Free Riley's Pond (New Adult Romance) by Harley Brooks

cleared it a hundred times.
    “Uh, Adams. The kid here…is my son. ”
    “Oh shit! Well, he’s old enough.” He poked my dad with his elbow. “He does know about the ‘birds and the bees’, doesn’t he?”
    I officially looked for a hole in the floor to drop through. My mind barely wrapped around the news my parents banged their brains out before they married, to deal with this jerk’s attempt at bad humor.
    “Jaxson, here, could teach you a few things.” He nudged my arm and I stood at attention, mockingly. “Jaxson, this is Colonel Brandt Adams, or as I knew him growing up, ‘pee-pee pants’.”
    Touché old man.
    Somewhere behind us, something crashed to the floor and a pencil rolled to the side of my foot. I contemplated returning my dad’s smart-aleck comment by addressing Big Man as “Colonel Pee-Pee Pants” but thought better. “Pee-Pee’s” lips disappeared, all humor gone.
    “Yes, well it’s a good thing we learn to be strong while we’re young. Speaking of which, young man, I understand you pride yourself as quite the bad ass in this town.”
    “Yes, Sir. I mean no, Sir.”
    “Make up your mind. Which is it?”
    “ No , Sir. I don’t consider myself tough. More like stupid. Sir.”
    “If you’re tired of being stupid then I can help you. If not, I’m afraid you’re wasting my time. Mr. Martin, this deal I made with your dad isn’t something usually done. I owe him. He saved my drunken ass one night when I’d reached the end of my rope. Literally. I had a noose around my neck, about to hang myself in my garage. Your dad talked me out of it and stood by me while I endured months of therapy, becoming my best friend.
    “Like he said, I’d earned a reputation as a pup that followed me like a cruel shadow into my teen years. From what your dad has told me, your reputation is doing nothing to help you. If you’ll trust me like I trusted your dad and are willing to break your little ass to prove everyone wrong, I can help mold you into a man the community will respect, not despise. A son a mother can be proud of, instead of embarrassed about. Your choice, Jaxson.”
    “You or jail?”
    “I can promise you Jaxson, jail would be a hell of a lot easier than what I’m offering, but when you’re through serving your tour of duty, the only record following you will be one you’ll be proud to show off to your kids. Maybe even some sweet little lady.”
    Ally hardly qualified as “sweet” after trying to sever my tongue with her teeth, but oddly, I wanted to make her proud. I needed to prove to her I wasn’t the jerk she believed me to be. And Mom. I owed her so much. Even the Guard couldn’t perform such an impossible miracle.
    Dad nodded my direction, cocking a brow. “Well, Jax. What’s it going to be? This is your decision. I’m only giving you the option. What you choose to do is up to you, as well as the consequence. No blaming anyone else. Not anymore.”
    A rock of emotion rose in my throat and I forced back unexpected tears. Damn, I loved Dad, even if I couldn’t say it. He’d put his neck out on the line for me one more time, only this time, he could get his head chopped off if I fucked up.
    I squared my shoulders to Colonel Adams. “Can I drive a tank? If so, I’d like to check out your travel plan.”
    He extended his hand, the shake as forceful as I expected. “I’ll see what I can do. Welcome to the Army, Mr. Martin.”

Twelve
    BRAWLING AT BARNEYS
    Taylor
    The red shirt joined the growing pile of clothes on the floor.
    “Too low. He’ll never see my eyes,” I grumbled. I stretched a navy blue T-shirt over my head, turning and appraising my profile in the full length mirror in the corner. Not bad I thought, smoothing it over my jeans. I twisted to see if my butt looked fat with the embellished pockets screaming “place hands here.”
    “Damn!” I cursed, pushing the denim off my legs. My derriere faced the door where unbeknownst to me, Grammy leaned on the