Escape To Sunset - Sharon Hamilton Page 0,14

know anyone who didn’t travel armed. Most of the SEAL wives and girlfriends did as well. Where it was illegal to carry, they were more careful. But it didn’t change their behavior one bit.

Jason hooked the duffel over his shoulder and presented Andy with a bottle of wine he’d bought at the bar at the hotel.

“I know jack about wine, but they told me it was good,” Jason said.

Andy tucked it under his arm and showed the way to a new glass front door. Once inside, the faint smell of paint and other odors stubbornly clung to the air.

“So, we knocked out the ceiling here and made this catwalk with landings going up to the second and third floor rooms.”

Jason admired the woodwork. Bleached and tumbled by the ocean, lightly sanded and varnished with a clear coat, the finish taking on the color of driftwood. He smoothed his fingers over the handrail and spindles made from pieces of wood in varying sizes.

“I like the way this feels. This almost looks like driftwood,” he said.

“Well, it kinda is. Everything in here is recycled, except for the windows and the roof and some of the hardware. Even some of that came from a salvage yard. They find all sorts of shit after those hurricanes. People go along and collect all this stuff, throw away the garbage, and clean up and re-sell some of the metal, tile, and wood. Lots of wood.”

The pattern on the handrails was totally random, some pieces laying at an angle, some vertical, and others horizontal, which reminded Jason of the old Hawaiian plantation designs he’d seen at museums growing up. Interspersed here and there were rusted pieces from the insides of machinery. They’d used gears, car parts, pieces from the backs of wooden chairs, and metal railings, all making an eclectic patchwork design. One panel even held an old rusty hand saw. On the second floor was a cozy platform with an overstuffed couch placed to take advantage of the ocean view. There appeared to be two bedrooms on that floor, and following the stairs up to the third floor, Jason guessed it was a master suite that covered the entire space.

One side of the living room had a recycled glass and metal garage door opening to the beach and ocean beyond. With chains on either side, the door would roll up and could be secured there, exposing the living room directly to the outside.

“Where did you guys find this place?” Jason asked.

“Actually, Aimee found it. I’ll let her tell you the story. We just put a little down, and did a lease option. We’re using the cash to do the work, and then we’ll get a loan to cash the former owner out.”

“So I guess you’re staying, then.” Jason noted that he’d never seen Andy so happy.

“Fuckin’ A. Nothing could tear me away from this place. I’ll fly up to Little Creek, but I’ll be back here every chance I can. I’ll be one of those one and dones.

“You impress me, brother.” Jason said, taking a long drag on his beer. “Going all domestic and only after one deployment.”

“I have over three years left. But, when you meet the right woman, it changes you. So it’s not my fault!” Andy was grinning, wiggling his eyebrows up and down. “You remember Cory Phillips?”

“Yeah I’ve met him a couple of times.” Word had spread quickly about all of Cory’s problems, and Jason thought he’d been booted out.

“Cory grew up here. I think he knew Thomas.”

“No kidding? Where is Cory now? He’s on Team 8, right?” He was trying to be polite and show some respect.

“Four. He was four. I’ll be joining up with his old team. Kyle helped set it up and said they were a good group. Anyway, Cory’s coming here for a couple of days. You’ll get to see him. He’s been in San Antonio at the burn center.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear about that. How bad is it?” Cory’s battle with drugs, alcohol, and gambling, as well as other vices were legendary, but he didn’t want to add credence to the rumors. Jason hoped his injuries weren’t major.

“Not a patient. He’s taking the burn course rotation. It’s a one-year billet like the long medic course. Then he’ll probably re-engage with Team 4. It came at the right time. Cory pulled things out at the last minute. He sounds great on the phone.”

Andy looked up and spotted Aimee coming through the front door.

“Who sounds great?”