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Nav
Hewastryingto ignore the eyes throwing laser beams into his forehead. Lexie was standing across the bar from him helping Sedona pour drinks, but as the blender whirred with a second batch, he watched as Lexie zoned out, her eyes landing squarely on him. He was curious--what was she thinking? What was going on in that head of hers? He used to be able to read her expressions with a sense of ease that came to him like riding a bike after taking a long break. While it had only been a few years, Nav was stuck in the realization that he could no longer read her. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Hell, he couldn’t even tell if she enjoyed his presence anymore. He liked to believe he was attention-detailed, well, at least he was when he was at work. But Lexie, she was a whole different universe that he was apparently no longer familiar with.
He cleared his throat in an attempt to catch her attention before promptly realizing it was unheard with the whir of the blender beside him. He ran his hand over his forehead and fluffed out his hair before directing his attention behind him. The staring was making him nervous and he could feel the heat of his cheeks rising in uncertainty.
The blender silenced and the sounds of laughter filled the room. The basement door was standing open as Eagle and Adam scoped out the backyard. He turned to grab a drink from the counter, keeping his eyes down, before walking to the back door and stepping out into the sun. He lifted his head and allowed the warm air to beat upon his face. As a firefighter, the heat was welcome. He took a drink of the creamy liquid and as it slipped down his throat, the sweetness surprised him. He wasn’t a fan of sweet liquor, but also wasn’t going to complain since the girls made it for him. He figured he ought to enjoy it while he was in paradise. Nav watched as Eagle peeled his shirt off, exposing the large eagle tattoo that graced the front of his chest, covering the scars from the accident. In one swift movement, he hopped into the water, sending a wave up onto the patio.
He laughed silently as Adam followed. With a sudden gush of air, the girls followed behind, bouncing up into the air and landing swiftly into the water. He shook his head but smiled as he rested his empty glass on the table beside him. It was nice to be around his group of friends again. Here there were no worries about work, no worries about damaged relationships, or wondering if he’d have enough money to get by for the week. He wasn’t worried about his time in the military or stuck thinking about his mundane life. He felt himself letting go of the tension in his shoulders, ready to relish in the moment and allow paradise to absorb him into a sense of calm.
“Hope you’re not waiting to join in on account of me.”
He turned to glance at Payson, who had arrived by his side. The stark metal of Payson’s prosthetics was sticking out beneath his shorts. He knew Payson could technically get into the water if he wanted--he made sure to ask Adam when he presented the idea of this lush vacation to him several months prior, but he also knew it was a pain in the ass for him to get in and out and deal with the aftermath of his equipment. Nav shook his head.
“Not a chance. I need another drink, or maybe three before I hop in.”
Payson laughed and tipped his full glass toward him before pulling his attention back to the splashing in the water.
Nav turned around toward the house, in a silent search for Lexie. He caught the sight of her long red hair blowing slightly in the breeze from the open door. He turned around, grabbed his empty glass, and walked back into the house, a sudden excuse for small talk.
“Is there anything left? Or am I safe to make my own?”
Lexie looked up at him and narrowed her eyes slightly. “There’s a little left, but unless your taste has changed, there’s something down here you’ll like better.” She reached into the liquor cabinet beneath her and brought a bottle of whiskey to the counter. He couldn’t keep a slight smile from spreading across his face. At least she still remembered his preferences after all these years. He tipped his head toward her.
“Ah, yes, thank you. I was trying to figure out how I was going to manage to drink that sweet concoction the entire week.”
She shook her head almost in annoyance, but as her lips spread across the white of her teeth, he could tell she was trying hard not to give him her world-class smile. “I remember–Johnny Walker Black Label–your favorite throughout college.”
Of course, she’d remember, he thought now. He was older than Lexie and also had the connections to get alcohol. At 21, he had been selfish and only bought whiskey because that’s what he liked. If only he’d taken time to think of Lexie more, perhaps their past would have played out differently.
Nav lost himself somewhere after starting college. A once simple, albeit messy, life had transformed into a complicated beast he couldn’t figure out how to tame. Joining the military provided him with a second chance–a fresh start to a new life. He never envisioned becoming part of something so great, but once he committed, he knew there was no turning back. The structure and comradery he got from his time in the military provided a life that was predictable, yet always kept him on edge.
