Page 96 of Daybreak

As soon as that call ended, Gunner called Jacob.

The phone rang a few times, and then his father’s voice was in his ear.

“Hey, son! How are you feeling?”

“Like I got stomped by a herd of longhorns, but I’m healing. I called to ask you a favor.”

“Ask away,” Jacob said.

“I’ve hired a hydrogeologist by the name of Lane Bowman to locate the nearest water source to where I want to build. He’s coming to Crossroads tomorrow, and I gave him your name as the contact. All you need to do is point him in the right direction. I told him there’s small tower of rocks that I made to mark the place where I want to build.”

“I can do that,” Jacob said. “I am so happy you’re coming home, son. It will be wonderful to have you and Holly here again.”

“I can’t wait to be home. She’s going to stay with Garrett, and I’ll be bunking with you and Pearl again until the house is built, so we’re looking at a few months here. I hope you’re ready for that.”

“This will always be your home, and your room is always there,” Jacob said.

“One other thing, Dad. I had the money transfers made this morning. Asher and Dylan have already received theirs. First chance you get, check your bank account to see if your transfer came through and then let me know.”

“That’s awesome, Gunner! I will do that later when I get a chance. Thank you again for such a generous gift. We’re going to remodel the kitchen here at the house.”

“I can’t wait to see it,” Gunner said.

“You take it slow and take time to heal before you pull another stunt like that. I have been bragging about you a little, and you probably will need to know ahead of time that Pearl found the video online and got some kid to run the feed into her TV at the Rose. She lets it play over and over nonstop. Everybody in town has seen it countless times. She tells all the strangers who stop at the Rose that the hero who ended an FBI manhunt with that stunt is her stepson.”

“I guess I’m never going to live that down,” Gunner said.

“There’s no shame in being a hero, son. Accept it with grace. It doesn’t come to many men,” Jacob said. “I need to get back to the bar. I’ll let you know about the bank account. Take care.”

“You, too, Dad,” Gunner said and disconnected, then leaned back, thinking, Life just kept happening of its own accord. All he had to do was hold on.

* * *

Holly’s boss had been out of the office all day showing houses, so she sent him an email.

The appraiser for Gunner’s house will be here at the residence tomorrow, and the inspector later in the day. Considering our client’s current physical issues, I thought it would be best to be on hand to let him in and stay until all of this is finished. I will continue to work from the residence, so if anybody has questions, or needs me to do some research, just text me.

Holly

She left Gunner a note, then made a quick trip home while Gunner was asleep to pack some clothes, gathered up the groceries in her refrigerator to use at his house before they ruined, then hurried home. She was anxious about his welfare and knew he was miserable, and that there was nothing she could do to heal him any faster.

One wreck and a car chase later, she exited off the Loop and took the route through the neighborhoods to get there. Pulling up to his house was a relief. She got out her key and suitcase and deactivated the security system as she entered. Two trips later, the food was inside, and so were her briefcase and laptop.

She turned the lock, then went down to check on him. He was asleep and lying on his left side holding his phone—a sign that his mobility was getting better.

She stepped out of her shoes, left them and her suitcase just inside his door, then went to put up the food. A short while later, she went back to check on him. He had rolled over onto his back.

“Hey, superman,” Holly said and leaned over the bed to brush a kiss across his mouth.

“Hey, yourself, darlin’. Glad you’re home.”

“Our dinner won’t be here for another hour. Are you ready to try getting in the Jacuzzi? I think you would really benefit from the jets and the soak.”

“Heck yes.”

“Let me see your arm,” she said and began looking for blood spots on the bandages over the road rash area, but none of them looked fresh. “I can wrap your arm so the bandage there won’t get wet, but you can’t slide down into the water. You’re not to get that arm wet at all until we go back to get the bandages changed. Then they’ll reassess.”

He sat up on the side of the bed. “I was hurting enough in the ER that I didn’t pay much attention to what the doctor was saying about treatment afterward. Good thing you were listening.”