Command: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by Amélie S. Duncan

  Shana

  Nate and I met up outside the Malone’s house for their annual football tournament and cookout. When he invited me to join him, I hadn’t been sure if I should attend. Bridget’s funeral had only been a week ago. The whole town knew about what happened and my somewhat possible involvement. I didn’t want to show my face, however, Grady called me personally and invited me over.

  Woo, the Malone brothers. Like everyone with eyes, I found them hot. As a teen, I had a crush on them. They were all married now, but I couldn’t help but poke fun at Nathan.

  “Is Grady playing today? I hope it’s skins against shirts.”

  “You know he’s married,” he said, his tone curt.

  I laughed, but I wasn’t done. “Okay. I hope Maeve brings her EMT guy, Chad.”

  His brows furrowed. “Chad’s younger than her, and I hear he’s a womanizer. She’s not interested in him.”

  “Yeah, he’s only eating her muffins,” I said and bit the inside of my cheek to stop from laughing when he gave me a hard look.

  “I’m not even going there. Maeve’s been through a lot, and she deserves someone better.”

  “So, all you can say is he’s not good enough,” I said without thinking.

  “Hey.” He held his hand out for me to stop moving up the driveway. “Aidan never said you weren’t good enough for me.”

  “He did, but let’s drop it for now.”

  Nathan had a different way of interpreting what his brother had said to me. Aidan thought I was using him. I didn’t want to hurt Nathan, but I didn’t know what to do with myself. All I knew was that I loved spending time with him.

  He leaned in and kissed the side of my head. “Aidan knows I’m on your side in this. I don’t want to hear any more about Chad and Maeve. So stop poking the bear.”

  I laughed.

  Grady answered the door. He had on a maroon and white football jersey with Team Malone printed on the front. His aqua eyes glinted as they shifted between the two of us.

  “You can both come inside, but Shana needs to keep her clothes on. Aidan told us what she did to him, and this is a family event.”

  I smirked. “It seems Aidan’s turned into a messy bitch who likes to spill drama.”

  “No. I’ll leave that for you.” Aidan came up behind Grady, laughing. He had on a green football jersey that said: Team Donleavy.

  “Watch it, Aidan,” Nathan said.

  “I’m just having fun.” He threw a green football jersey at Nathan. “Here.”

  “Where is Shana’s?” he asked.

  Aidan lifted his arms in a shrug. “I wasn’t sure she’d come. My bad.”

  I smirked. “I did. Let’s move on.”

  Nathan glared at Aidan and pulled out his phone. “I’ll get Maeve to swing by and pick up Shana’s shirt.”

  I touched his arm. “I’m fine. I don’t need a T-shirt.”

  “Time out,” Grady said to Aidan. “Let’s return to our corners and try to enjoy the day.”

  “I’m good,” Aidan said but walked out the front door.

  “As for you, Shana, when your T-shirt arrives, you need to keep it on at all times,” Grady teased.

  I rolled my eyes. “Is this going to be your running gag all day, Grady?”

  Nathan laughed, and I elbowed his side.

  “After the way the two of you carried on at the baseball game, neither one of you will be spared today,” Grady said.

  We threw a few sore looks his way, but he took the raspberry crumble from me that I’d bought from Bertha’s café, and strutted away from us the victor.

  “Please tell me you, Aidan, and Maeve will win the football tourney today,” I begged Nate.

  “Why? The two of you in a rush to lose?” Grant had appeared, not missing a beat. I agreed, though I’d keep that to myself. He had a baseball hat covering his dark hair and an apron on over his jersey. It gave off a smell of smoke from the grill.

  My stomach growled. I only had fruit for breakfast and left plenty of room for the feast Nathan promised.

  “There is no crying in football, but watch Nathan cry when he loses,” Grayson said, handing Nate a beer and me a cider. I hadn’t seen much of the third Malone brother, but I knew he worked for Mercy Life as a rescue pilot. His hair was messy brown like Grady’s, but his eyes were crystal blue. They were so captivating that once you made eye contact, it was hard to look away.

  “He won’t because we won’t lose,” I boasted, and Nathan kissed my cheek.

