften her stiffness, but he could see it hadn’t.
“Yes. It makes a difference. I want to talk to you.”
“Fine. I’ll be back here around nine or so. Will that fit into your schedule?”
“Don’t do this, Devon,” he begged.
“I’m slowing things down, just like you wanted.”
“Right.” He stepped back and waved to her. “Have a good time, then. See you later. And please be safe.”
He watched the Lexus as a cloud of dust trailed behind it all the way to Bennett Valley Road, and then disappeared into the early evening. Part of him wanted to go follow her. He hoped she’d be safe.
It hadn’t been more than a few minutes when the boys from Coronado showed up. They’d managed to drive straight through. They were hot and dusty from the long trip, and Nick was glad Devon wasn’t around for the room full of eau de armpit. She’d been so quiet and into herself that no one, not even Sophie, had been able to engage her in conversation. He wondered how she’d handle the crowd when she got back.
The parking lot looked like a Hummer Road Rally. Kyle’s black one was pulled in right next to Nick’s. There were two others, plus Fredo’s beater, which was the only vehicle that looked like it belonged at the nursery.
Sophie eyed the beater with lust. “Now we’re talking. This is a truck you can actually use for work.”
His LPO shook Sophie’s hand and stepped aside, waiting for the rest of the team to do the same. Cooper’s six foot four frame towered over her, but his gentle voice told her he was the fixit man.
“Sophie, Cooper was born under a tractor. He sleeps with parts,” Nick informed her.“But I like my wife’s parts way better,” Coop said. He got some catcalls and punches in the arm for that remark.
Fredo stepped forward, “Yeah, some of those parts is toys too.” He grinned and greeted her. “I’m Fredo.”
“Sophie, this here is Malcolm, we got Rory here, Ty, Armando and Grady.”
“Geez,” Sophie said, “Is San Diego still safe when all you guys are up here?”
“Think the question is, are the ladies of Sonoma County safe with us here?” someone said.
The general mumble and laughter was just what Nick needed to feel around him. Things would finally be okay after all.
Pizza delivery was arranged and the group began to set up sleeping rolls around the living room of the house. Malcolm and Tyler took over the office. Sophie had a fire pit out back and a hot tub off the back deck, so several guys were soaking while others had pulled up black plastic five-gallon plant containers and wine barrel halves to sit on by the fire. Fredo was giving Cooper a hard time about the news his wife, Libby, was pregnant.
“I was wondering why it took you a whole six months to knock her up, man,” he said.
“I was practicing for the kill shot, Fredo. You know I had to practice.”
“Training is everything. Here’s to being perfect,” Malcolm Jones said and raised his long-necked beer to the stars. Those who could clinked glass on glass.
Sophie was resting against Marc’s chest in a lounge chair. Marc was without alcohol, but sipped on mineral water, like Coop, who never drank.
Nick went over plans for the next day, using the list he and Sophie had created. Within ten minutes all the assignments were delegated.
“So Nick, where’s your lady?” Fredo asked.
“She’s not my lady, you dickhead. She’s Sophie’s best friend.”
“So, where is she?” Cooper asked.
Marc piped up. “She’s at a company dinner.”
“She’s being given an award,” Sophie added.
“Really? That’s cool.” Fredo answered.
Soon the fire pit in the center of the backyard began to die down to orange embers, illuminating their faces like the pits on the beach in San Diego they frequented with their families on the beach. They’d brought several cases of beer and nearly all of them were gone already. Bottles littered the ground, but Nick knew they’d be stacked and stowed before the Team hit the sack.
“I appreciate all you guys coming to help out.” Nick said.
A series of grumbles and expletives littered the evening air. But there was no objection. A road trip was always something the guys looked forward to.
“Like I told Nick several times, I was willing to pay for a motel. You don’t have to hang out here.”
“Shit, Nick never told us that,” Kyle blurted out. There was multiple agreement. Sophie cast a panicked look to Nick who waved it off as a joke.
“No, Fredo here was the only one who wanted the motel, but he was outvoted,” he said.
Emma demanded Sophie go to bed, and came out with the wheelchair. Marc picked her up and carried her to the back bedroom. Emma followed behind huffily, pushing the empty, squeaking wheel chair and scraping it on the woodwork as she rounded the corner.
Several low whistles traveled through the crowd.
“Marc’s being a real hero. He know what he’s doing?” Kyle asked Nick with concern.
“I’m cool with it under the circumstances,” Nick answered. “Distraction can be a good thing for pain.”
That had a sobering effect on the group.
“So, Kyle, I was surprised Timmons let you all come up here together.”
“You complaining?”
“Not at all.”
“I have to check in with him tomorrow night. He doesn’t know Tyler and Malcolm came. I’ll let him know then.”
Marc returned and grabbed a beer, taking up a seat by the fire.
“Guess who else wanted to come?” Fredo said.
Nick stared back at him.
