Next Door Knight

by Nicole Flockton

  Well, it worked, and here he stood in the kitchen with a letter from a law firm stating Kerry owed a man by the name of Winthorn Hartigan the third a large amount of money.

  With a pretentious name like that, he had to be an asshole.

  “Nothing that concerns you.” She held out her hand. “Can I have my letter back, please?”

  Yeah, he’d clearly overstepped his mark. He handed over the paper. She slammed it face down on the table and walked over to the cooktop, placing the bowl down on the counter with a loud bang.

  He might not have been in any serious relationships in his life, but he’d heard enough stories from the guys about dealing with angry wives or partners. The difference between their situations and his was that he and Kerry hadn’t really argued. She was already upset when he walked into the kitchen.

  If he continued on in the vein he’d planned when he walked into the kitchen, she might relax around him and tell him the story behind the letter. “Where’s your toaster? I can get started on some toast while you cook the eggs.”

  “It’s fine. You don’t have to help. You’re a guest.” Her words so polite, as if she were addressing a stranger and not a man who she’d kissed back with a passion he’d never encountered before just moments ago.

  His dick twitched against the soft fabric of his sweats. He’d only just gotten his aroused body under control. A mundane task like making toast would help to keep his mind off him and Kerry and a bed that was only a few feet away. “Please, I want to help. And I’m sorry for taking the letter off you. I had no right.”

  “You’re right. You shouldn’t have. That was my private mail. I don’t think you’d like if I did it to you.”

  “No, I wouldn’t. I don’t know what came over me.”

  “Let me say one thing. My life is my own. I make my own decisions and deal with my own problems. No one else. Do you understand?”

  Fire lit her eyes, and he admired that strength. He’d been an asshole, snatching her letter. He was lucky she wasn’t going to kick him out. “Everything you’ve said is true. I’m really sorry for what I did, Kerry.”

  She blew out a frustrated breath and he’d won the battle. “Fine. Toaster is in the lower cabinet by the oven.”

  They worked together in harmony, and he resisted the urge to pull her into his arms again and kiss her. After the letter fiasco, that would be the last thing he should do. Willow had wandered into the kitchen and lay on the ground, her head resting on her paws, as if she approved of the sight in front of her.

  For the first time since his accident and the uncertainty of his career, Caleb had a sense of what his life could be if he only took the plunge. It was no hardship picturing mornings where he and Kerry made breakfast together. Maybe even fed each other in bed, followed by a session of explosive lovemaking.

  Explosive lovemaking?

  Sheesh, what was he, a hero in a romance novel?

  All he and Kerry had shared were a couple of hot kisses. Although he couldn’t deny it—he wouldn’t mind taking it further. As cheesy as the thought was, he had no doubt that when he and Kerry finally did make love it would be explosive.

  Yeah, he could be a hero in a romance novel.

  “Caleb? Are you okay?”

  “Sorry, yeah. I was just… uh… thinking.”

  “Thinking? That’s all?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  She slammed the spatula she was holding down on the counter. “Because I thought you were in the middle of some sort of PTSD attack. I was talking to you, but you were looking at me with a blank stare.”

  He smoothed his hands over her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. “I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m fine.” He pulled back so he could look into her eyes. “I’m more than fine.”

  Giving in to the temptation he’d been trying to fight since he walked into the kitchen, he lowered his head as she raised hers. Their lips met in a soft kiss. He enjoyed holding her and being part of what he hoped they would become—a couple.

  A nudge against his leg made him pull away from Kerry, his hands resting lightly on her hips. “Willow, you’re going to have to learn some boundaries.”

  The dog barked and wagged her tail enthusiastically. Kerry turned her attention back to the eggs cooking in the pan. “I don’t think you can do any wrong in Willow’s eyes. I think she’s in love.”

  Caleb’s heart stuttered. The L word. He focused back on the toast, putting a little more distance between him, Kerry, and Willow.

