Page 70 of Tru Blue
He soaked in every second of her attention, feeling his tilting world right itself. “Hey, sweet girl.” He rubbed his nose over hers, needing their secret silent affections as much as he needed their verbal ones. “I missed you.”
“Me too. Are you okay? Is Quincy okay?” She searched his face, and he knew he looked like hell. Until the second she was in his arms he’d felt like hell, too. Now he felt exhausted, but better.
“Yeah. Let’s go inside and I’ll fill everyone in.”
He found Dixie sitting at the table with Lincoln on her lap and Bear on the couch, his head resting back against the cushion, eyes closed. He leaned down and kissed Lincoln as Bear pushed to his feet.
“All good?” Bear asked, giving him a quick embrace.
“Yeah.” He looked around. “Where’s Kennedy?”
“Tooman!” Kennedy ran down the hall with Crystal on her heels. Both wore a ponytail secured with a big pink bow.
He scooped Kennedy into his arms and hugged her tight.
“She’s got Gemma’s love of all things frilly.” Crystal shook her head, sending her long black ponytail swinging from side to side.
Kennedy wiggled out of his arms and went to Bear, freeing Truman up to claim Gemma again. “Thanks for everything, you guys.”
Crystal put her hand on her hip and glared at him. “You’re welcome, but we’re not leaving until we get the scoop.”
“I figured as much, but I gotta sit down. I’m beat.” He sank down to the couch, pulling Gemma down beside him and pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to figure out where to begin.
“Quincy’s in rehab,” he finally said.
“He is?” Gemma and Bear asked at the same time.
“He hit rock bottom.” Glancing at Kennedy, he chose his words carefully. “He owed a guy money. He’s lucky they didn’t…” He didn’t want to say kill in front of Kennedy. He finally had a shred of hope that Quincy would clean up his act and become the brother Truman believed he was destined to be.
“They know where you live?” Bear asked.
Truman shook his head. “They dumped him over the bridge. He walked the seven miles to my place and collapsed.”
“So, is it safe to go back there?” Gemma asked tentatively.
“Yes, but I want to talk to you about that after I get some sleep.”
“Okay.” She touched his hand and smiled.
The simple show of affection warmed him all over.
“Is this forced rehab?” Bear asked.
“No. He went willingly. It was actually his idea. He said he’s been thinking about it ever since I sent him away from the shop.” He squeezed Gemma’s hand. “He can leave anytime, but it’s a thirty-day program with the possibility of extending it to ninety if he needs it.”
“Dude, how are you affording that?” Bear asked.
“What good is money if you don’t use it to help your family?” He’d used his savings, and even if he had to work twice as many hours, he’d figure out a way to get his brother the help he needed.
“I hear ya.” Bear touched Crystal’s arm. “Come on, sugar. Let’s give these guys some privacy.”
“I’m not your ‘sugar,’” Crystal snapped.
Bear chuckled.
Crystal hugged Gemma. “Do you guys want me to take the kids for a few hours so you can rest?”
“No,” Gemma said. “I think Truman needs to have them here.”
She knew him so well. “Thanks anyway, Crystal. I appreciate the offer.” He embraced her, then took Lincoln from Dixie. “Thank you all for staying over and helping out.”
Dixie hugged him. “No worries, and ditto on the offer to babysit. When you guys need it, I’m around.”
“Thanks, Dix.”
After everyone left, Truman sank down to the floor with Lincoln sitting between his legs and Gemma beside him.
“How are you really doing?” she asked him sweetly.
He watched Kennedy playing with her toys and looked at Lincoln’s little fist curled around his index finger. “I’m relieved and hopeful, but I know how it is with addicts. They can want to be clean, and in a blink of an eye they’re chasing the dragon again.”
