Page 35 of Gideon's Gratitude

Disgruntled. Annoyed. Irritated.

Selecting just one verb seemed silly, so I settled for three. All quite similar, and all very appropriate. Certainly, over the years, opposing counsel often sought to shut me down. Thea had done so any number of times. Yet none of those instances touched the frustration besetting me at the moment. Obviously Gideon was hurting. Obviously I felt obliged to help.

Are you in any shape to do so?

Well…another point for debate.

While Gideon was preparing for this evening, I’d checked my phone again. Another message from Doctor Yeardley. Another message to be ignored. For now. I’d deal with the real world tomorrow. Or perhaps on the weekend. Except she didn’t generally work weekends. Well,Monday then. Monday would be soon enough to deal with whatever news she had to give me.

The hot dog truly tasted divine. I’d remembered correctly. Fourth grade. Visit to the Pacific National Exhibition. I’d thrown it up later after enjoying one too many rides on the roller coaster. Mother had warned me, but I’d been determined. That I was eating a dog now was itself a wonder. The chili was perfect, and the melted cheese was decadent. Even the coffee was aromatic.

Everything about this place enthralled me. Mostly because I’d never have chosen it for myself. Mission City had several higher-class restaurants. Nothing like Vancouver, however. I could eat expensive meals every day of the week and go months without duplicating a location. I didn’t, of course. I reserved those nights for special occasions. The rest of the time, I ate whatever my housekeeper prepared, or whatever could be delivered.

Most nights I worked through dinner.

Thea stopped complaining a long time ago, preferring to eat her meal while watching mindless television. Reality shows, she called them. Scripted nonsense was my silent reply. I witnessed high drama every day at my job—why would I want to watch such rubbish when I returned home?

I caught the occasional Canucks game—Vancouver’s hockey team. I even represented one of the team members in a divorce case. One of the nastier in my career. Often was. Money and children. Two sticking points that brought high emotions to the table.

Gideon certainly felt high emotions. Whatever his sin was—and it could be any number of things—I didn’t believe the man to be irredeemable. Well, child abuse, neglect, or molestation were irredeemable. Every instinct I possessed assured me that he’d engaged in none of those things. I could guess at the cause of the reason, butI disliked speculation. I wanted hard facts. Facts could be argued. Innuendo was much harder to refute.

As I finished the last of my meal, Sarabeth magically appeared. “You guys want dessert?”

“I’m good, thank you.” Gideon offered a smile.

“I’ll pass as well, thanks though.”Oh good, he’s eaten most of his dinner. The man is too skinny. Especially for someone who used to do such a physical job.Just too slim. And not in a good way. He lacked color in his cheeks. No vigor in his steps. Not off, just…not quite right.

“You ready for the bill?” Her grin was untiring.

I glanced at my watch. “My ride will be here within the next hour. Do you mind if we wait inside?”

She waved her hand. Several booths were empty, which reassured me. “Stay as long as you like. We have some groups that stay for hours or even overnight. We’re the only place in the city that pretty much never closes.”

“How late are you working?” Gideon’s eyes flashed something. Concern?

“Oh, just a few more hours. I do my eight then go home and soak my feet. Five years I’ve been doing this job, and I still can’t get used to standing all shift. But hey, I love working here, so what’s a little discomfort?”

“Pain is bad.” Gideon’s eyes again flashed. “Pain is your body telling you something’s wrong.”

His vehemence appeared out of proportion to the situation.

Sarabeth patted him on the shoulder. “Just a few aches. I make it out to be worse than it is. Trying to get good tips, eh?” She winked.

He scowled, and was about to speak when I cut him off. “I promise a big tip. You’ve been wonderful.”

Her blue eyes flashed gratitude, and she beamed.

Hell, to see that smile, I’d leave a tip equal to the meal. The prices in this place were a steal. Plus, she’d made Gideon smile. Worry, yes, but smile as well. I’d do anything to make my companion smile again. An air of sadness followed him. Of course, losing one’s children in a custody battle would do that. To anyone.

Sarabeth removed our plates and headed to the kitchen. She was a lovely woman. Vibrant, friendly, and curvy. I liked women who were comfortable in their own bodies.

Thea’d been obsessed with maintaining her figure. She’d been angular with hard edges.

I was pretty chiseled myself, and we’d made a stunning couple. Should I open up about the dissolution of my marriage? Might that help? Show I’m human after all?

“Okay, I’ve been dying to ask.” Gideon leaned forward. “What’s with your name?”

I smiled. A genuine smile. “Family name going back several generations. On my mother’s side.”

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