  “He thinks he has a ringer. Shana’s all right at baseball, but this is football, babe,” Grady said, returning to high-five his two brothers.

  “If Shana plays, Emerson will play.”

  Grant kissed the strawberry-blonde who came over to him and said, “I’m game.”

  “It’s on,” Aidan said, walking up. “As soon as Maeve gets here.”

  “With Chad,” I whispered, taunting Nate.

  “Keep on teasing me, and I’ll make your ass pay for it,” Nathan whispered back.

  My lips curved up into a smile, thinking about what he’d do.

  “Still a family event,” Grady shot over to us.

  “Come, let me make a plate for you, Shana,” Emerson said, and I followed her outside to the patio. They had tables and chairs set up on the lawn with a full spread of grilled steaks, lobsters, salads, and vegetable sticks. A little girl in a cute flowered sundress with a head full of curls and big blue eyes came teetering over to me. She patted my leg.

  I hesitated and put down my food. “Hello.”

  “Gwen wants you to pick her up,” Emerson said in a light tone. “You can if you’d like.”

  My cheeks heated. What if I drop her?

  I glanced around, and all eyes seemed to be on me.

  She raised her hands to me. “Up.”

  My hands trembled as I lifted her and placed her on my lap. She cooed and wiggled around. I looked over at Emerson, smiling at Gwen. “Hmm. She’s a little doll.” I tried to keep a hold of her as she twisted and slid down my legs to the grass.

  “All right, let Shana off the hook.” Grant came over and picked up Gwen. He flew her around in the air, and she giggled.

  I glanced over at Nathan, who smiled and gave me the thumbs up.

  I gave him the same back. Yay, I survived a baby.

  “How do you do it?” I asked Emerson.

  “Not alone,” she said. “I have Grant and the whole family around to help out.”

  “Takes a village,” I teased.

  She grinned. “Yes. We have a great one.”

  Nathan’s parents, Rebecca and Patrick, arrived with Maeve. With the steaks, ribs, grilled vegetables, corn on the cob, potato salad, fruit salad, a bunch of other salads—the cookout was a feast. The kindness they showed each other made me miss the good times my family had. I didn’t realize I trembled until Nathan hugged me from the back. My heart swelled in my chest. In his arms, I felt content.

  Maeve came over to me and handed me a jersey; on the back was printed Shadow.

  “You’re an honorary Donleavy today,” she said.

  I hunched my shoulders. “When did you make this?”

  “I had it made when you first moved in. I took a leap of faith.” She winked at me.

  My heart swelled in my chest. Maeve had been so good to me. I missed our coffee mornings and watching her cook at the end of the day.

  She hugged me.

  “What’s that for?” I asked.

  She lifted her chin. “I don’t need a reason.”

  I smiled. She didn’t.

  I went to the bathroom and changed. I opened my bag to store the shirt I came in and found the envelope of money I left Maeve for staying with her. I shook my head laughing. She’s so stubborn. She was pure gold. I’d have to find another way to get her to take the money.

  When I returned, both the Donleavys and Malones were gathered in the hallway with a couple of footballs in hand, ready to play the game. The winner would host next year�
��s cookout.

  “When did you last win?” I asked Nathan.

  “Two years ago,” he said and cupped his hand over my ear. “We talk big, but we like going to the Malones’ for the cookout.”

  My mouth dropped open. The Donleavys wanted to lose. Scandalous.

  Even though they didn’t want to win, I knew we were in trouble. When we reached the park and chose the fence and trees as goal lines, Grant threw Emerson a spinner football during our warmup. She caught it with Linda Hamilton Terminator reflexes.

  I frowned. I hated losing.

  “It’s all in good fun,” Maeve pointed out.

  Nathan, Maeve, and Aidan lined up across from Grady, Grant, Emerson, and Grayson.

  “Coin toss?” Grant stepped forward and pulled out a coin. “Call it.”

  “Heads,” Nathan said. He threw the coin in the air, caught it, and opened his hand to see the coin in his palm. Heads wins.

  Aidan took the ball, and Nathan lined up behind him for the snap. He bent at the waist and threw the ball between his legs to Nathan, who caught the ball and looked for one of us to catch it.

