I took my time, got out of bed, dug through my bag, found my toothbrush and face wash, went into the bathroom off his bedroom and did my business. Then I didn’t bother dressing, my nightshirt covered me more than most dresses I owned. I walked out of the room and since the house was built into the hill and all the rooms were to one side the hallway was filled with windows and I saw the view.
The good news was there was a sheer drop off beyond the deck therefore difficult to execute a successful drive-by. The other good news was the view was unbelievable. And for the first time in over a week, there was no bad news.
I walked down the hall looking into rooms to my left. A bath and two other bedrooms, one that had a bed and dresser, one that was a messy office. Then I entered the open space. An open kitchen with bar delineating it from internal walkway opposite sliding glass doors to the deck and the kitchen fed into a massive living room that jutted out a bit at the front of the house.
Tack was in the kitchen at the stove.
I moved to stand by him, not too close, and once there I leaned against the counter. I looked down and there were six, perfect, silver dollar pancakes cooking on a griddle.
His head turned to me.
“Looks like you’re good at that,” I remarked.
He didn’t respond to my remark. Instead he asked, “Do you need coffee?”
“Am I Samantha Kidd, am I breathing and is it morning?” I answered.
Shit! There it was again. The smartass.
Tack grinned. Then he jerked his head to the counter behind me.
“Make yourself at home, peaches,” he invited.
Oh boy.
“Do you need a refresh?” I asked.
“I’m good, babe,” he answered.
I moved to find mugs while speaking. “You want to tell me what that was about last night?”
“Seems we got the same thing on our mind.”
I had my hand wrapped around a mug and I turned my head to look at him as I closed the cupboard door. “What?”
“Babe, you came racin’ outta Hawk’s like the fuckin’ place was haunted and jumped on Dog’s bike.”
“Um…” I answered, dropped my head, grabbed the handle of the coffeepot and started pouring. “Why don’t you answer my question first?”
He didn’t hesitate. “I was there ‘cause I wanted an explanation of why you got kidnapped and not an hour later put up for bid.
Hawk and I made a deal and the deal was he’s supposed to have your back so that shit doesn’t happen and it did. He fell down on the job.”
I looked at Tack. “His man got shot three times, protecting me,” I said softly.
Tack’s eyes locked to mine. “Like I said, fallin’ down on the job.”
Hmm. This was unfair and heartbreakingly true at the same time.
I went to the fridge and found milk. “Do you have sugar?”
Tack was flipping pancakes, he finished this task, reached into a cupboard and pulled out a half full bag of sugar, putting it down by my mug. I searched for spoons, sloshed in milk, did my sugar, put back the milk and stirred. Then I set the spoon aside and sipped the coffee.
Tack made good coffee too.
Hmm.
“Peaches,” Tack called, I looked and I saw he was watching me.
“Yes?”
“I answered your question, now’s the time you answer mine.”
I took another sip and studied him over the rim of my mug. His eyes didn’t leave mine so I sighed.