CHAPTER 10
Will had been making huge headway on his app—midnight in a hospital was a surprisingly good place to get work done—but that phone conversation with Jessa blew his concentration right out of the water.
Jesus, he needed to convince her to move out of that place sooner rather than later. Even one of Jon Rudnick’s security systems wasn’t going to make him feel much better about her living there alone. Not after at least one robbery that he knew of, and there could be more he didn’t know of.
It wouldn’t be hard to find police reports if there had been more break-ins in the area. He’d look into it. But maybe even the one break-in would be enough to get her out of the remainder of her current lease early.
Will sighed.
There wasn’t much more he could do from Maryland. He’d already emailed Jon all the information he’d need. He would follow up on that with a call in the morning. And he’d convinced Jessa to stay at his place tonight.
He felt the need to follow up on that too, because he didn’t trust her to actually do as she’d promised and head right over to his apartment. The sweet, silly woman was always so worried about putting him out.
Will typed a quick text into his phone telling Jessa he wanted a reply the moment she was safely inside his place.
That done he tossed the cell onto the bed. He leaned back in his hospital chair and rubbed his tired eyes. It wasn’t the worst place he’d ever caught some shuteye, but it was far from the best.
He’d long ago kicked off his sneakers, so he flipped his sock-covered feet up onto the mattress and tried to get comfortable.
“Hey. Can’t an old man get some rest without you young folk bouncing around on the bed?”
Will’s eyes flew wide. His feet slipped off the mattress and landed flat on the floor as he sat forward. “Oh, thank God, you’re awake.”
“Wasn’t going to sleep through a visit from my favorite grandson. He only visits once a year nowadays.”
The older man’s voice was weak and rough—no doubt his throat was dry from days of being unconscious and sustained on IV—but the slowly grumbled complaint was the best thing Will had heard in days.
He reached for the pitcher of ice water he’d been shamelessly drinking since he’d finished his own bottle of water and poured a fresh cup for his grandfather.
Will moved to sit on the bed. Holding his grandfather up with one arm, he lifted him high enough to sip from the straw.
The offering didn’t alleviate his guilt. What the old man had said about his visiting only once a year was close enough to the truth to make Will ashamed of himself.
“I know, Gramps. I’m sorry. You know how it is.”
His grandfather coughed once, before saying, “I know. No rest for the wicked so there’s none for the good guys either.”
The man spoke the truth.
“Yup. Even so, I’ll try to visit more.” He’d come too close to losing this man. He was too grateful to still have him around to take him for granted again. Will eased him back onto the pillow. “I should call Mom.”
“Don’t you dare.”
“Yeah, you’re right. It’s late. I don’t want to wake her.”
He coughed out a short laugh. “I meant I need a little peace and quiet before she comes screeching in here bothering me.”
Will chuckled. “All right. But I do need to tell the nurse you’re awake.”
“Only if she’s a looker. Otherwise, I’d rather not be bothered by her either.”
He shook his head. Typical Gramps. Barely conscious for a couple of minutes and he was already calling the shots, ordering everyone around, and making bawdy jokes. But Will reminded himself the old man wasn’t out of the woods yet. He was still weak. There was no power behind his usually booming voice.
Will let out a breath. “Seriously, Gramps. You gave us a scare.”
“I feel pretty good now.” He lifted one snowy brow.
“I’m glad.” Because the old man certainly didn’t look good. Will kept that opinion to himself.
His grandfather patted his hand. “Talk to me. How are you?”
“I’m good. Couldn’t be better now that you’re awake.”
“How’s your girl? You gonna give me a great grandchild while I’m still around to meet him.”
“Um, yeah, about that. Things didn’t work out with her.”
“Hm. Sorry to hear that.” The old man lifted bloodshot eyes to meet Will’s. “You need to talk?”
“Nope.” Will shook his head, leaving no doubt about that.
“Good. I hate that heart-to-heart bullshit.”
Will laughed. “Yeah. Me too.”
“When I get out of here, how about we take a six-pack to the lake and wet a line? That always makes me feel better.”
He smiled at the idyllic image. “Sounds good.”
That’s where he and his grandfather were completely alike. They’d both much rather throw back a cold one in peaceful silence while fishing than talk about loss or love, although the doctors might have something to say about that plan.