  Maeve and Emerson pushed playfully into each other to block, and Grayson and Aidan laughed as they knocked each other off their feet.

  “Go long, Shadow,” Nathan yelled.

  I ran downfield and turned just as Nathan threw the ball before Grant tackled him.

  It went airborne. I ran and caught the ball and tucked it to my chest.

  “That’s the way,” I heard Nathan yell behind me.

  I didn’t stop. I ran down to the fence and spiked the ball on the ground.

  “Touchdown.” I jumped with my hands waving overhead.

  “No grandstanding,” Grady called over to me.

  Maeve ran to me, and we high-fived. “Good one, Shadow.”

  Nathan and Aidan set up the snap again. When he hiked the ball, Grady tackled Nathan down.

  “Malone intercepts,” he said, jumping up, holding his hand out to help Nathan climb to his feet.

  “Was that a legal move?” Nathan asked.

  “Nice try. It was a legal tackle.” Grady waved to Grayson, who went behind him to catch the ball.

  I tried to give Emerson a mean look, but we both ended up laughing.

  “You’re going down,” Grant said to me.

  “Oh yeah,” I said and nodded. “Bring it.” I grabbed his shirt to keep him from moving.

  “Cheat.” He laughed.

  “Whatever wins,” I said.

  Grady hand-passed the ball to Emerson, who took off running with a speed no one could match. She quickly reached the tree-lined goal.

  “Score,” she cried out, holding the ball overhead.

  Grant, Grayson, and Emerson high-fived each other. Grady did a couple of Atlas poses.

  “What happened to no grandstanding?” Nate called out.

  Grady took off his shirt and laughed. “We relaxed the rules.”

  I waggled my brows. “Wow.”

  Nate glared at me. “We don’t want a complete wipeout. Focus, Callahan.”

  Maeve grinned. “No fair . . . I mean. Wow.”

  Nathan groaned. “You too?”

  After that, we lost big time.

  In the end, Nate scooped me up off my feet. I cupped his face, and we kissed and smiled at each other. This. I had missed this. Easy laughter. Sunshine.

  Nate.

  “That was fun,” I said.

  “See? There are plenty of fun things to do here.” He winked at me.

  His phone rang, and he placed me on my feet. When he answered, his expression turned serious.

  “999, 10-71. I have to go,” Nathan announced to Grant and Poppy, his dad, who had just walked up.

  Grant went over to his side, and the three talked. When they finished, his dad slapped his back.

  “Good going, son.” My heart warmed at the joy filling Nate’s face from receiving his dad’s praise. That was Nate, a pleaser. He always tried to help everyone around him, no matter what the situation. He’d save someone else rather than save himself.

  He’d jumped in and searched for Jackson. He’d gone back in to rescue me.

  He’d never stopped.

  Never stopped wanting to rescue me.

  Nate came to where I stood. “Use your key to my house. I want to see you later. I’ll drop you off tomorrow. No protests, okay?” He pecked my lips then rushed down the street toward his car.

  I stared after him. Where did Nate have to go so fast, and would he be okay? I didn’t know if I could ask Patrick or Grant without them questioning what I was doing in his life like Aidan had done. I sighed. I hated feeling like the odd one out.

  When we left together from the park to the house, Grant caught up to me in the living room.

  “I recognize that look. I can assure you, Nate is the most responsible and safe person I know. All our officers are well trained and experienced. Have faith.”

  He went to Emerson and their baby and kissed her before leaving the house. Everyone went back to talking and eating. They lived as if Nate and Grant hadn’t left us and could end up hurt. Then again, almost all of them worked in jobs that put them in harm’s way. They had families and children even if the tragedy could hit any minute. How could they go on?

  Shana

  We all went into the living room to watch the football game on the television. I took a seat at the end of the couch next to Maeve, who chatted with Aidan.

  I shifted on the couch, my eyes darting between the football game on the television and the time. I checked my phone. Of course, Nathan had only just left. But I wanted to hear from him.

  “Would you like some coffee, cake, or ice cream?” Emerson offered.