  Admitting that he wanted to pursue Kerry didn’t necessarily mean he had any plans to fall in love with her. Or her dog. His heart was still raw from the loss of Trigger and then losing his father quickly after the accident.

  Guilt. A constant companion. Trigger would still be alive if he’d been more aware. His dad would still be alive if he hadn’t been driving to see Caleb in the hospital.

  “Okay, everything’s done. How’s the toast?”

  He pasted a smile on his face. “All done.”

  Kerry cocked her head, studying him. He held her gaze, hoping he managed to keep his discomfort off his face. “Good. You can take it to the table.”

  He carried over the platter, setting it down next to the steaming plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Kerry studying the letter again before throwing it on the counter. She’d advised him it was none of his business, but he couldn’t ignore the troubled look on her face even if he wanted to.

  Later, he’d bring it up with her later. When they were alone and her father wasn’t a witness to it. Perhaps Ron didn’t even know about the guy demanding Kerry pay him back a huge amount.

  What had she done? Who was Winthorn Hartigan the third to Kerry? And should he worry that this was all a ploy by Winthorn to get Kerry back?

  Chapter Fifteen

  The lawyer’s letter mocked Kerry as she sat at the kitchen table, alone now that Caleb had left and her dad had gone to take a shower. The urge to burn the offending piece of paper was strong.

  Sighing, she pushed back from the table and picked up the document, scanning the words she’d read thirty times over already.

  “What are you going to do about it, sweetie?”

  Kerry’s head whipped up at the sound of her father’s voice. She had been lost in her own thoughts that she hadn’t paid attention to the shower stopping and her dad entering the kitchen, fully dressed. “Fight Winthorn, but to do that I’m going to have to employ the services of one of the top solicitors in San Antonio, and that’s an expense I’m not sure I can manage.”

  Her dad’s large, warm hand closed over her clenched fist. “I know, and I’ll help you. It’s not right what this jerk is doing to you. Not happening on my watch.”

  No way would she let her father use his hard-earned retirement funds on her. She’d make it work, and if, at the end of the day, she’d have to sell the house to pay him back, then she would. “I won’t have you doing that, Dad. This is my problem and I’ll handle it.”

  He pulled his hand away and crossed his arms over his chest. “Oh, me helping you isn’t up for discussion. It’s how it’s going to be. You’re my daughter and I’m going to fight alongside you. And I will help you financially in any way I can.”

  Kerry stared at Dad, surprised at the vehemence in his voice. What could she say? When she’d informed her parents she wasn’t finishing college, even though she only had one semester to go, Dad had told her she’d regret her decision. At the time she’d been convinced Winthorn hung the moon. If only she’d listened to her father’s concerns then, she wouldn’t be in this position now.

  You also wouldn’t have Willow and you wouldn’t have met Caleb.

  Well, one of those things still would’ve happened. She would’ve gotten a dog, but maybe not Willow… okay, if she hadn’t gone through what she had, her life wouldn’t be what it was today. Accepting her dad’s help didn’t mean she was weak and unable to take care of herself.

 
“Thank you, Dad. It means so much to me.”

  “Sweetie, I’ll always be on your side.”

  “Do you think Mom’s lawyers will be able to help us in this situation? And if so, seeing as we’re a returning client, maybe we’ll get a discounted hourly rate.”

  Dad laughed. “Somehow I don’t think so, but they do deal with family law. Let me call them and see if I can make an appointment.”

  She leaned up and kissed her dad on the cheek. “Thanks. I’m going to have a shower. This isn’t how I wanted to spend my day off, but if I can get this sorted out now, I’ll be happy.”

  “Leave it with me.” He patted her cheek and hobbled out of the kitchen back to his room.

  Kerry folded the offending piece of paper and stuffed it in her purse. Winthorn’s actions could be understandable if they’d been married, but he hadn’t even discussed marriage. Oh, she’d thought about it a few times but never had the courage to mention it to him. Considering how much he controlled her life, why did he need a piece of paper to tie her to him? She was more than a willing participant in whatever he wanted.

