“She probably wouldn’t even notice, since I have so many,” Julian quipped. He’d gotten into a few tough spots with the Guardian Angels Team. Luckily, nothing that had been life-threatening.
Still, he never tried to get shot on purpose. That shit hurt.
“We can swap war stories another time,” Statler told him. “Right now, you want to join me for a drink, and we can discuss your intentions toward my sister?”
Julian was already liking Statler. No bullcrap, and straight to the point.
“A beer would be nice.”
“Those I can supply.” Statler turned toward the house, and Julian followed.
Excited to see the inside of where Petula lived, Julian let his gaze roam as they crossed the yard. The land was pretty sweet, and the house was surrounded by trees; well-isolated from neighbors prying eyes. It was just the kind of place Julian had been looking for. At the moment, he was living under his parents’ roof, but all parties involved there, needed their space. After a month, the arrangement was already getting a little stale, so he’d been perusing what was available, and there were a couple possibilities.
“How many acres do you have here?” Julian asked.
“Twenty, give or take,” Statler supplied.
“Nice. It’s just the kind of spread I’m looking for.”
Statler gave him a questioning look, and Julian filled him in.
“I’m bunking at my parents’ place until I find something I want to buy.”
“Something local, right?” Statler questioned.
“Absolutely,” Julian assured him. It was obvious Statler was feeling him out on whether he’d be sticking around, or whether he’d play fast and loose with Petula’s heart, then bug out.
Nothis intention.
“I’ve got a vested interest in Diver Downeast now,” Julian told him as they walked up the porch steps and into a living room that was charming, cozy, and spotlessly clean. “I’ve gone in as a partner in the business with my brothers Spence, Buck, and Trask, and two of their wives, Tabitha and Jett.”
“Good to know,” Statler acknowledged.
Julian looked around. A hardwood floors gleamed underfoot. An oversized sofa in subdued yellow tones took up a lot of theroom. The couch was flanked by one electric, reclining chair that if Julian wasn’t mistaken, had Statler’s name all over it. All available seating faced a large screen TV that was nestled between two windows, with a huge coffee table within reaching distance that was scarred with use, and obviously well loved.
The walls were painted a cheery shade of blue, and there were framed watercolors scattered about on those surfaces that depicted sunny, outdoor landscapes, giving the room a bright, upbeat vibe. A well-used fireplace sat to the recliner’s left, and to Julian’s right were a stack of folding chairs leaning up against a side table.
Statler saw his questioning stare.
“Oh, those?” he said. “That’s extra seating for when my entire crew comes over, which tends to happen a lot. If they show up one at a time, there’s room on the sofa, but when all six of them descend, things can get a little tight.”
“Your crew,” Julian posited, filing away that there were half a dozen of them. “They’ve been with you a long time?”
“Yup. I served with each one of them at some point during my stints in the Army,” Statler didn’t hesitate. “I trust them implicitly with my life and Petula’s.”
Was that a warning? Julian didn’t care.
It wasreallygood to know Petula had eyes on her. It went a long way toward calming his fears. But did Statler know there might be a threat looming? That was the big question.
Still, he wasn’t going to get to that until they’d cleared the air a bit about his intentions regarding Petula.
“Have a seat,” Statler told him before disappearing into what Julian could see through the large, arched doorway, was a decent sized kitchen.
Julian got settled, and Statler came back right away with two frosty bottles. “You want a glass?” Statler asked him.
“Bottle’s fine,” Julian said, reaching out and taking the beverage.
Statler took his chair, but didn’t recline. Instead, he perched on the edge, his eyes intent on Julian.
