Part 109 (1/2)

”Give me a break, Johnno.”

”I'd rather see you smash his nose than spend the next months freezing

him out, or working up to killing him in his sleep.”

”I've got no problem with P.M.,” Brian said carefully. ”It's his life.”

”And your wife.”

Brian shot Johnno a vicious look, but he managed, barely, to contr(YI

the ugly words that sprung to mind. ”Bev hasn't been my wife for a long

time.”

Johnno glanced over to be certain Emma was still out of earshot. ”That

line's all right for anyone else. Not for me, Bri.” He put a hand on

Brian's wrist, squeezed, then released. ”I know it's going to he hard

for you. I just want to make sure you're ready.”

He lifted his gla.s.s, remembered it was empty, and set it down again.

Despite the breeze off the water, he was finding the heat oppressive.

”You can't go back, Johnno. And you can't stand still. So you keep

going forward whether you're ready or not.”

”Oh, that was great!” Emma dropped to her knees between her father and

Johnno, her hair streaming. ”You should come out.”

”In the water?” Johnno said, tilting down his blue-lensed sungla.s.ses.

”Emma, luy, there are things in the water. Slimy things.”

Laughing, she leaned over to kiss his cheek, then her father's. She

caught the sharp scent of rum and fought to keep her smile in place.

”Old people sit on the beach,” she said lightly. ”Middle-aged people

sit on the beach.”

”Middle-aged?” Brian caught a Thank of her hair and tugged. ”Just wh.o.r.e

you calling middle-aged?”