Page 81 of Five Alarm Love
Blood spurted and ran from one nostril.
Thank God for extra core and upper body workouts over the past six months.
Tuli’s leg burned like a hot poker had been shoved into it.
Shutting up Hunter took away some of the pain.
Deep down, Tuli didn’t condone violence.But he’d use it for the right reason on a special occasion.
Several cars slowed down.One pulled over and doors opened.
“See you at the station for next shift, Hunter.”Along with a discussion about professionalism in the community.
A lesson Tuli would need to reevaluate for himself.Fine, he was down for soul-searching as long as Lou was safe.
Hunter spat blood on the sidewalk.“Looking forward to it.”
I just bet.
The guys headed off in a mumbling gaggle.
Tuli grunted as he tried to kneel next to Gordy.His shaky bad leg gave out, so he sat down hard on his butt.“You okay, buddy?”He eyed Gordy from head to toe and nodded in satisfaction.“How about your sister?”He rested his hand on her arm when she knelt next to them.
Lou pinned him with a curious expression.“He looks okay.Some scrapes.”
“You didn’t answer my question.What about you?”Tuli said gently.He scanned her, as if he would find some injury from Hunter and his friends.
“I’m fine.Just super mad.At Hunter and those jerks.Also, Gordy’s communication tablet is broken.”
The bar owner poked his head out, and Lou asked for some paper towels.In a minute, she pressed the squares against Gordy’s scraped hand.
“You never get mad, Lou.This is a new side of you,” Tuli said as he brushed his hands from head to toe over Gordy in a secondary medical assessment.He didn’t find any obvious neurological deficits, worsening pain, or broken bones.Thank God.He waved off the onlookers and bar owner.“All good now.Thanks for the concern.”
Lou hugged Gordy and tapped the tablet hanging from the strap.“We’ll get this fixed.I promise.”
“Stupid bullies,” Tuli muttered.
After a minute, Lou pinned him with that fathomless brown gaze.“You’ve always hated bullies.”
“Allergic to them.”He rubbed his leg and winced.“The feeling might be mutual.”
“Never took Hunter to be that much of a jerk, what with him being family and all.”She paused.“Hey, is your leg okay?”
“Worth it.”He rested his hand on her forearm, needing to touch her, reassure himself that she was right here.Safe.He needed to ground himself in her steady gaze.After a second, he continued, “Who were those guys with Hunter?”
She shook her head.“Zach, the big talker?He was a guy Hunter had wanted to set me up with.I don’t know the other man.They’re both new to town.”
“Damned strange.Guess they could be Hunter’s friends, hanging out for a long weekend.Not sure what that one dude meant about the town not being mine for long.It’s not mine now.”
“One guy mentioned a meeting.I wonder if they are working with Hunter on the ore stuff?”She paused and tapped her lip.Tuli was jealous of her finger.“Seems like you and I would have heard if the community working group had hired people already.”She stood up and looked down at him.
“If they’re hired, then I want to know how to fire them.”He slowly got up, not ashamed to use Lou’s outstretched hand for extra stability until he locked his leg in place under him.He took a few test steps.It held, but man, it ached.“I know we like new people in town with tourism and economic opportunities, but those guys are not welcome.”
Together, they carefully helped Gordy to get to his feet.He had a tear in the knee of his pants.His hand had stopped bleeding.He took a few halting steps.To Tuli’s eye, Gordy seemed back to his usual mobility and balance.Which was to say, not great, but functional.
Lou kept a hand on her brother’s upper arm.“Want to head home, bud?”she asked.
Gordy’s smile crumbled.He shook his head and made a low noise.Then he looked pointedly down the street.
