Need You for Always (Heroes of St. Helena) by Marina Adair Read Free Book Online

below his knee ached and everything above it was sore. He needed a solid night’s sleep but knew going home to his empty rental would only make him antsier.
    “You sure he’s the one who needed the help?”
    Dax set down the knife to argue, then picked it back up, because according to the gas-pump clock over the door, he’d been in that coffin-sized work space for over two hours, chopping pumpkins, onions, celery—not a single slice was the same size, and Stan would probably have to toss it all out—but Dax hadn’t itched once.
    “Can I get a bowl of the chili?” Jonah asked. “Heavy on the cheese but light on the onions. Shay and I are driving out to Sonoma to get a schnoodle when I get home.”
    Dax wasn’t sure if schnoodle was married code for sex or another furry friend Shay was taking in. But since either option gave him a rash, he silently filled the order and slid the bowl across the counter.
    Jonah took a spoonful. “The other night seemed to go well with Mickey. You hear anything back yet?”
    “There are a few other guys in the running, applying from other teams, but he said as long as my doctor gives me the all clear, I shouldn’t have anything to worry about.” Dax opened up two sodas and slid one to Jonah. “Thanks for the other night. The intro really helped.”
    Jonah lifted his bottle before taking a swig, and instead of lecturing Dax about not coming to him in the first place, he just said, “Glad it worked out.”
    “Fallon said they’ll make their final decision by the time I finish PT.”
    “What are you going to do between now and then?” Jonah took another bite of chili. “Since you’ve been home a little over two weeks and already you’re going nuts.”
    “Who says I’m going nuts?” Jonah merely eyed the apron and piles of vegetables. “Okay, maybe I have a little cabin fever.”
    Bullshit and they both knew it. Dax needed that job. Needed it to start sooner than later. More than anything Dax needed to feel useful again, and sitting on his ass watching the rain fall was slowly killing him—no matter how many pumpkins he chopped.
    “That’s why I brought over this.” Jonah handed him an unaddressed envelope from the Napa County Sheriff’s Department. Wiping his hands on the apron, Dax opened it to find a flier for a department-hosted event. “What’s this?”
    “Close-quarters battle training for the department. The deputy in charge relocated to Reno and we have a few new guys who are applying for the two open positions in my department, and I want to see how they work under pressure. As the new sheriff, it falls to me to secure some guest instructors until we can fill the position. I think with your background in weapons and CQB, you’d be great.”
    Dax studied the flier, thought about what it would be like to teach a bunch of deputies about the latest and greatest in guns, then remembered that the job would mean working directly with his brother in the middle of Mayberry.
    “Not interested.”
    Jonah leveled him with a look that was all business. “If you want to work with civilians, then you need to get involved in the community. Prove to Fallon that you can acclimate to civilian life, make connections, and that you’re willing to be an active participant in the neighborhood.”
    Dax wasn’t looking to make connections—he was looking to do a job that had the least chance of connecting. Which was why he was applying for corporate security. The only people he’d have to connect with would be his team and high-value suits. “Did Fallon say something?”
    “Other than you being the exact kind of badass the team was look ing for?” Jonah shook his head, and Dax could see the pride behind his brother’s eyes. “Nope. I just know that the difference between the guys who make it and the ones who blow out is their ability to adapt. I also know that teaching these classes would be a good way to blow off some steam while you’re waiting to get back in the