Covering Kendall(86)

“Yes, you will,” Drew said.



DREW HAD ONE more visit before he got on the plane for San Francisco. He hit the walk-up window at Dick’s Drive-In, and Chuck helped him get enough food and drinks for one ten-year-old and a gaggle of nurses into the back of the SUV.

“Thanks for all your help, Chuck,” Drew said as he eased himself back into the passenger seat.

“It’s my pleasure,” Chuck said. “Maybe I need to get on the Tuesday afternoon Children’s detail too.”

“I think the kids would enjoy that.” Chuck and his colleague were in the Secret Service before they decided to open their own security firm. Drew was sure Nolan would love asking Chuck questions about his job.

He felt another pang. As his shoulder healed, he could get a cheap flight to Seattle on Tuesdays. There were so many things he’d miss about his adopted hometown, but Nolan (and Dick’s Doubles) was the biggest.

After dropping off most of the food, Drew walked into Nolan’s room with a couple of bags and a huge grin. “Hey, big guy,” he said. “How are you feeling?”

Nolan was sitting up in a chair. There were a few less IVs in his arm. Drew turned to tap the sign as he always did, and he noted the indentations of fists and fingerprints in the drywall from the sheer number of visitors that had already done so.

Nolan reached out eagerly for the bags. “I’m hungry,” he said.

“That’s good, because I brought you some food.” Drew lowered himself into a chair. “Do you need me to set you up?”

“Nope.” Nolan reached into the bag, handed Drew a cheeseburger, and grabbed one out for himself. “Want some fries?”

“Sure,” Drew said.

He watched Nolan spread the napkin over the rolling table, shake a few fries out from their paper sleeve, and grab out a small container of ketchup from the bag. He uncapped it and put it where Drew could reach it.

The dark circles under Nolan’s eyes had faded. He had fresh color in his cheeks. He was energetic. He was also eating. The fries disappeared rapidly. Nolan reached into the bag to grab out another order of them.

“You seem like you’re feeling better.”

“I am. The doctor said I’m improving and I don’t have to have as much medicine.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“Yeah. My mom’s really happy.” Nolan had smeared ketchup on his cheek. Drew handed him a napkin. “You had surgery on your shoulder.”

“I did. It’ll get better. It’ll just be a while.” Drew propped his feet up on the footboard of Nolan’s bed. “No big deal.”

“Want more fries?” Nolan asked.

“I’m good. You eat ’em, buddy.” He wasn’t sure how to broach the subject. Maybe the best thing was to just blurt it out. “So, Nolan, I may not see you for a while. I’m going to work with some trainers and a doctor in California.” He saw Nolan frown. “Derrick and Seth already said they’re coming to visit you like always every Tuesday. Plus, there’s a guy named Chuck that works with us that might stop by too. I think you’ll like him.”

“I’ll see you again, right?” He’d wondered if Nolan’s dad had abandoned their family or what the story was. Nolan never talked about it. He had to think of a way to reassure Nolan he wasn’t falling off the face of the earth.

“You’ll see me when I’m better. I promise.” Drew let out a breath. “I’ll give you my cell number in case you want to talk.”

“I can call you?”

“Yeah, you can call me. If I’m busy, I might have to call you back.”

Nolan gave him a nod and passed him one of the chocolate shakes out of the other bag. “We’ll see each other soon,” he said.

“Yes. And you’re going to run out onto the field with me for the first game.”

Nolan grinned at him. “That means we’ll both have to get better.”

“You bet, buddy.” Drew took a sip of his shake. “We will.”



A FEW HOURS later, the flight Drew was on descended into San Francisco. The weather was perfect. San Francisco Bay reflected the blue skies above. The Golden Gate Bridge glowed a soft orange in the late-afternoon sun. The pilot set the jet down on the runway as if it were made of cotton.

Drew managed to grab his backpack out of the overhead bin and make his way into the airport. He had a driver waiting, who grabbed his suitcase.

“Where to, Mr. McCoy?” the driver asked as they strapped themselves into yet another black SUV.

Drew read Kendall’s address off of his contacts list. He had a place a mile or so from her house. Maybe he should call first.