Page 69 of Hero Unbound

“What? Who?”

“That’s the Teton Helitack crew. The one who can’t get in the door because everyone is hugging him is Derek Bollinger. One of my very best friends in the world, but also the one who’s about to get his ass kicked for not announcing he was back in town.”

“By you?”

Theo shook his head. “I’ll have to wait in line. If there’s anything left of him after Becky gets finished, I’ll take my turn.”

That’s right, Becky had mentioned Derek. Mentioned that he was out of the country. “She didn’t know he was here.”

“No. There’s a lot Derek has gone through in the last year that he hasn’t told her. And there’s about to be a reckoning.”

She looked back over at Becky. She was still frozen, eyes huge. “I’ve got to go help Becky.”

Theo didn’t let her go.

Eva stiffened and looked up at him. “She’s my friend. If she wants to run out the back door, I’ve got to help her. If she decides to start a bar fight…I guess I’ve got to help her with that too. I can’t just leave her there alone to face her ghosts.”

“I know. But you should also know that you have a ghost of your own to face down.” Theo pointed to the door.

Her brother Sam had just walked in.

* * *

It waslike a showdown in the Wild West.

Eva was standing by Becky’s side. Derek Bollinger and Sam were a few feet away, also side by side. Eva felt like she should have a gun strapped to her hip and be prepared to walk eight paces then turn and draw.

Becky had recovered enough to cross her arms over her chest and glare at Derek. Sam was just looking confused.

Everybody else in the bar was staring to see how things were going to go down. But Eva knew their interest had nothing to do with her and Sam.

“What are you doing here?” Becky and Sam both asked at the same time, Becky demanding the information from Derek, while Sam was asking Eva.

For the first time, Derek dragged his eyes away from Becky and looked at Eva. He had the same dark coloring as his brother Bear, although the easygoing grin was nowhere to be found on Derek. In fact, his eyes were tortured as they turned back to Becky.

He took a step toward her. “Button…”

Becky flinched like she’d been slapped at the endearment. “No. Don’t you call me that. Don’t you come in here with your helitack uniform and your buddies like this is in any way okay.”

Now Derek was the one who flinched. “Can we go somewhere and talk?”

She stepped forward then stopped, realizing that she was currently the star of theSmall-Town Dramashow. She straightened her shoulders then walked straight up to Derek.

Everyone waited, even Eva, to see what was going to happen. Punch? Slap? Scream?

Instead, Becky put her hands on Derek’s shoulders and leaned in, whispering something no one else could hear. Derek’s face lost its color as Becky stepped back from him and then made her way through the crowd and out the door. Derek stood there like he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do now.

The crowd dispersed, having lost its main source of entertainment. Couples went back to the dance floor and tables, and the ambient noise rose back to its pre-helitack-entrance level. Eva felt a hand touch her elbow and found Theo there.

“You okay to talk to Sam?” he murmured in her ear. “I think I’m needed with Derek.”

She nodded. Sam was still standing there looking confused. This wasn’t the talk she’d planned to have tonight, but it was needed also.

Theo squeezed her arm then walked over and put an arm around Derek. “How about a beer, brother? I think you could use it.”

Derek nodded, and they walked over to the bar, the other man still looking pretty dazed.

“What was that about?” she asked Sam.

---