Page 7 of Fortune’s Control (Fortune’s Creek #1)

Jack: Come over! There is cold beer! Acknowledge my existence!

I ignored this text, too, just as I did the one he sent five minutes earlier. For now, a hot shower, the woodshop, and an early bedtime made for a pleasant evening.

“You’re the strongest, bravest, handsomest pirate in the world, aren’t you?”

I lurched to a stop at the familiar voice. Who was the pirate?

“The fluffiest pirate. The purringest pirate.”

Lilah met the cat. Shaking my head, I rounded the corner to find her draped across the back porch floor.

The black and white cat rubbed its chin against Lilah’s hands, lapping up both the praise and soft scratches.

An emerald green swimsuit bottom peeked out from Lilah’s white t-shirt.

Her damp hair let me know she’d been in the pool only a short time ago, and I missed it.

Damn.

“Who’s the pirate?” I asked.

Lilah jumped at my sudden presence, but the cat didn’t notice. “He is. We met a few days ago, and he let me pet him today. I named him Pirate.”

“Why’s that?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

The cat appeared in my backyard one morning over a week ago, but ran when I tried to approach. The cat did the same when I left food and water bowls out. I returned that evening to find them empty and her missing .

Lilah pulled herself up and crossed her legs. “He’s missing an eye, and the black and white fur makes it look like he’s wearing an eyepatch. I can’t call him Captain Hook because he isn’t missing a leg, so Pirate it is. Better than Fluffy or Precious, don’t you think?”

“It’s better than the name I picked out.” She raised her eyebrows, curious. “I picked out Dog.” It struck me as funny, although I couldn’t recall why. “Pirate is a fierce name. Also, he is a girl. Check between his legs.”

Lilah lifted Pirate’s tail and drew back. “Oh. It doesn’t matter. She’s a fierce lady pirate. I’m sticking with Pirate. We’re keeping her.” Her eyes widened. “You’re keeping her. No obligation.”

I ignored the slip, as there was no way to respond without embarrassing us both.

“I showed a couple of pictures of her missing eye to the vet. He said she was likely born that way, and to bring her in for a check-up when she was caught. It looks like you managed that today, so I’ll call the vet in the morning for an appointment. Would you want to come with?”

Her eyes lit up. “Absolutely. I always wanted a pet growing up. Cat or dog, it didn’t matter.” She sighed and perked back up. “Did you have any pets?”

“A golden retriever named Killer. Sweet boy, but he never lived up to that name.” I smiled at the fond memories. “He could capture a leaf or stick, and not much else.”

We barely spoke since picking up her car, and that was several days ago.

I sat on the porch’s top step and spread my legs on the grass below, taking care to give Lilah a respectful distance.

Pirate stretched, curled on her side between us, and purred.

“Are you enjoying the pool? I’m glad it’s getting some use as I’d considered filling it in. ”

“Seriously? You have your own private swimming pool and want to get rid of it? ”

“They’re a lot of work, and I don’t use it.”

“You should.” Lilah covered her mouth at the admonition.

“Maybe.”

“You’re invited to join me if you’d like, although it belongs to you, so the invitation is redundant, isn’t it?” Her tone grew casual toward the end, like a friendly invitation from one person to another, and easy to decline. Like she knew I would.

My physical therapists suggested swimming for strength training, and I ran for no other reason but to prove that I still could. “Sure. Some other time. Maybe when it’s closer to summer.”

“It’s late April.”

I smirked. “I prefer my water just shy of boiling. Maybe another time.”

That sounded like a dismissal, which it was, but I didn’t plan to go swimming with her soon. Her casual invitation, likely because of polite obligation, wouldn’t change my mind.

“Did you enjoy the chocolate chip cookies?” she asked.

We both knew her question was a deliberate attempt to change the conversation, but I played along.

“They were a sweet surprise. You didn’t need to do that.” Aiden would bonk my head if he were here. Telling Lilah the truth would hurt her feelings, and there was no reason to do so.

She waved her hand and resumed stroking Pirate rather than look at me. “I enjoy baking. Cooking, not so much. It always feels like a chore, while cookies mean a fun treat at the end, you know?”

I preferred my desserts to be fruit-based. “I get that.”

“Also, thank you for the new phone. You didn’t need to do that.” She turned my words back on me, adding a smile at the end to remove any bite.

“You needed a replacement.” She borrowed mine to call her friend the day we picked up her car, after explaining the dropped one wouldn’t charge. “It wasn’t a bother.” Speaking to Emma was worth the cost of a new phone.

“You must think I’m a mess.” Her soft voice stirred me. She had put on a false cheer when we first met, declining my help despite needing it. Conversations like this one only convinced me more hid under her surface. “Broken phone. No job. Running out of gas.”

“I don’t know you well enough to reach that conclusion.

” That sounded harsher than I meant. A streak of bad luck happened to everyone, and I was no exception.

“We all need a break sometimes, even me.” Lilah needed my help, and I was gratified to be proven correct.

“Time may pass, but life doesn’t always keep to your planned schedule. Stay here as long as you need.”

Lilah bit her lip, and the vulnerability in her gesture stirred something in me.

“I’ll pay you back. For the phone and rent.”

