Run, Hide - By Carol Ericson Page 0,42
the bar, right in the thick of things. A small band of men and women gathered around the long, lean raconteur, laughing and hanging on his every word.
His thick, silver hair brushed back from his high forehead gleamed in the bright light of the bar. His white teeth stood out from his tanned skin, the lines etching an interesting pattern on his rugged, still-handsome face.
As if sensing the scrutiny, Kevin spun around on his barstool and he narrowed his blue eyes. He turned back to his companions, slapped some money on the bar, shook some hands and kissed some cheeks.
He sauntered toward Cade, drink in hand and flashy alligator boots on his feet. He didn’t look like a man suffering from throat cancer or any other kind of cancer.
Kevin thrust out his hand. “Well, look at you, all grown up and looking just like your old man, even though you always had your mother’s eyes.”
Cade flinched and Kevin cracked a smile.
“Okay, you’re taller. Kyle look like you?”
“Kyle...” Was this the conversation you had with a father you hadn’t seen in almost twenty years? Cade’s tongue refused to form any recognizable syllables.
“Nah, you got your mother’s coloring and Kyle got her looks.” Kevin grabbed his arm. “Let’s grab that booth in the corner.”
Cade slid onto the red banquette across from Kevin and licked his lips. He had to start acting like a grown-up, not a tongue-tied kid.
“Sweetheart—” Kevin waved to a cocktail waitress in shorts and a tight T-shirt “—can you bring us a pitcher of beer? Whatever’s good on tap.”
“You got it, Kev.”
“Kev? How long have you been here?”
“I made good time from Vegas. I’ve been hanging out a few hours.”
“A few hours?” Knots tightened in Cade’s gut. “You could’ve called me and I would’ve met you earlier.”
“Truth is—” Kevin tapped the side of his glass “—I had to screw up my courage.”
This time, Cade laughed, a laugh that loosened the tightness of his jaw and the stiffness of his neck. “That’ll be the day.”
“I’m dead serious, boy. It’s not easy for me to come crawling back to my sons to beg a little forgiveness.”
Cade leaned back in the booth, crossing his arms. “I haven’t heard any begging...or anything about forgiveness.”
“Here you go, hon.” The waitress placed a pitcher on the table between father and son and then clinked down a couple of frosted beer mugs.
“Thanks, sweetheart.” Kevin tucked a few bills into the waistband of the woman’s short shorts and patted her hip.
She batted her eyelashes and slapped his hand. “Watch those roving hands, Kev.”
“I’d like to watch them rove all over your pretty backside.”
The waitress rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. “You old devil.”
She sashayed away, and Cade shook his head. “You ever hear of sexual harassment? You can’t treat women like that.”
Kevin smacked the table. “Did you see her complaining? Besides, I’ll let you in on a little secret.” He looked both ways as if expecting someone to be listening in. “Gray hair excuses a lot of bad behavior.”
“You indulged in bad behavior long before you had gray hair.”
“Yeah, I did. I admit it.” He poured the golden liquid into the two mugs and raised his. “To a life of bad behavior.”
Cade didn’t bring his glass to meet Kevin’s, but he didn’t have to. Kevin touched his mug to Cade’s and slurped his beer through the foam.
Cade pulled his cell phone from his pocket and glanced at the blank display. What the hell was he doing here? He should be back at the hotel with his wife and son. If he’d thought meeting Kevin would offer any kind of resolution for him, he’d been dreaming.
The man hadn’t changed one bit. In fact, this lecherous side of Kevin, which Cade had been too young to notice before, made him sink even lower in Cade’s estimation. He’d have to warn Kyle.
The question remained—why had the old man contacted him now? He’d made it clear last year he had no interest in a family reunion.
Cade cleared his throat and took a sip of beer, the malty flavor filling his mouth. “You’re not dying, are you?”
Kevin raised a brow and one side of his mouth. “We’re all dying from the day we’re born.”
Cade ground his teeth together. “Your death is not imminent.”
“It could be.”
“Cut to the chase, Kevin. Why did you want to see me? Why now?”
“I’m broke.” He raised his mug to his lips, watching Cade over the rim with his faded blue eyes.
Cade’s skin prickled with anger, the