  Which made him dumping her all that more baffling. Even now, she couldn’t get her head around his actions. It didn’t matter because now it turned out to be the best thing he’d ever done. She’d found her feet and was living her life how she wanted.

  Maybe that was it.

  Maybe he’d seen how she hadn’t fallen apart and collapsed into a piece of worthless trash after their breakup and he didn’t like it. Perhaps he’d been hoping she’d come groveling back to him, begging for him to reconsider his decision.

  It had to be a thorn in his side that she’d picked herself up, dusted herself off, and tackled life full steam ahead. And she’d been successful too.

  This scenario made perfect sense. Well, she hadn’t shattered when he’d dumped her and she wasn’t going to shatter now with his threats. If he wanted a fight, he was going to get one.

  And she was going to win.

  *

  Caleb checked his clothes to make sure there were no creases that shouldn’t be there. His shoes shined brighter than a brand-new penny, and his hair was slicked back so as not to show how much he really needed to get a haircut.

  Wearing his uniform again after being out of it for so long felt foreign in a way it never had before. It was almost like he was playing dress up and the clothes didn’t fit right.

  He raised his fist and knocked on Lieutenant Commander Blue’s door.

  “Enter.”

  How was it possible for the word to appear to boom around the hallway through a wooden door?

  Taking a deep breath, he opened the door. The desk was immaculate, like Blue’s uniform. He waved Caleb in while he scribbled on the lone piece of paper centered precisely in front of him.

  Closing the door, Caleb crossed the small office and waited until his superior officer looked up, saluting the man when he did.

  “Take a seat, Bradshaw.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Caleb sat, back rigid, as if he were undergoing a uniform inspection prior to a parade.

  “You’re looking well,” the other man said eventually.

  He relaxed his shoulders a fraction. “Thank you, sir. I’m feeling well.”

  “I’m glad you’re here. This isn’t how things are usually done. Normally, a military personnel flight contacts you, but I wanted to be the one to pass on the board’s finding.”

  Caleb’s heart beat out a rapid tattoo. He’d gone in for his final testing the day before and after he completed them, even he was aware his ability to perform his job had decreased.

  “Thank you, sir.” What else could he say? Regardless of the fact he’d been preparing for this, now that the moment was on him, he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the outcome.

  His life was about to change, like the day he signed the papers to enlist. Then, he’d been a boy full of wonder and hope. Excited about the new adventures he was about to embark on. And naïve in the sense he had no idea what basic training was going to be like. Naïve in that what he’d seen in the movies when soldiers went into battle was a combination of reality and Hollywood. Nothing could prepare him for the shouts of everyone around him and the noise from the bullets and explosions. Now he could be facing the end of his dream career.

  Blue reached for a folder and opened it. “Based on the results from the tests, the doctors have determined that while you would be unable to perform your job in the way that you previously did, your experience and skills can be used in a training role with new recruits to the K-9 program.”

  Caleb leaned back in his chair. He hadn’t anticipated this news at all. He fully expected to hear that he was about to be discharged. Did he want to be a trainer? It would mean he’d be around dogs on a daily basis. Could he do it? Could he watch the relationships between dog and handler being built, knowing it could change in a flash?

  “What are you thinking, Bradshaw?” Blue interrupted his thoughts.

  “To be honest, sir, I’ve got a lot of thoughts going through my mind. This wasn’t the outcome I was expecting.”

  Blue shuffled through some of the papers in the folder. “There is another option for you.”

  Caleb knew exactly what he was talking about. Retirement. He’d come to the meeting prepared to end his career in the air force. Had accepted it and, yeah, that was what he wanted. The time had come to move on. His life had changed over the last few weeks and he liked the direction it was heading. Visiting the veterans’ center had been an eye-opener too.

  A weight lifted off his shoulders; his decision was the right one for him. “Yes, sir. I know what you’re talking about and I appreciate the medical board’s finding, but I’m coming up to twenty years in service and I’ve decided to retire. I think this is what’s best for me going forward.”

