“My dear husband wants to know if something is wrong and that’s why you’re here.”
“Nah, I just did an all-nighter and didn’t feel like driving home. It’s sweet he’s concerned about me. I’m concerned about you too, Jackson. About you having to live with this man,” he says with a wink at me.
“Don’t make me hurt you. Remember, if anyone breaks in, throw your body in front of them.”
“Hey, Leland,” Micah says.
“What?”
“My job… I was at Harley’s Bar for a job I’m on and the weirdest fucking thing came up. Someone mentioned the Sandman.”
Leland stares at him for a long moment. “Yeah? Did you get a good look at him?”
“I did. But what are you going to do about it? Your name used to flitter around that joint a long time ago. Might have just been some kid bringing old ghosts up again.”
“You were concerned enough you came here,” I say.
“I’m not sure concerned is the word I’d choose. How about… my interest was piqued,” he replies.
“That all?” Leland asks.
“Probably.”
Leland throws another pillow at him.
“My information doesn’t come cheap.”
“Neither does my couch,” Leland says as he starts for the stairs.
“I’d watch your back, Sandman.”
“I’m watching it for him,” I tell him before following Leland.
“How sweet,” Micah calls after us.
TEN
JACKSON
The second Waylon is down the stairs, Leland waves at him. “Child, I have bought you donuts.”
“Ooh,” he says as he rushes over to grab one.
“Your uncle Micah got those for you, not Leland,” Micah corrects, tapping our coffee machine like abusing it will make it work faster. It seems like the one thing Lucas did not instill in all of these men is patience.
“Thank you, Micah!”
“Don’t thank him,” Leland says. “We’ll work on that. Don’t thank strange men.”
Waylon’s eyes narrow a bit. “Aren’t all of your friends strange?”
Leland appears to ignore that, since he’s the strangest of them all.
“Have you heard from Cam?” I ask Waylon.
“I did. He said they asked him a ton of questions, but he kept to the story, and they seemed satisfied. He said that his mom told him the truth, but she hasn’t told his dad yet—that she plans to but is scared he’ll leave her. He adopted Cam when he marriedher, so she’s afraid he’ll try to take Cam away, claiming that she is unsafe for him to be around.”
“Shouldn’t you only marry someone you trust not to nab your child and run?” Leland asks before eyeing me. “Don’t be looking at him. He’s half mine.” Leland grabs Waylon, making me laugh. “You can have the legs; I get the top half.”