His grandfather caught a glimpse of the clock on the wall and frowned. “Why are you here so late? Jesus, was I that bad that y’all were taking turns on death watch?”
There was too much truth in that guess, but since that wasn’t the only reason Will was still there he said, “Actually, I was working on something. I got so absorbed I didn’t realize how late it had gotten.”
The old man shook his head. “You always did get involved with your computers. A bomb could go off next to you and you wouldn’t have flinched.”
Since that had actually happened, more than once since he’d joined the teams, Will only nodded and smiled.
“What’re you working on? Something top secret?” The old man waggled his eyebrows. “Can I see?”
“If it were top secret I wouldn’t be working on it here. And yes, you can see but you wouldn’t understand it if I did show you so I’ll just tell you what it is.”
“All righty, smarty pants. Tell me.”
“It’s a new kind of dating app.”
“Ah, so you’re getting back on the horse already and looking for a new girl. But did you have to invent a new dating app just to do it?”
“It’s not for me.” He’d rather die than let his friends or family choose his women for him. “It’s for Amanda, and yeah I did have to invent a new kind because that girl can’t be trusted to choose her own men, so my new app lets us choose for her.”
“Us who?”
“Anyone she gives access to.”
“And who we choosing from? Those yahoos on that matchmaker place?”
“What do you know about Matchmaker.com?” Will asked, laughing.
The old man scowled. “Enough.”
Will’s eyes widened. “Oh my God. Grandpa, do you have an account on there?”
The old man grumbled something inaudible. That was enough of an answer for Will to suspect the truth. And he knew from his recent app research that Matchmaker had launched a senior version a few years ago. He’d bet his grandfather’s gold watch that the old man had taken a shot on that.
“You might as well tell me, Gramps. I have the resources to find out these things and I’m not afraid to use them.”
“All right. Yeah, I did. But I shut it down. It’s all a bunch of bull anyway. Bunch of people pretending to be who they’re not.”
“I agree. Which is why there’s a need for my new app. Do you know what Facebook is?” Will asked.
“Of course, I know what Facebook is. Jesus. I’m old, not stupid.”
“Okay, fine. Sorry. Anyway, my app will utilize the Facebook database of users, which was over two billion worldwide as of last count.”
“How the fuck you gonna choose someone for Amanda out of all those people?”
Will loved that his grandfather still cussed like the bad ass US Marine he once was. Will’s mother, on the other hand, didn’t like it so much.
“We’re not going to choose from everybody. We’ll only use a small group. It’ll be limited to hers and our Facebook friends, and the friends of her friends whenever privacy settings allow.”
The old man’s wrinkles deepened as he scowled. “In my day we would have went to a dance or a party.”
“Exactly. This is the same thing, just online. One big virtual party.”
“You kids nowadays.” He shook his head.
Will rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I know. Back in your day . . . I can’t count how many times I’ve heard you say that before.”
When Will’s cell vibrated and the display lit with a text alert, his grandfather glanced at it and then at Will. “Little late for a call, no?”
“It’s a text, not a call and no, it’s not late. I asked her to text me.” He read the short text from Jessa saying she was safely inside his apartment then put the phone down.
Glancing up he saw his grandfather react. The old man’s eyebrows shot high and Will realized his mistake immediately.
“Her? A woman, eh?” He let out a raspy chuckle.
His grandfather’s body might still be weak and his voice scratchy, but his mind was still sharp as a tack.
Will shook his head at the old man, looking for what wasn’t there. “She’s just a friend, Gramps.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ve heard that before.” The old man’s mouth twisted into a wry smile as he turned Will’s own words back on him.
Will couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sure you have, but it’s true.”
“Mr. Wilson. You’re awake.” The night nurse stood in the doorway. Her gaze moved from his grandfather, sitting up against the pillows, to Will. “Why didn’t you call me?”
Cowering a bit, Will said, “Um, he told me not to?”
She huffed out a breath and strode forward. Suitably chastised Will slid off the bed and cleared the way as she barreled forward.
“Chicken,” his grandfather mumbled beneath his breath so only Will heard.
“I know how to choose my battles,” he whispered back with a grin.
That earned him a glare from the unhappy nurse, which had his grandfather chuckling.
Will had to think laughter was probably a better medicine for the old man than anything this woman was about to pump into him. Feeling lighter than he had in a month, Will decided it was good for him too.