The service station was now called Lucky’s and the new owner, Eric Gentry, was a heck of a good guy and he’d turned that old wart of a gas station into a showplace. It was completely remodeled down to new pumps, and in addition to the extended maintenance shop he had added a classic car restoration garage including a paint bay. And the place was as clean as his mother’s kitchen. Eric’s equipment was new. It was no longer the greasy, run-down old shop of Seth’s youth.

“Every time I come to this place I wonder what happened. It’s nothing like the garage I spent half my life in. We all worked for my dad growing up. Forget labor laws, he had a broom in my hand when I was ten.” Seth laughed at the memory. “He said if he didn’t pay me it wasn’t against the law and he wasn’t a man to break laws.”

“That sounds like Norm,” Eric said. “He must be glad to have you back in town.”

Seth raised one eyebrow. “Does he seem happy?”

Eric laughed. “Well, no. But he must be....”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. My dad and I have what you’d call a prickly relationship.”

“I have to admit, he’s good with the customers,” Eric said. “How is he with your brothers?”

“He’s easier on them. But I was a big disappointment to Norm. I was supposed to have a big pro-football career, make lots of money...”

“Norm had his eye on your money?” Eric asked, sounding surprised.

“Nah, he has money. No one on earth knows how much, but he’s always been a miser, and he was real proud of the fact that this station was paid off when he put it up for sale.”

“And he asked a high price, too,” Eric said. “The station needed a lot of love, but the land it sits on is prime land. It was covered with junk, but it’s a good plot. It allowed me to expand. So if it wasn’t money?”

“I think it was bragging rights,” Seth said. “I was all-conference in high school, went to the U of Oregon on scholarship, was on the shortlist for the Heisman, took a pro contract with the Seahawks, played about an hour the first season and then, bam. Car accident. Football over forever.”

“How can a guy be mad about a car accident? Was it your fault or something?”

Seth shook his head. “Miraculously, it was not my fault, but I was speeding. I was cited for speeding, but the other guy blew a stop sign. Thing is, we might not have been so badly injured if I hadn’t been going too fast, so even though he caused the accident, I still feel responsible. Wrong place, wrong time, young guy who felt bulletproof in his fancy little car. That was me. If I’d been going slower, I might’ve been able to avoid impact. Or maybe we wouldn’t have been seriously injured. We’ll never know.”

Eric shook his head sadly. “Norm should be happy you’re alive.”

“Somewhere under that crusty exterior, maybe he is.”

“I know how you feel, buddy. I disappointed my parents, too. That might be the definition of youth.”

“How’d you do it?” Seth asked.

Eric looked surprised. “You mean you don’t know? Even Mac didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“I guess I should feel relieved—at least I’m not a legend around here.” He clapped a hand on Seth’s shoulder. “Brother, I went to jail. I served some hard time.”

“No kidding?” Seth asked, completely shocked.

Eric nodded and for a moment his green-eyed gaze was hard. “With a couple of buddies who decided to boost some beer while I waited in the car. One of them poked a finger into the pocket of his hoodie and said, ‘Gimme your money,’ which elevated it to armed robbery even though there wasn’t a weapon between us. We were pulled over ten minutes later, taken into custody and the two lunkheads I was with either got better lawyers or lazier judges. I didn’t have a clue what was happening until my public defender explained it to me. He wasn’t very good, it turns out. I did five.”

“No shit?” Seth said.

“Stupidity can be so expensive. And time-consuming.”

“I guess you turned yourself around....”

“Prison made me very smart. This is my second garage. I sold a profitable body shop in Eugene and invested in this place and it’s going well. Some of my old classic customers have followed me, we’re doing more maintenance work and staying open longer.”

“Are your folks still disappointed?”

“I think there are some years they wish I could erase. But I have a good woman in my life—Laine. Just having her with me has smoothed things over. I’m sure they can’t believe it—she’s smart and beautiful and a former FBI agent. My dad came around faster than my mom, but if I’m honest, my mom has always had a hard time being happy with me. How about Norm?” Eric asked.

“Oh, Norm has always been a little bit on the irascible side, but when I blew a pro football career, he got downright grumpy.”

“What are you gonna do about that?” Eric asked.

Seth smiled. “I’m gonna wear him down.”

* * *

Seth thought adding a good woman to the mix wouldn’t hurt his reputation, but the only one he could think of was still pissed about the senior prom, even though she was thirty-four years old.

It was weird, his feelings about Iris. They had developed over years and largely in absentia. He’d always known Iris was his best friend, even if he was loath to admit that to the guys when he was young. He and Iris always seemed to understand each other and met on equal ground. Since they’d never crossed that line into a romantic relationship, he’d dated other girls. Iris had dated other guys...hadn’t she? He’d always thought she was pretty. It was all irrelevant because they’d had a misunderstanding, the friendship was lost and Seth went away to college where the girls were plentiful and eager. He had fun for a while, no denying that, but there was always something missing for him. They didn’t understand him, for one thing. Iris had always understood him, even when he’d rather she not.

In the years that followed, after his recovery from the accident, there had been women now and then. Much to his surprise, they hadn’t seemed to be repulsed by his scarred face or his unsteady gait. There were a few he’d felt comfortable with for a time, some he had satisfying sex with, some who shared his interests, others who had been interested in building a future with him. But there’d never been one who could take Iris’s place. And it made no sense to him at all.