  I put on a smile. “No, thank you.”

  “Oh come on, Shana, just one little slice,” Maeve said to me.

  “I’m not feeling well. Actually, I’m going home.” I stood up. “Thank you all for the delicious barbeque and game. I really enjoyed it.”

  “Come on and stay awhile, Shana,” Grady said.

  “If you’re not feeling well, you can lie down here,” Emerson said. “I’ll go tell Betsy, and we’ll make up a room for you.”

  I wasn’t sick physically. I needed to leave to walk, breathe, think. I thought about those pills I stomped that I now regretted. If I could have kept one, I wouldn’t get so jittery. My mind would calm down, and I wouldn’t think about Nathan getting hurt.

  “No, really, I need to go. Thank you for your offers,” I said.

  “If she’s not feeling well, she should go home. Stop pressuring her,” Aidan said, and I actually appreciated that.

  “I’ll check on you later,” Maeve said, and I thanked her. They gave me a bag with some barbeque leftovers to take with me. After another round of ‘are you sure,’ I left for my car.

  I’d just put on my seatbelt when Patrick caught up to me. “You sure you’re all right?”

  I shrugged. “It’s really a Malone-Donleavy thing, and now that Nathan’s gone, I should go too.”

  “I hope you don’t feel that way. I know it’s harder when you’re with someone on the police force. If I didn’t think my son could handle it or that he wasn’t surrounded and supported by a safe and responsible team, I wouldn’t send him.”

  I blinked. Yeah, Nathan may be safe, but what if the situation turned dangerous? “Thank you for your advice.”

  “You keep on going. I hope things keep turning around for you.”

  He stayed on the curb and watched me drive off.

  I drove around and ended up downtown on Main Street and considered going into the NA meeting but spotted Pam again. This time she went inside the church.

  A nervous rush of guilt kept me in my seat. Was she attending meetings now? Before I could think of where I’d go, she walked back out. Cupping her hand over her eyes, she peered down the street and right at me. Shit.

  I quickly turned on the engine and sped around the corner. Sweat broke across my body, and I sunk
in my seat to avoid her. My brain knew how ridiculous I behaved. Selfish or not, I didn’t think I could handle her accusations and hurt without harming myself and all I had tried to change. I would have to if I stayed in Sunnyville, my conscience reminded me. Just not today.

  I circled the block back to the church. More people came out of the doors that were now propped open. I pulled over, and I decided to go inside. I wasn’t religious, but I lit a candle and sat in a pew. My thoughts returned to Bridget and how I could have easily become her. Hell, there were times I’d been so far gone, I didn’t know where I was or what happened. That had led me to leave Sunnyville for a fresh start.

  Though I’d left town and changed my life and friends, I hadn’t stopped using. Was my drug use casual like I’d been claiming? There was a balance for most, and I just hadn’t found mine.

  Still, there was a path to ending up like Bridget. I’d fight hard to avoid it.

  I walked outside, and someone tapped my shoulder from behind. I did a double-take. Skelly. His face looked like he had gotten in a fight and lost, one eye swollen shut, the other mostly black.

  “What happened to you?” I asked.

  He laughed and lit up a cigarette, his hands cut and dirty. “Crazy night, you know how it is. My car was jacked. Can you spot me eighty dollars?”

  I flicked my eyes over him. He had a hole in his trousers with bloody scrapes at the knee. He shifted from foot to foot, like he was in pain.

  “Okay, I’ll give you the money I have, but maybe you should go to the hospital first, or have you made a police report? I can give you a ride, as my car is over there.”

  I gestured to where I parked.

  “No. I don’t want a ride. Just . . . just give me the money.”

  I hesitated and looked him over again. He tunneled his hands through his hair like he was restless. Hell, he could barely stand still and kept rubbing his arms. I met his one open eye and noticed the dilated pupil.

  “Shana, what are you waiting for?”

  Unease crept across my skin and clung. Skelly was on some drug, and I thought of Bridget and the mess I was already in. What if the money I gave him ended up costing his life?

  I didn’t want to leave him hanging. And Skelly was in no position to be making decisions; he needed some help.