Page 1 of Rex's Honor
1
The hot Florida sun beat down on the Intracoastal Waterway, dancing across the ripples conceived by a warm breeze rolling in off the salty ocean. Rex Jordan wiped away the perspiration beading across his forehead before he pulled back the throttles of his Absolute 50Fly luxury cabin cruiser, though others might consider it a yacht.
Rex called it home.
There was nothing better than living on the water.
“This has been an amazing day,” Timothy White said. He stretched out on the seat behind the console. Timothy also worked for the Aegis Network. He’d been the one to help open the Jacksonville Branch. He, his wife, and his kids were amazing people.
Rex glanced over his shoulder. Arthur had made himself comfortable on the stern bench, beer in hand, enjoying a day off from work at the station. Work at the Aegis Network. And work around the marina.
If Rex ever needed anything, Arthur would be at his side with the snap of his fingers. Men didn’t come any better than him.
Even if Arthur had gotten him shot a few months back.
Rex rubbed his thigh, remembering the bullet tearing through his muscle. If he had to do it all over again, he’d gladly take the bullet since it had helped to save Arthur’s wife and her mother.
They were good people.
Sitting around the table were the rest of the crew. The men he’d retired from the military with. The men he called family.
“Damn, and here we are back to reality,” Timothy said. “Back where my twenty-year-old daughter thinks she knows more than me. A teenage son who’s pushing boundaries, and two beautiful baby girls who think I’m the bomb. If it weren’t for the little ones, I’d want to stay here forever, only my wife is itching for me to take her on a vacation. That means she wants another baby. I’m getting too old for this shit, but I want another one.”
“As if you’re actually bitching about your life,” Rex said. “You love giving Mauve a hard time about her boyfriend, who you secretly love and want her to marry someday.”
“Bite your tongue,” Timothy said. “She’s too young to be thinking about shit like that.”
“He is a pretty cool kid.” Kent waved his hand. “But I saw him and Mauve making out in Ruby's parking lot the other day. I had to cover my daughter’s eyes, but not before she said,look, Daddy, their sucking face.”
“Shut up, asshole,” Timothy said. “That’s the last thing I want to hear.”
“She’s twenty fucking years old. Look at Kent; he had a kid at that age.” Rex laughed. “And he’s an excellent father. Most days.”
“If you weren’t at the helm, I’d deck you for pointing that out. That’s my daughter.” Timothy lifted his hand and waggled his finger over his head. “If any of you assholes besides Kent knew what it was like to have kids, you’d understand.”
“Trust me. I’m not looking forward to the day my baby girl tells me she has a boyfriend,” Kent said. “Hell, I’m terrified of the day she wants a bra. I’m not equipped for that shit.”
“Send her to Candice. She’ll take her.” Timothy chuckled. “She’s the queen of shopping.”
Rex once knew a girl who could do some serious damage with a credit card. Sadly, she’d been on his mind lately and he wished she wasn’t.
“How’s the baby making front, Arthur?” Buddy stood and stretched, twisting his body left and right. “Your wife with child yet?”
“Why is my sex life always the top of conversation in this group?” Arthur took a long sip of his beer. “Can we go back to busting Rex’s balls? I prefer that so much better.”
“I hope you have all girls.” Timothy arched a brow. “Payback’s gonna be a bitch.”
“I think I’ll remain single for a long while.” Garth raised his beer. “I’m too young for this shit. Hell, I could be dating Ma?—”
“I wouldn’t finish that statement if I were you,” Duncan interrupted. “You’re nine fucking years older than Timothy’s daughter. Too fucking old for her, and he’ll put you in the ground.”
“Just making a point that you all are old men.” Duncan laughed.
“I’m only six months older than you, so fuck off,” Kent said.
Hawke took his empty bottle and placed it in the recycle bin. “All I know is I’ve got a hot date with that waitress from last week.”
“You’ve got a hot date every week,” Arthur said. “No one can keep up with you.”
