tooth, Flint Calum?”
“It’s...” a long damn story, I want to say, but my mother’s a quick study.
Her eyes light up. “You have a friend, don’t you? A lady friend.”
My jaw tightens.
“It’s about time! I was afraid you’d sworn off all women after—” She clears her throat. “She, who won’t be named.”
Every time she uses that phrase, I want to snort. But there’s a good reason behind it.
Ma hated Bryce’s mother from the get-go, and the shit show she put us through did no favors. That relationship was a train wreck that went off the rails and over the ravine. Fucking literally.
My ma isn’t far off when she hints at me living like a monk. I had.
Have, I remind myself. I’m still a bachelor.
Valerie Gerard changes nothing.
It’s a good deed, a protection gig, a particularly crappy chance to bring down the Cornaro Outfit. Nothing more.
I raise an eyebrow, nodding at my mother. “You sure you wanna go on?”
“No. You’re right, son.” She clams up and shakes her head.
For real, Bryce’s mother was a mess, but after she died, Ma and I formed a pact. We agreed to never say anything derogatory in front of Bryce about his mother. I won’t have my son thinking he came from trash.
So far, we’ve stuck to our guns. Too bad it hasn’t stopped her from trying to set me up with her friends’ daughters, plus some total strangers she meets around Oahu.
“Don’t get too excited,” I warn her. “It’s nothing serious.”
She cackles excitedly. “Oh, my word. Nothing serious? Really now? A cat in your house and malasadas tell a far juicier story. Let me get my phone. I’ll call Phyllis and tell her I can’t go to Maui today, that I have to—”
“No,” I say. “You’re not calling Phyllis or canceling anything.”
She looks up and blinks, her curly hair bobbing.
“Ma, come on.” I lean down and kiss her forehead. “Leave. Before you make yourself late for the airport. Inouye Airport’s been a circus lately, all backed up with TSA changes. Let me know when you get home.”
She nods, grinning from ear to ear. She’s a good mother. I try to pay her back for everything.
My father died while I was in the service. After coming home, I vowed to take care of her for the rest of her life. Moving her to Oahu with us wasn’t even a question.
“You’re truly sure?” She starts to protest, still lifting her phone.
I shake my head fiercely. “Go, Mom. Enjoy Lahaina. See you in a few days.”
She kisses my cheek. “All right, but I’d better meet her then.”
I nod, knowing full well she’ll probably like Val. At the same time, I’m hoping this is over by the time she gets back from Maui.
She leaves, and I walk over to Bryce, who’s running his index finger up and down the window, playing a touch-paw game with Savanny through the glass. The cat stands up on both legs, batting at his hand.
“Cool cat, Dad. Love the little leopard spots. What’s its name? Is it ours?”
“His name’s Savanny, and he belongs to a friend of mine. Her name’s Valerie.”
“Sweet. Are we cat sitting then?”
“Sort of.”
Inquisitive and smart, he looks up at me, waiting for more. This is one time I wish he wasn’t always so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
Fuck. How do I even find the words?
“Son, listen...you know how Cash and I sold our security business a few years ago?”
He nods. “Yeah. I remember. Then you got all that money from the big deal.”
“Well, we’ve decided to take on one last job.”
“Damn, that’s cool!” He holds up a hand for a high five.
“Language,” I grunt.
“Sorry!”
I humor him with a high five. Part of me can’t blame the kid. He practically worships the ground I walk on.
He’s always thought having a father who chases bad guys for a living was cool. Mainly because I never let on how dangerous it truly was. And I never said one word about the horror in Bali, what happened thanks to fuckface Cornaro...
“This is serious, Bryce. I need you to listen and keep this a secret. Totally mum.”
“You got it!”
“My friend Valerie’s already inside. I’m keeping her at our place so she can chill and keep a low profile. Thing is, she doesn’t know that because she was in an accident. She has amnesia, meaning she doesn’t remember what happened, or even a lot about who she is.”
“Whoa,” Bryce mouths silently. “Weird.”
“Yeah. She was scared when Cash brought her here, so...” I pause, trying to find a good