“We have to leave in a few,” he reminded me.
“I know.”
We were heading to Oleander’s parents’ house tonight for dinner. Oleander was coming too, and so was Micah. He and I had grown closer since he’d been knocked out protecting me. He would also be my guard when I went back to work.
There had been no talk about giving me a second guard again, which was fine with me. After what happened with Winnie, I didn’t want anyone else. I had started seeing Arden to help me. Too much went down I couldn’t forget.
Sheldon patted my thigh. “Come on, or else Colleen will start calling.”
We stood, Sheldon slowly. He wasn’t in a lot of pain, only sore, or at least that was what he said. Who knew what he really felt? He kept most inside.
The front door opened as we were putting our shoes on. Oleander walked in. “Do you need a cane?”
I was about to holler at him for poking fun at Sheldon, but Sheldon was already throwing a pillow from the couch at his best friend. “I’ll kick your ass any day.”
“Sure you will.”
Together, the three of us entered the elevator and rode it down to the garage, where Micah waited in one of the Navigators. We climbed in and buckled.
“I can’t believe I get to meet your mom,” he said. He’d heard enough about her and how she would call Sheldon or Oleander and give them cryptic messages. Other guards wanted to meet her too.
“You’re going to love her,” I told him. “And Ollie’s dad. They’re wonderful people.”
“Mom wants to look Sheldon over again to make sure he’s healing properly,” Oleander said.
Sheldon smiled. It was small, but there. We’d been to visit since he’d gotten hurt. We even stayed for a weekend so she could cook all his favorite meals.
The vibration of Sheldon’s phone startled me. He had it in his pocket where his leg rested against mine. No, there was no space between us. There wouldn’t be until he went back to work. I was plastered to him like a fucking octopus.
He pulled the phone out, his eyebrows drawing together. “Yeah?” he answered.
I couldn’t hear what was said, only the mumbling of a man, so I had to rely on Sheldon’s words.
“Uh huh.”
“No.”
“That’s a you problem.”
“Do whatever you want. Consider this the end of our chats.” He hung up and looked out the window.
I tapped him on the leg. “Who was that?”
“The prison. My father’s dead.”
Oleander whipped around in the seat. “Seriously?”
“I wouldn’t joke about that.”
“How do you feel?”
Sheldon shrugged. “Not as relieved as I thought I would. I don’t really care. He was never a parent to me like he should have been. They asked if I had plans for his burial or a funeral. I don’t want to see him ever again, corpse or not. They can do what they want with him. He’s not my responsibility.”
Lacing my fingers with his, I gave them a squeeze, drawing his attention to me. “It’s okay to be upset.”
“I’m not.” He dropped his head to my shoulder and closed his eyes.
Oleander’s gaze met mine. There was nothing either of us could do, especially right now. Sheldon wouldn’t want to turn around and miss out on dinner with the people he considered his family. His father hadn’t been that ever.
