Page 38 of Gideon

Ron’s face lit up, and I couldn’t help but smile.

17

Gideon

I knewshe had gone to see her family. It was the only place she would go—she had no one else. The thought was a sad one. I hoped they accepted her for who she was. Laney was so lovable; who wouldn’t love her? As soon as I could walk, I’d go to Oklahoma to check on her.

“What are you brooding over?” Raven asked, interrupting my thoughts.

“Laney and Haley. I was just hoping they were doing okay. They must be at your dad’s place. Have you talked to them yet?”

“No, but I’m planning to call later. How are you doing?”

“I can’t walk. How do you think I’m doing?”

“The doctor said it’ll take time, but you’ll walk again,” Raven replied patiently. “The swelling around your spinal cord has to go down first. Once it does, you’ll be back on your feet.”

“I know, I know. You’ve told me that a dozen times,” I said, sighing. “I just don’t want to see Laney if I can’t walk. Honestly, I’m relieved she’s gone. When I can walk, I’ll find her. For now, I’m going to bed. See you tomorrow.”

“You’re heading to bed already?”

Before I could answer, Gage walked onto the deck with a tray of food. “I brought you some dinner,” he said.

“You did? Okay, I’ll eat,” I said reluctantly. “Are you two eating with me?”

“Hell yeah,” Gage said, grinning. “I made tacos. Have you heard from Laney?”

“Not yet.”

“I saw her on YouTube,” Gage said casually as he set the food down. “She was fishing with Ron and Mike. She had on cut-off blue jeans and a tank top. I figured you’d want to call and check on Mike.”

Raven and I both pulled out our phones and searched forFishing with Laney. I smiled when I saw her in the video. She was sitting in her truck, pulling her boat onto a lake property. People shouted, “Welcome back,” and she looked so happy.

“Call your dad,” I said to Raven, “and ask how Mike got out.”

While Raven called, Gage and I sat down to eat. “She looks happy, doesn’t she?” I asked him.

“She’s out on a boat in the middle of a lake with her siblings and her dad,” Gage replied. “Yeah, she’s happy.”

“She’s beautiful,” I murmured, “inside and out. I love her.”

Gage gave me a sideways glance. “Would you like to go there and fish with her?”

“I’d love that, but I can’t walk. What would I do, sit and watch? Nope, I’ll wait until I’m back on my feet.”

“You fish with your hands; you sit on a boat and fish,” Gage replied.

Raven came back after talking on the phone, his expression dark. “Mike’s out of prison. All the charges were dropped.”

“And that makes you angry?” I asked, confused.

“No,” Raven said, shaking his head. “What makes me angry is that the mob boss’s lawyer is the one who got him out. Laney called him to make it happen.”

“So?” Gage said, shrugging. “The boss is dead. It’s fine that the lawyer got him out. Is the lawyer taking over the mob?”

“No, he left the country right before they came to arrest him.”

“So, the FBI is going through Jonah’s files now,” Gage said. “Laney told me the law was in Jonah’s pocket. I just hope they don’t start questioning her. She might punch them in the nose.”

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