The apartment sat unused except for the rare times my sister bothered to visit, and that wouldn’t be anytime soon.

“If you enjoy baking, then do that, and we’ll call it even.

” Hell, more chocolate chip cookies I won’t eat.

Why did I make that offer? “It’s been a long time since another person cared enough to make me some.

” My phone buzzed with another notification.

I didn’t need to check to know Jack sent another text. “I’ll see you around.”

*****

My bedroom overlooked her apartment, allowing a view into the windows. She worked in the kitchen while the television played in the background. I closed the blinds, granting us both privacy, rested my crutches against the nearby wall, and sat down to finish dressing.

The room once belonged to my parents. I stubbornly climbed the stairs every night, even pushing myself when I shouldn’t, but it was more than the physical challenge.

It was my parents’ bedroom, and using it felt wrong, like it took part of them away.

I ended up painting the walls and replacing the furniture, which helped. A little.

My phone rang, and I considered not answering before deciding against it. Jack would show up if I didn’t respond. “You could have sent a text.”

“You ignored them. What are you doing tonight?”

“The shop and an early bedtime.”

“You were supposed to come over so we could watch the game.”

“Is this your way of telling me you’ll keep calling until I give in?”

“Nope.” My doorbell rang. “I picked up wings from The Gator Tail. Let me in.”

“The door is unlocked. Be there in a minute.”

The back door opened, and Jack shouted a greeting. I threw my phone down and considered changing again but decided against it. My leg needed rest, and there was only Jack waiting for me.

I pulled a fresh compression halfway up my thigh, smoothing it along my calf, and grabbed my crutches to head downstairs.

“On my way. There better be plenty of food, or I’m kicking you out.”

I hopped down the stairs, a quick process after so much practice, to find Jack waiting.

“Badminton or bowling. You can pick.” He snapped his fingers and flicked a thumb at me.

“Badminton? Damn, let’s go with bowling.” I claimed my favorite chair and grabbed a green bottle off the coffee table.

“How’s married life?”

I arched a brow. “Is that why you came over? It’s fine. We have a cat, and her name is Pirate.”

“Pirate? You named the cat Pirate? I’ve heard worse.” Jack’s head bobbed as he played the name over in his head. “Will you take her out or introduce her to others soon? I’ve been asked at the grocery store and the diner. Also, walking along the street…”

“Yes, I get it. People are curious, and they will stay curious. We don’t have plans.”

Jack’s voice deepened at his next question. “Have you told Sophie yet?” His eyes flashed at my sister’s name.

They once epitomized the idea of high school sweethearts, so much so that the entire town assumed they would marry right after she graduated.

I figured she would go to college first, but otherwise, I shared the same beliefs as everyone else.

Instead, they broke up before Jack and I joined the Marines.

The rare times Sophie came home, she took extra care to avoid him.

For all the distance between them, my relationship with Sophie was equally strained. “I haven’t had the chance yet. I’ll call her soon, maybe later this week.”

“How is she?”

“Fine. She’s fine.” Or so I assumed. “Let’s watch the game.”

“I can’t believe you’d prefer bowling over badminton.”

Our attention switched to pins and strikes as the interrogation ended .

“This isn’t horrible,” I said while opening a second bottle. “These guys are talented.”

“You sound surprised.”

“Little bit, yes.” A knock sounded on the back door, and the beer soured in my stomach. “Can you get that?”

Jack flashed a disapproving expression but didn’t argue. “Lilah, right? Good to see you again.”

Fuck. I leaned over, grabbed the blanket on the sofa, and threw it over my lap.

Lilah walked past him and into the living room, carrying a plate. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You can’t interrupt bowling. It’s literally impossible,” Jack said with a shrug. “You want some wings?”

Her nose wrinkled with distaste. “No, thanks.” My stomach relaxed as our eyes met. “I made you some brownies to thank you for the phone.”

I grabbed one from the plate she set on the table. “You didn’t need to do that. See you in the morning?”

“Pirate does not know what’s coming.” Lilah fiddled with her shirt hem as her eyes flicked between us. “Well, thanks again.”

I swallowed an entire brownie in one gulp. “Wow, that was amazing.” I picked up another “Jack, you need to try these.”

He took one after shooting me a questioning look, which I ignored. “These are incredible. How did you know Shane loves chocolate?”

“He told me. Okay, I’m going to go since I promised to call Emma back. See you tomorrow.”

She left, and I set my brownie back on the table.

“Emma?”

“Her friend. I know nothing about her, so don’t ask.”

“You can’t stand chocolate.”

“Your point?”

He stuck out his chin, shaking his head. “No point at all.”

“I’m done with bowling.”

“Then pick something else. I’m not leaving.”

I flipped through the sports channels. “A NASCAR night race.”

“You aren’t a fan.”

“Dad was. I used to watch them with him when we were little. Boone Rivers? That name is familiar.”

“You’re changing the subject.”

“Can’t change a subject once it runs its course,” I said. Jack stood. “Where are you going?”

“To ask Lilah if she’d like to join us.”

I shot him a frosty glare. “There’s nothing between us. She needed a favor, and I offered to help. That’s all.”

“Liar.”

At least Jack believed me enough to sit and go back to the race.