Page 17 of Savage Peril

Chapter 5

The next day, Lori was busy at work, yet she couldn’t stop thinking about Gunner. He had a son, but there were issues. Gunner hadn’t elaborated, which aroused her curiosity. Maybe he was uncomfortable discussing anything personal.

Lori didn’t view Gunner as insensitive, but he might have been different in his younger years. That appeared to be a sore point, since the mother of his child had rejected him. A situation like that raised many questions.

After dinner, Gunner said that he’d like to call her. She was relieved that he was interested, because it was difficult to read his emotions. When Gunner spoke of his son, his mood turned somber. He seemed to brighten when Lori agreed to another date, almost as if he’d thought she would refuse.

Lori wanted to get to know Gunner better, so hoped she would have the chance. He was reserved, making her wonder how much he would share. He was comfortable when Lori was talking about her life, but not so much when the conversation shifted to his.

In the days that followed, Gunner texted a few times, and Lori was glad to hear from him. She began to look forward to seeing him again. Yet she kept that part of her life private, since she didn’t want Matt’s interference. And she didn’t wish to hear another’s opinion on her relationship.

Uncle Sheldon visited the clinic frequently, but Lori wasn’t in the habit of sharing the details of her private life with him. His presence was comforting, but he wasn’t her father. There were boundaries that she wasn’t prepared to cross.

Lori did her best to focus on work, yet so much had changed. Since her father’s death, life hadn’t gone back to normal—and she wasn’t sure it would. A call from Nick reminded her of that. Not only was she in charge of the clinic, she was responsible for her younger brother.

Nick needed to see her, so one afternoon, Lori went to his condo in Encino. It was a one-bedroom, one-bath place that her father had helped Nick secure. At least he had a decent home, which he likely wouldn’t have if left to his own devices.

Growing up, Lori had adored her brother, and she still loved him. Yet he made things difficult. Nick was troubled and couldn’t seem to settle down. He had tried various jobs and even college, but no matter what he attempted, it didn’t go well.

The drug issues were paramount. It seemed that each job Nick got didn’t last. He would stop showing up, or arrive under the influence. Lori didn’t know what to do to really help. She had talked with him, wanting to understand.

But Nick’s problems reappeared. Each time Lori thought he was better, she discovered that he had regressed into addiction. Therapy had been a temporary solution, yet she hoped that one day Nick would find his way.

It was heartbreaking. Nick had good attributes. He was creative and had a good sense of humor, when he wasn’t sinking into depression. Lori knew her brother was smart, even though he needed to use more common sense.

When Lori arrived, Nick took her to the backyard to talk. There was a stone terrace with patio furniture and a built-in grill. It was a pleasant area, although she didn’t think Nick entertained much. He probably hadn’t used the grill.

Nick had blue eyes, but his blond hair was darker than Lori’s. She thought he was good looking, and he was tall and slender. It would be nice if he had a woman in his life, but that hadn’t happened for Nick.

Although he had dated plenty, each relationship had ended abruptly. Sometimes it had been the drug problem that tore it apart, and other times Nick’s infidelity. Plus, there was surely more that Lori didn’t know about.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Nick said.

“Whatever you have is fine.”

Nick brought two cans of Diet Pepsi and handed her one. “I’m glad you came over. I was afraid you’d be too busy.”

Lori was on the alert. When Nick was being nice, he wanted something. “How are you?”

Nick swigged his drink and leaned back in the chair. “I’ve been worse.”

Lori waited, certain that he didn’t need encouragement to tell her what he needed. She couldn’t recall a time when he had invited her to his place just to see her—because he cared about her. She had let go of any resentment long ago.

“I have an opportunity to change my life around,” Nick said. “I could make something of myself.”

That was a familiar refrain. How many times had Lori heard that, and how many times had the opportunity not panned out?

“What do you have in mind?” Lori said, hoping his idea would have validity. She would like nothing better than for her brother to turn his life around.

“A buddy of mine wants to open a restaurant, and I’d like to invest,” Nick said. “He has some experience, has worked as a chef. I think it’s going to be a good thing.”

Lori cringed. She had hoped the opportunity would involve Nick actually doing some work. Investments were risky, even ones that were well researched. And she was sure that Nick hadn’t done his due diligence.

“What kind of a restaurant?” Lori got her brother talking to buy time. She didn’t want to immediately reject his idea. Yet she had no confidence that Nick knew what he was doing. She hated to be so negative, but if the past had taught her anything, it was that her brother was unreliable.

Nick proceeded to tell more her about the concept for the restaurant, and Lori listened without interrupting. She was waiting for the punch line, which was how much money he needed for this investment. And what she couldn’t understand was why Nick needed money so soon after their father’s death.

Despite Nick’s issues, he hadn’t been neglected. Their father had provided for him by putting money in trust. It was established that Nick couldn’t hold on to cash any better than he could keep a job. Creating a trust to limit withdrawals had been the safest way to ensure that Nick wasn’t penniless.

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