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“Your ranch.”
“Right.”
“You’re happy there?”
“I thought I’d miss everything. The missions. The unit. The whole thing.” They sat back as the waitress put the ale and a bowl of nuts on the table. “And, hell, I’m not gonna lie,” Tanner said, after she’d left. “I do miss it, sometimes. The unit especially.”
Chay nodded. “Figures you would.”
“But then I look around me. The land, the hills…”
Chay’s eyebrows rose. “If you launch into a tune from The Sound of Music, you’ll be in real trouble.”
Tanner laughed.
“Okay. Maybe I’m going overboard, but—”
“No,” Chay said quietly. “I’m just giving you a hard time. It’s beautiful country. I’ve never denied that.”
“Yeah.” Tanner cleared his throat. “And we’re fixing things up. The house. The outbuildings. Come for a visit. Wait’ll you see what we’ve done with the place.”
“We.” Chay smiled. “Married life turns out to be good, huh?”
“It’s not married life. It’s Alessandra.”
“Anybody ever tell you you get a goofy look on your face when you say her name?”
“No.” Tanner grinned. “And if anybody ever did, I’d probably slug him.” His smile tilted. “The thing is, I had no idea. I mean, you know, the one-man, one-woman thing…”
“I’m glad it’s working for you,” Chay said, taking a swig of ale.
“But not for you.”
“Me? Hell, no. You know me, dude. I like my life exactly as it is.”
“Especially since you’re so smooth with the ladies.”
Chay shot Tanner a look. Tanner was trying not to laugh.
“Dammit,” Chay said. “You saw what happened a couple of minutes ago.”
“Some of it. What was that all about? You swearing off women?”
With anyone else, Chay would probably have tossed off a glib answer, but this was Tanner. They’d shared too much in their lives for glib answers.
““I’m just… I don’t know. I’m just feeling out of it tonight.”
“Dude, you change your mind, you want to talk…”
“No. I’m cool.” Chay forced a smile. “This is great. Seeing you, I mean. But where’s Alessandra? Don’t tell me you left her on the ranch.”
“No way. She’s here. She just made a pit stop in the ladies’ room. You know how women are. They can’t pass up the chance to check out each and every—”
“Each and every what?” Alessandra Bellini Wilde Akecheta said as she appeared beside the booth. Both men shot to their feet, and she smiled at Chay. “Hello, handsome.”
“Hey,” Tanner said lightly, “watch that stuff.”
“Alessandra,” Chay said, returning the smile. “It’s great to see you again.”
