Page 23 of Jag

“You’re the best daughter,” my dad said when I started the coffee pot.

“I’m your only daughter.”

He laughed as I had wanted. Spending time with my dad these last couple of months had been the best. Now, if I only knew what to do about Dom, but that could wait, I had plenty of time.

Chapter Seven

Jag

Up, showered, dressed, and ready for the day to start, I sat at the table with my coffee as the sun was rising. Flipping through the last of the sheriff’s documents, I made notations to the side with my suggestions for him to go over.

I’d gone back to his office yesterday and apologized for what had taken place between us earlier. Will Lance was a good man, a good sheriff, and always fair, but tough. So after we talked it out and he said, “I know a lot of places to hide a body,” he meant it.

The knock on my back door had me turning to see Coast through the window, and I rose, turned the lock, then grabbed an extra mug as he walked in.

“Saw your light on. Glad to know I’m not the only one not sleeping,” Coast said as a greeting and reached for the coffee mug I held out to him.

“Yeah, well, at least I got some work done,” I said pointing to the stack of papers as we sat down. “What’s keeping you up?”

“Same old shit creeping up. Weeks go by and nothing, then something triggers it and bam...a few nights reliving missions I wish could have ended differently. Guess I should be thankful it only hits every so often.”

“I can’t relate, but I’ve read about PTSD and dealt with a few soldiers who suffered with it as they dealt in court because of their actions,” I said as I gathered the sheets of paper and slid them back into the envelope.

“Vicious cycle. Wouldn’t wish any of it on my worst enemy,” Coast said and got up and grabbed the coffee pot and brought it to the table. “We didn’t get a chance to talk yesterday about what happened with you and River, between helping set up the equipment at the gym and making sure the massage side is ready to go. Is that the reason you’re up at the butt crack of dawn?”

I reached for the coffee pot, filled my cup, then leaned back in my chair and took a drink. My brother sat quietly and waited me out.

“Have you ever felt that if you don’t do something right, you won’t get a second chance?”

“I guess. When my team was sent out on missions, the pressure was there that one screw up would cost us. You can’t make someone undead, regardless of what they sometimes portray in movies. What is going on with you, Jag? You were somewhat acting like your old self when we went back inside to finish lunch yesterday.”

“She gets to me, Coast. And I’m not sure why because we butt heads every time we are around each other. Yet there’s something about her... Christ, I feel like a teenager who wants the girl but doesn’t want to get crushed if she doesn’t want him,” I said, bent my head, and rubbed the back of my neck. Coast chuckling had my heading snapping up.

“You know, I’ve got endless hours of enjoyment watching Speed, Crusher, Devil, and even Ghost stumble around their women. You, Flirt, and I have discussed and laughed about it at their expense. We also said we wouldn’t make the same mistakes, so stop thinking about messing it up. If you want to see if there’s anything between you two, then go for it. Because if there is something there, a few mistakes along the way will be worth it in the end. God knows I’ve got my own issues to work through with Mac but watching how River gets you fired up—must mean something. If I were you, I wouldn’t give her too much time to think.”

“Like you’ve done with Mac?”

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