“Gunny and Sanouk,” Fredo answered. Former Gunnery Sergeant, “Gunny,” ran a no-frills rusty old gym the Team guys frequented in Coronado. He had recently been reunited with a son he had fathered in Thailand, the first he had ever met of any of his offspring littering the globe he had ever met. Gunny was known for doing the right thing and marrying the woman first before he’d have sex with them, and while he believed in marriage, he didn’t believe in divorce.
“Sam’s mother’s coming out and it’s got Gunny in several shades of panic. He’s even hired cleaners to polish up his gym,” Coop informed him.
“No shit. This must be serious,” said Nick.
“He’s got a little time to make it right. Gunny’s not doing well, Nick,” said Kyle.
“Sorry to hear that.”
An hour later, Nick heard Devon’s car pull up front and soon she walked through the back door, clutching a glass shard in her right hand. She was done up in the little black cocktail dress Nick remembered peeling off her the night before. He blushed as he looked at her delicate ankles and toes strapped up in the high-heels he vividly remembered slipping off her sexy feet. Her dark brown curls cascaded over her head held up with little crystal clips that sparkled in the moonlight. Nick could smell her perfume and wished he’d been allowed to accompany her. She was a goddess, a vision. His gut was filled with regret at how they’d left things earlier. And she was scoring major points with the guys.
Instantly, all the men rose to attention. It made Devon step back in a brief moment of panic.
“Wow. Easy there,” she said. Nick loved the nervous lilt to her voice when she was on new territory. “Should I be scared?”
“Devon this Kyle, my LPO—Lead Petty Officer, sort of our leader,” Nick said. He hoped he’d get a smile from her, but she remained cold.
Kyle stepped forward, extending his hand. “Only when we’re getting shot at and shit. Around women, they’re all on their own. Nice to meet you, Devon.”
“This is Cooper. He’s our medic,” Nick said.
“Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
“There’s that term again. What am I fifty years old?” Devon had gotten all prickly.
Nick knew her nerves were getting the better of her.
“You have a problem with your age, Dev?” Marc asked.
“Devon. It’s Devon.”
Several of the guys chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded. Nick was in a bit of pain, seeing the pit she was digging.
Kyle gave his silver-tongued version of the facts, which was something he was really good at. “Devon, it’s a term of respect. We call each other’s wives ma’am, their mothers, their sisters ma’am.”
“And we don’t talk to their daughters if we can help it.” Jones said.
That brought laughter again.
“Whatever,” Devon said as she cut off their laughter with a little nervous one of her own. “Please, don’t stand up for me. I’m not the queen here. Sophie is.”
The men sat. A somber tone had permeated the group. Nick knew they were all assessing, evaluating, checking their surroundings and looking for signs of something from each other.
The silence appeared to flummox Devon a bit.
“Well, I thank you for coming. Sophie and I, and—“ she glanced at Nick and Marc nervously, “are thrilled to see she has so much help.”
“You’re welcome,” was the answer, almost in unison.
“So, let’s see, I haven’t met you yet,” she walked over to Fredo, who stood.
“I’m Fredo, this here is Rory.”
“Dev—on. If this property doesn’t sell, Rory here is an expert at setting things on fire,” Marc volunteered.
“Excuse me? Why on earth would I want to have you burn down this property?”
Nick decided he had to explain. “Rory here had a few rocky teenage years in foster care, didn’t you, Rory?”
“F*ckin’ system—pardon me, ma’am,” Rory said as he nodded to Devon. “Every time I went to a new foster home I hated, I’d burn their garage down.”
Laughter bounced around the group again. Nick could see a scowl creeping over Devon’s pretty forehead.
“That’s illegal,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am. I was counting on the authorities to take me away. Juvenile Hall was way better than some of the foster families I had to stay with.”
“So I suppose you set things on fire now, is that right?”
“Damn straight. Courtesy of Uncle Sam.”
“He’s one of our explosives experts, Devon,” Nick added.
“Great,” she said. “Anything else I should be aware of about this crew of yours, Nick?”
“They’re an acquired taste,” he answered. Everyone laughed again.
Emma, the hospice nurse came barreling out onto the patio. “Please, you must stop this at once. You have awakened her.” Emma’s rotund body shook as she delivered her huffy proclamation. “I must ask you to leave.”
From inside the house, Nick could hear his sister’s voice, screaming, “Eeeemmmma! Get me the f*ck out of this bed!”
The SEALs laughed but Devon wasn’t in the mood.
“She needs to rest, guys. Come on, this isn’t like party time, here,” Devon said.
As the men started to clean up their bottles. Marc brought Sophie out to the patio in his arms. Emma followed behind with the wheelchair, and a disgusted look on her face.
“Hey Devon.”
Devon gave Sophie a kiss on her cheek after Marc deposited her on the lawn chair. “Glad you’re back. Can you get a load of these guys? You and I and all these hunky men? I’m going to die a happy woman.”
They paused at first, but since Marc and Nick were laughing, the rest of the team did s well. Devon remained icy, with her arms crossed over her chest.
“I seriously wish I could entertain you, but I just can’t. I do appreciate the help.”
“No problem. We do this all the time. Help out,” Kyle said.
