Page 62 of Guarded Secrets
The truck parked behind Owen’s Bronco in front of the garage, the sign on the door reading Ballard Security.
“Who’s that?”
“Friend of mine. He’s a little early.” He took her hand like he hadn’t just stated he didn’t want anything serious with her. “I want you to meet someone.”
Talk about mixed signals.
***
A tall man wearing a ball cap over dark blond hair stepped out of the truck. A broad grin split his face when he spotted Owen. When they were a foot apart, he grabbed Owen in a hug, holding him tight and slapping his back hard enough Keeley thought he could’ve knocked over a horse.
“God dammit, it’s good to see you.” He held Owen at arm’s length, studying his face before releasing him. “You look better than you have in a long while, brother.” His green gaze swept to Keeley and he shot a wicked grin back at Owen. “You gonna introduce me to your girl? If she’s the one that’s got you back with the living, I’m already a fan.”
Owen said, “Jesus Christ, Luke,” but Keeley had a fluttery feeling around her heart when he let the “your girl” comment stand. He made a motioning gesture. “Luke Ballard, Keeley Montaigne.”
“Crappy intro, man.” Shaking his head, Luke held out a hand. “Hello, Keeley. This guy tell you I’m here to set up a top-notch security system for you?”
“Hi, Luke.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’ve seen you before at Easy Money several months ago.”
“I drop in when I can to see my best bro.”
“That’s nice. Owen told me someone would be coming out to install a security system. I didn’t realize it was today, but you’re certainly welcome. When you have your estimate, I’ll need to go over it with my parents and see what best fits our budget.”
“There’s no cost.”
Owen put his hands on his hips. “That’s bullshit, Luke. You give me an estimate like you would for anyone else.”
Luke’s expression turned dead serious. “You aren’t anyone else.” To Keeley he said, “This guy tell you he saved my life?”
Keeley looked from one man to the other. “You were his partner? You were with him when he got shot?”
“He told you about that? Yeah, that was me.” He nodded at Owen. “That’s progress, brother.”
Owen’s face was back to its standard scowl. “We don’t need to go into all this.”
“I know he was shot, but not the details.”
Ignoring Owen, Luke turned to Keeley. “We were in the LAPD Detective Bureau together and partners for five years. That is, until the night things went sideways in a shithole of a house in South LA.
“I thought I was a dead man until our boy here charges in like he’s special forces, guns blazing. Bullets are flying. He takes one in the vest. Thank the gods he was wearing it. Vest takes a round and you’re going down, but not Owen.
“I’m not in good shape so he grabs me by the shirt and tosses me over his shoulder. I feel the impact when he takes another. But he stays on his feet and runs through a hail of bullets to get my dumb ass out of there.”
“You were shot too, on top of already being messed up.”
“I was messed up because the fuckers were working their way up to killing me, but wanted to have some fun first. I was hit on the wayout, but survived thanks to you.” Luke’s gaze shifted to Keeley. “Ask him who was awarded the department Medal of Valor.”
“Shut up, Luke.”
Keeley wasn’t surprised Owen had earned the recognition, or that he had never mentioned it. He wasn’t someone who sought the spotlight. Without thinking, she slid her hand into his. His grip tightened around her hand.
“In light of that, your girl’s family needs security? I put it in and there’s no charge.”
Owen shook his head stubbornly. “You already put security in at Easy Money at no cost. You don’t let me pay for this? I’ll get someone else to do it.”
“How about you do it for cost? And my family pays that cost, not Owen.” Keeley gave Owen the side-eye.
Luke pulled on his bottom lip. “Okay, sounds like a plan. Let me get what I need from my truck and we’ll get started.”
