Holding Their Own XI: Hearts and Minds by Joe Nobody Page B

promise he won’t see me coming.”
    “There won’t be a next time, darlin’,” she replied honestly. “I’m not going to be so stupid as to put myself in that situation again. Besides, from what I hear, he’s just as embarrassed as I am. I imagine he’s still stinging with regret.”
    “And my right hook,” Bishop teased, flexing his sore hand. “Damn that guy has a hard head.”
    Terri stretched long and kissed his cheek, “I seem to attract men with that quality.”

Chapter 4
     
    A light tapping at the door pulled Bishop out of a deep, satiated slumber.
    Terri was asleep on his arm, her position requiring a careful maneuver to extract his limb without disturbing her rest.
    Pulling on his pants, the Texan padded quietly to the door. He could see Grim standing on the front porch, the contractor’s face about as close to embarrassment as it got.
    “Morning,” Bishop croaked, opening the door.
    “Sorry, boss, but Nick asked me to come by. He’s already ripped Butter and me a new one for not following his orders last night, so I didn’t want to press my luck.”
    “It’s okay, Grim. I needed to get up anyway. What’s going on?”
    “You and the missus are hereby summoned to present yourselves at the courthouse at ten zero hours. That dude you whupped last night is raising a bit of a fuss, and Diana wants to have an air-clearing powwow. Nick hinted that your arriving unarmed would be beneficial to the international diplomatic relations.”
    “I see.”
    “I hated coming by so early on your day off, but I’m already on the big man’s shit list for not backing down last night. If you want, Butter and I will sneak you out of town. I know this bar over in El Paso that….”
    Bishop cut him off, “It’s okay, buddy. Everything’s cool. Terri and I will straighten it all out.”
    “If you say so. You want Butter and me to be hanging around? Just in case?”
    The man’s loyalty was warming. “Thanks, pal. I appreciate the offer, I truly do. But I don’t think this is going to be that big of a deal. You two both recharge your batteries and take care of personal business. We’ll be going back to that damn canyon soon, and I want both of you fresh and frisky as new kittens.”
    “If you say so, Chief. Good luck.”
    Grim turned to leave, but Bishop stopped him. “Hey, seriously, thanks for having my back. You don’t know what that means to me.”
    The contractor waved him off, “Save that mushy, politically correct crap for your meeting. It all rolls off me like water off a duck’s ass. I’ll see you in a few days, and my regards to the missus and the boy.”
    Returning to the master, he found Terri awake and stretching. “I get the bathroom first,” she stated.
    Bishop faked a hurt expression, “No ‘Good morning, love?’ No, ‘Oh baby, you were ab-so-lute-ly amazing last night?’ Not even ‘I love you?’ How long have we been married?”
    Hunter announced his need for a diaper change and breakfast right then, Terri pointing toward the spare bedroom with her head. “Good morning; you were amazing last night, as usual; and yes, I love you. I still get the bathroom first because I know our son is going to require my attentions. You, my love, are to make coffee, toast, and four eggs with cheese.”
    She rose from the crumpled sheets, stretching again with a hearty yawn. Bishop received a kiss on the cheek, and then she was closing the door behind her. “Change your son’s diaper while the eggs are cooking, and wash your hands somewhere in the middle.”
    “Yes, ma’am. Oh, by the way, that was Grim at the door. Nick and Diana want to see us at 10. It seems your old boyfriend is raising a bit of a fuss.”
    “Great. Terri go here; Terri do this; Terri do that. I need a vacation,” came her voice, muffled by the bathroom door.
    Bishop chuckled, “I know that. But remember our last holiday didn’t turn out so well. We ended up right in the middle of a salt war as I recall.”
    “I