like the snoop that I was, I took a better look around the house.
When he came back an hour later, handing me my keys, I bit my lip that he’d finished so fast.
I didn’t want to go.
I wanted to stay here forever.
Chapter 4
Dear big girls, don’t be afraid to get on top. If he dies, he dies.
-Text of a meme from Downy to Jonah
Jonah
“You’re calling in sick?” my brother, Downy, asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “I have one day at work, and since I’m still technically on desk duty and modified work capacity for the time being, and only work one day before I have a three-day weekend that I asked off for anyway, I’m going to just go ahead and call in. Plus, I was given some sweet ass tickets to the car show in Vegas. I’m headed there now.”
“You’re fuckin’ kidding me,” Downy grumbled. “Jonah, you can’t just call in sick like this.”
I snorted as I handed the security TSA agent my ticket. “Watch me.”
“Jonah…” Downy started ranting.
I shoved the phone in my pocket and smiled at the TSA agent. “Thank you.”
The woman winked at me and waved me through to the express security line. “Thank you for your service.”
I grinned wider. “Have a good day.”
The express security line was a breeze. There were all of eight people in the line, and three of them stepped back to empty their pockets. Since I only had my phone, wallet, boots, and belt, which was already in my hand, the agent nodded me through her personal line and said, “Drop those on the belt.”
I did, placing them all on the belt sans bin—another no-no but she didn’t seem to care—and went up to her.
She patted me down, I had a feeling thoroughly enjoying herself seeing as she took her time, and then patted my shoulder. “Thank you.”
The woman laughed. “That was the first time I ever had someone get patted down and thanked for it.”
I shrugged. “You did it fast. I can’t complain.”
She winked and gestured for me to move, which I did moments later, allowing her to move to a mother with two infant children in a stroller.
I shoved my feet back into my shoes and then picked up my shit, only then pulling the phone back out of my pocket.
“Are you even listening to me right now?” Downy growled.
“Sorry, I was getting manhandled by security,” I apologized, though it wasn’t in the least sincere. “And no, I wasn’t listening to you. Not when all you have to say annoys me.”
Downy sighed. “This is your job, Jonah. I went out of my way to get it for you, and so far, you’ve done nothing but shit on my efforts.”
I gritted my teeth as I glanced around, looking for my terminal.
The airport was unusually busy today, and almost every single terminal was full.
“Listen, bro,” I said, trying to keep my temper in check. “I realize that you stuck your neck out for me. I also realize that you think I don’t know what I’m doing, but I do. I got a house. I got land. I got a paid-for truck and a zero-percent financed tractor. I realize that you think that you’re doing me a favor by telling me to be at work today, for six hours at that, for a pity desk duty job that your fuckin’ friend thinks he’s doing me a favor by placing me in so I can get some cash, but he’s not. I don’t need the cash. I’m making it just fuckin’ fine on my own right now. In fact, if I wanted to not work for the next goddamn year, I could do it. So how about you take your good intentions and shove them up your ass.”
Downy sighed. “You’re really okay?”
“Yes,” I said firmly.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll call Luke and let him know that you don’t need the shift. But, just sayin’, Jonah, you better be here when your shift starts in a couple of days. I really did pull some strings to get you back on the job, and I think you’ll like the new area they’re putting you in.”
That was the first time I’d heard anything about a ‘new area.’
“What’s that mean?” I asked as I stopped next to my gate and groaned.
There wasn’t a single space to sit available except next to a hacking woman who looked like she was on her death bed.
No fucking thank you.
“It means that you have a job,” Downy replied.
I growled.
“And, as of today, Lock will