“Marc, sit with me for a bit,” she asked.
Emma left the wheelchair and stormed back into the house.
Devon sat down next to Sophie on the lounge before Marc could get there. “You like that woman?” she asked. “She’s mean.”
“Nonsense, Devon.”
“Well, Sophie, I’m picking up that Emma doesn’t want you to stay up too late, so, if you don’t mind.” Kyle began as he stood. The other team members stood as well.
“No. Don’t go. I have something I want to say to all of you, now that Devon is back,” Sophie started. “Sit!”
Immediately everyone sat back down.
“I want to thank all of you for protecting my little brother here. And for supporting him with your presence here tonight. It means a lot to him, and it means a lot to me.”
“No problem.”
“One other thing,” Sophie continued. “I want to thank you for taking my brother and turning him into a man. For making him the fine man he is today.”
“Sophie, he’s been there for us, too,” Armando said. “We’re family, and family comes first.”
Sophie was letting tears stream down her cheeks. Nick knew no one was going to wait around much longer. “Devon here,” she placed her hands on Devon’s shoulders and shook her slightly, “doesn’t know much about your ways, but I’ve heard the stories Nick has told me. So, go easy on her, okay?”
“Yes ma’am,” came the unison response. Nick could see Devon’s nervousness. She glanced up at him, and then lowered her eyes. She was clutching her crystal award in her lap.
“We’re going to sell every plant we can, the equipment, carts. Everything. What doesn’t sell, we’ll stack up neatly and take to the dumps, or find some place to donate it,” Sophie finished. “It’s going to be a red letter day.”
Kyle stood, as did everyone else but Devon and Sophie.
“So, we’ll see you tomorrow at oh-seven hundred, Sophie,” Kyle said.
“What about breakfast?” Devon asked.
“We’ll be going out for breakfast at six. We’ll make it back over here by seven. That work for everyone?” Kyle asked again.
“No.” Devon said. “I’ll have breakfast ready here at six.”
“That’s not necessary m—Devon,” Kyle answered softly.
“But I want to. And I think Sophie would enjoy it…right, Soph?”
“If I’m up. Why don’t you guys do that? Least we could do for you.”
“Well thanks. A home-cooked breakfast would be nice.”
“What do you guys eat?” Devon asked.
There was shuffling and mumbling back and forth. Nick spoke up, “Scrambled eggs, orange juice, pancakes, biscuits, sausage, bacon and fruit, plus lots of coffee and perhaps a couple bloody Mary’s.”
“And cinnamon rolls,” Jones added.
Nick saw the resolve in Devon’s jaw. “Done.”
The men said their goodbyes. Sophie whispered to Devon. “You’re holding out on me. I didn’t know you could cook.”
Devon whispered back, “I can’t cook worth a damn. Only breakfast. I only cook eggs, bacon and such. I’m hoping I can help someone else with the pancakes.”
Sophie beamed. “Good girl. Thanks for being the hostess I cannot be right now. We’ll have fun tomorrow.”
After the guys left, Emma wheeled Sophie back to her room. Nick, Devon and Marc went back onto the screened porch at the back of the house. Sounds of the guys getting their bedding out and settling down drifted through the doorway.
“Okay, so I better get to the store,” Devon whispered with a sigh.
“Not a chance. I got this. Keys, please?” Marc said to Nick.
While Nick was fishing in his pants for the keys, Devon took sixty dollars out of her purse and handed it to Marc. He backed away with his palms out.
“Nope. Put that away.”
“Please, I insist. I know I can afford it, especially with what they pay you in the military.”
“Wouldn’t even consider it,” Marc said stiffly and walked out. He slammed the front door behind him.
“He pissed at me?” Devon asked.
“What do you think?” Nick was sitting on the porch railing. “Come here, Devon.”
“No.”
“Come here. I want to say something to you.” He tried for a warm smile but Nick noticed she didn’t want to let her guard down. She walked to within arm’s length of him. Nick wiggled his fingers to ask her to come further forward, and she took one small, deliberate step closer. “One thing you need to know about these warrior types. Maybe it will help you in the future when you actually want to score some points with them. Maybe not.” He shrugged. “But I feel compelled to tell you that if they offer their services, you always say yes. Always.”
“What if those services are something you don’t think is morally sound?”
He could tell she was embarrassed she’d revealed something that had to do with sex. It always seemed to be on her mind, just under the surface of her consciousness.
“Dev.” He looked up at her and put a finger to her lips. “I like calling you Dev and I don’t think that shows you any disrespect.”
He took both her hands in his. “I’d like to negotiate a truce. Start over. But I need you to do your part. Don’t ever question the integrity or honor of these guys again.”
“But I just wanted to pay for—“
“Shhh.” His finger went to her mouth again. He wanted to rub it along her lower lip, but her sharp inhale made him realize he had to be careful with her right now. “What you offered to do was real nice. Real nice. You cook, and you can order us all around the kitchen and demand we do the entire cleanup. But don’t stop us from being who we are. And do not question our intentions.”