drew in a breath. “I saw a spider.”
One eyebrow rose.
“It was large and aggressive,” she added.
“A spider?”
“Yes. I have issues with them.”
“Apparently.”
“I’m not stupid. I know it’s not rational.”
Gideon chuckled. “You’re many things, Felicia, but we’re all aware that stupid isn’t one of them.”
Before she could figure out what to say to that, Gideon turned and walked away. She was so caught up in the way his jeans fit his butt that she couldn’t think of anything to say, and then he was gone and she was alone with little more than her mouth hanging open, a herd of American house spiders and their plans for her.
* * *
GIDEON BOYLAN KNEW the danger of flashbacks. They could come on suddenly and disoriented him. They were vivid, engaging all his senses, and when they were gone, a man had no way of knowing what was real and what was imagined. After being held captive for two years, he’d been ready to give in to madness. At least it would have been an escape.
His rescue had come just in time, although too late for the men who had been with him. But even being out of the hands of tormentors hadn’t given him any sense of freedom. The memories were just as painful as the imprisonment had been.
Focus, he told himself as he loaded the CD and checked his playlist for the next three hours. He had put his past behind him. Some days he even believed it. Seeing Felicia earlier had been a kick in the gut, but he would take a flashback of a beautiful woman in his bed every time. Still, he’d had to take a five-mile run and then meditate for nearly an hour before he’d felt calm enough to head to the radio station.
“We’re doing it the old-fashioned way tonight,” he said into the microphone. “Just like we always do.”
Beyond the control room, the station was dark, the way he liked it. He didn’t mind the dark. If it was dark, he was safe. They’d never come for him in the dark. They’d always turned the lights on first.
“It’s eleven o’clock in Fool’s Gold and this is Gideon. I’m going to dedicate tonight’s first song to a lovely lady I ran into today. You know who you are.”
He pushed the button and “Wild Thing” by the Troggs started.
Gideon smiled to himself. He had no way of knowing if Felicia was listening or not, but he liked the idea of playing a song for her.
A red light flashed on the wall. He glanced at it, aware someone was ringing the front bell. After hours, the signal flashed back in the control room. An interesting time for visitors. He walked to the front of the radio station and unlocked the door. Ford Hendrix stood in front of the door, a beer in each hand.
Gideon grinned and waved his friend in. “I heard you were in town.”
“Yeah, back two days and I’m already regretting the decision.”
Gideon took the offered beer. “Welcome home the conquering hero?”
“Something like that.”
Gideon had known Ford for years. Although Ford was a SEAL, they’d served together on a joint task force, and later, when Gideon had been left in his Taliban prison to rot, Ford had been one of those who had risked his life to get him out.
“Come on back. I have to put on the next song.”
They walked down the long corridor. “I can’t believe you own this place,” Ford said, following him into the control room. “It’s a radio station.”
“Huh. That explains all the music.”
Ford took the seat opposite Gideon’s. Gideon put on his headphones and flipped a switch.
“This is my night for dedications,” he said. “I apologize for going digital for a second, but it’s the only way to cue up quickly. Here we go. Welcome home, Ford.”
The opening of “Born to be Wild” began.
“You really are a bastard,” Ford said conversationally.
“I find myself an amusing companion.”
Ford was about Gideon’s size. Strong and, on the surface, easygoing. But Gideon knew that anyone who had been to the places they’d been and done what they’d done traveled with ghosts.
“What brings you out so late at night?” he asked.
Ford grimaced. “I woke up and found my mom hovering over me in my room. Fortunately I recognized her before I reacted. I need to get out of there.”
“So find an apartment.”
“Believe me, I’m looking first thing in the morning. She begged me to wait, and I figured moving back home couldn’t be too hard. You know, connect with family.”
Gideon had made the attempt once. It hadn’t gone well.
“My brothers are okay,” Ford continued. “But my mom and my sisters are staying way too close.”
“They’re glad you’re home. You were gone a long time.”
Gideon didn’t know all the details, but he’d heard Ford had left Fool’s Gold when he was twenty and hadn’t been back much in the past fourteen years.
Ford took a long swallow of his beer. “My mom’s already asking if I’ve thought of settling down.” He shuddered.
“Not ready for a wife and the pitter-patter of little feet?”
“No, although I wouldn’t mind getting laid.” Ford glanced at him. “You’re in trouble, by the way.”
“I always am.”
His friend laughed. “Felicia went after Justice this afternoon. She said he had no right to tell you to stay away from her. When she gets mad, it’s quite the show. Talk about a woman who can handle the big words.”
“You know her?”
“Not well. The first time I met her was in Thailand.”
When both Justice and Ford had interrupted Gideon’s night with Felicia. Or rather the following morning. A polite way of saying they’d busted down the door and Justice had insisted on taking Felicia with him. Gideon had tried to go after her, but Ford had held him back.
Gideon hadn’t seen her again until today. When she’d been fighting marauding spiders.
“She was pissed at Justice?” he asked.
Ford shook his head. “Leave me out of this. We’re not in high school, and I’m not passing notes in study hall or asking her if she likes you. You’ll have to do it yourself.”
Gideon was