  Blue sat back in his chair, the hinges squeaking a little at the motion. Caleb imagined the next time he came in, the chair would be quiet. He withstood Blue’s scrutiny, knowing his superior officer was studying him to check that his decision wasn’t hastily made.

  “I see. And are you happy with this outcome?”

  “Yes, sir. I am. The medical board may think I’m recovered enough for another position, but I still experience pain and I know my leg won’t be the same as it was. Also, I don’t…” A lump formed in his throat and he swallowed in an attempt to dislodge it. “I’m not sure I want to work with dogs, even in a training capacity. Losing Trigger was one of the hardest things I’ve had to go through. He saved my life, but I can’t help but feel guilty that I’m still here and he’s not.”

  God, could he sound any softer? He was an airman. He’d done numerous tours of duty and had seen his fair share of tragedy.

  “I understand losing your partner is like losing part of yourself. I don’t believe that I should try and change your mind. I can see in your eyes that your decision is final. Have you considered what you might do in the future? After twenty years in the service, I don’t see you as the type of person who will be happy sitting around the house.”

  Caleb chuckled. “You’re right, sir, that’s not me.”

  Although it had been. Until Kerry and Willow came into his life, the only times he’d left the house had been to go to rehab and to the odd party, and that had been because Ethan had forced him. Or the girl he was sleeping with at the time dragged him out of the house.

  Now, since a corgi dog turned up unannounced in his backyard, he’d begun to interact with people again. It was a good feeling.

  “As for my future, I’ve got a couple of ideas. Nothing set in concrete. I’m going to take my time and find something that really speaks to me.”

  “I think that’s a good idea. If you need any recommendations, let me know. I know some people in the police force if you wish to go into the K-9 unit.” Caleb opened his mouth to protest, but Blue held up his hand. “I know you said you don’t want to work with dogs again, but they need trainers and you’d be good at it. Th
e medical board recognized that too.”

  No, training dogs for action where they could be hurt or die wasn’t an occupation that he would like. Of course, there were other training opportunities with dogs he could consider. But he didn’t want to share that with Blue just yet. “Thank you. I’ll consider it.”

  “Do that. You’d be an excellent trainer, Caleb. You’ve got years of combat experience and good instincts.”

  “If I had good instincts, I wouldn’t have bullet holes in my shoulder and leg and my partner wouldn’t be dead.” No way could he trust his instincts now.

  “I don’t think your instincts played a part in what happened to you and Trigger or the other men involved in the incident. It’s how the drug cartels play, and it’s something we constantly battle. There wasn’t anything you could’ve done differently that would’ve changed the outcome. Also, you have to remember Trigger’s job was to protect. He was protecting you.”

  Logically, Caleb was aware his dog had acted on his instinct, but that didn’t mean Caleb liked it. But one thing he knew about being in the service; arguing with a superior officer always led down the road of extra PT exercises. Not that he had to worry about that anymore.

  “Yes, sir. I may not like it and it hurts like a bitch, but I’ll be forever grateful that Trigger saved my life.”

  “Right. Well, I’ll get started on your discharge papers.”

  Clearly, Blue had decided time for personal chitchat was over, and Caleb couldn’t agree more. Laying himself open to be examined by people wasn’t his favorite pastime. He stood, grimacing at the short stab of pain in his thigh. No amount of physical therapy exercise would totally take away the reminder of what he’d endured, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. “Thank you, sir. I’ll await your orders.”

  He saluted and swiveled away, military style, and walked through the door, down the hallway, and out into the fresh air. He stood for a few moments, inhaling the familiar scents of the base. The aroma of the cafeteria cooking barbeque for lunch. The sounds of guys doing drills. Any other time he’d gone on to the base he’d experienced a longing to reverse time and make him part of the things going on around him. To feed Trigger treats when he completed the training task he’d been assigned.