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Razor shrugged again and led her over to the place where Mantis had parked. “Let’s not say anything,” he whispered.
“You’re worse than girls,” she muttered.
“Hey, Mantis. Welcome. Come on in. When did you get to town?”
“Thanks. I’ve been here since Monday.”
“Why haven’t you come by before now?”
Mantis told him about exploring the area. “I was happy for the time alone.”
Razor nodded. “You haven’t said much about your last op.”
Mantis shook his head and looked at Ava.
“I’ll be inside,” she told them, letting go of Razor’s hand.
“You don’t have to—”
“It’s okay, Mantis, I was heading in to see what I could do to help anyway.” She kissed Razor’s cheek, and he patted her bottom as she walked away.
“That’s my wife,” he mumbled. How had he gotten so damn lucky?
“I envy you.”
“Yeah? It wasn’t that long ago that we were all single and planning to stay that way.”
“Being single is fucking overrated.”
“Sorry, didn’t mean to touch on a sore subject.”
“If you’re talking about Alegria, that ended before I left for Afghanistan.”
“How is she?”
Mantis told Razor what he knew about the surgery and the doctor’s expectations. “She’s tough. Maybe even tougher than me,” he laughed. “She’ll be okay.”
It wasn’t hard to see that Mantis was still in love with Alegria. If Razor told him now that she and Dutch were on their way here, would he leave? Probably, and then he’d spend Thanksgiving alone, and that wouldn’t be cool.
“Come on in. Can I get you a beer?”
“I’d love one. Thanks.”
Razor introduced Mantis to his mom and to Gunner’s mom, who looked like she was doing more chatting than helping, but he doubted his best friend cared all that much. Gunner usually liked to be alone—or at least he used to prefer it that way. Now, like him, he’d probably want to be alone with his woman more than anything.
“I saw Striker the day I got here.”
“Yeah? He didn’t mention it. Although I doubt he’s got much more on his mind other than Aine.”
“I noticed that too.”
Razor heard the front door open, and the sound of his two nieces about to barrel into the kitchen.
“Whoa, slow down there.”
They stopped to hug him and then turned and looked at Mantis.
“Sierra, Savannah, this is my friend Mr. Cassman. Can you say hello?”
