Three Little Words (Fool's Gold #12)(11)

Ford remembered being stunned when he’d found Maeve with Leonard. He was sure he’d been upset, but it was a long time ago. It was like recalling a movie he’d seen rather than reliving an emotional event.

“The better man won.”

“No,” Leonard said earnestly. “I’m not the better man. I can’t be until I apologize and you accept.” He squared his shoulders. “We should have told you. We should have explained we were falling in love.”

“Yeah, you should have. So you have and we’re good, right?”

Leonard shook his head. “No. That’s not enough. Maeve and I were young and foolish. You have to see that.”

“I do.” He could also see the beginnings of a headache.

“Sure, we’re married now, with four kids and another on the way, but so what? Our happy marriage doesn’t make what we did right. You deserve your pound of flesh.”

Ford sighed. “Do I have to?”

Leonard stepped closer. “Hit me.”

Ford held in a groan. “Seriously?”

“Yes. Hit me. Then we’ll be even.”

“I appreciate the offer, but get real. I’m a highly trained SEAL. You don’t want to go up against me.”

“I’m not. I’m standing here as the man who wronged you. Hit me. I can take my punishment. I deserve it.”

Ford wondered how long Leonard had been waiting for this moment, planning it. Then he realized he knew the answer. Fourteen years. He saw the determination in his friend’s eyes and figured there was no other way out of it.

“All right,” he said slowly. “If you’re sure.”

Leonard nodded and carefully removed his glasses. “I’m ready.”

Ford pulled out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1.

“Fool’s Gold nine-one-one. What is your emergency?”

“There’s an unconscious man on the ground. Send an ambulance.”

“Wh—”

Leonard started to speak, but that was all he got out before Ford hit him and he crashed to the ground.

* * *

KENT WALKED TOWARD the CDS building. It was a warehouse south of the convention center and east of downtown. He’d never been there before. Although he’d seen his brother Ford several times since Ford’s return, they’d always met at a restaurant, or their mom’s house.

As he entered the large building, he wasn’t thinking about his reason for being there. Instead he was mulling over his work schedule for the day. Although he had several weeks until school started, he’d already begun working on his lesson plans. This year he was determined to take his math-letes all the way to nationals. The kids worked hard and they deserved the opportunity. He was also going to be teaching a new advanced calculus class, which would challenge both him and his students.

“Kent, right?”

“Huh?” He realized he was in a hallway, with a large man standing in front of him. His gaze flickered between the cold gray eyes and the scar on the guy’s neck.

“Angel,” he said as the name came to him. “Kent Hendrix. Ford’s brother. We’ve met a couple of times.”

“Sure.” Angel shook hands with him. “Ford’s not here. There was some kind of trouble and he’s at the hospital.”

“He’s hurt?”

Angel grinned. “No. It’s the other guy.”

Which sounded like Ford, Kent thought, wishing he could be a little more like his brother. Not the fighting. He didn’t want to do whatever it was his brother had learned while in the military. But the ability to go for what he wanted, to not give a damn about convention or other people’s opinions. That would be nice.

“I’m here to see Consuelo. About my son.”

Angel’s grin turned knowing. “Right,” he said, drawing out the word. “That’s a new one.”

“New one what?”

“The kid. It’s a good story, though. Original. You might get points for that.”

Kent shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

“You seeing Consuelo.”

Kent wondered if the other man had taken a few too many blows to the head. “My son is taking a martial arts class with her. He wants to take more and that means he doesn’t have time for soccer. He’s been with the team for a couple of years now, so I want to make sure he’s making the right decision.”

The grin faded. “Oh. You’re really here about your kid.”

“Why else would I come here?”

Angel slapped him on the back. “You’ve never met Consuelo.”

It wasn’t a question, but Kent answered it anyway. “No. I registered Reese by phone after checking it out with Ford.”

Angel chuckled. “You need to brace yourself. She’s hot.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

He wanted to point out that he didn’t actually care about Consuelo except as her classes related to his son, but he doubted Angel would believe him.

Dating seemed impossible, he thought grimly. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to; it was that he didn’t trust himself to get it right. His previous marriage had been the very definition of a disaster. He’d been completely stupid and then he’d perpetuated the mistake by thinking he was still in love with his ex years after she’d left. He hadn’t been. In truth he’d been unable to accept the end of his marriage until he’d accepted the truth about his ex-wife. But finally figuring out the problem didn’t make him any less of an idiot.