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“I’m jealous,” Marshall said.
“If you’d step away from the animals long enough, maybe you’d find a hot chick yourself.” The man took being a veterinarian seriously, so much so he had no life.
“Very funny. I’m happy at this point in my life. Loneliness has its benefits. I don’t spend much money. I get to leave my dirty laundry on the floor.”
I gave him a stern look. “Snake didn’t bite for tonight?”
Gage shook his head. “That man is really suffering. Have you talked to Hawk or any of his other team members about it?”
“Not my place,” I said half under my breath. “Besides, he won’t let anybody help him.”
“Yeah, I know.” Gage leaned farther back in his chair, more pensive than usual.
The tension between us was thick.
“So, I called in a favor with a buddy of mine,” Marshall said in passing. “The bullets I pulled from the horses were unusual.”
“Soldier grade?” I asked, just guessing at this point.
“Yeah. You knew.” Marshall looked from one to the other. “A Ruger. An MK to be exact.”
“That’s not the usual cowboy weaponry,” Gage said as he shook his head. “I don’t like this shit.”
“Have you talked to the fire investigator about the Shadowland fire?” I lifted my eyebrows as his expression darkened. Marshall was an implant, not party to the burden Gage and I carried.
“Results expected any time. I’m sure he’ll ask me to come to the scene.”
Which I knew would be rough on him.
“I’d like to come with you when you talk to him.” I grinned after making the statement.
Gage lifted his eyebrows. “Against protocol.”
“I’m in the business.” I took a gulp of beer, wishing I’d invited Wren out for the evening. The girl had managed to crawl under my skin. How the hell had that happened?
Marshall laughed. “Mr. Rule Breaker, you are the town sheriff.”
“Yeah, yeah. Did you talk with Stoker?”
“He doesn’t know anything definitive. A couple of the fires were ruled accidental anyway.”
“I’ll let you know when the investigator calls,” Gage said absently, obviously more worried than he wanted to let on.
“So, about this girl,” Marshall said, quickly changing the subject.
“She’s cool.” I tried not to make a big deal of it.
“Cool. We’re not in high school,” Marshall teased.
“He’s got another date with her.” Gage grinned like a kid.
Marshall laughed. “The man I thought incapable of feeling anything but anger found a woman he likes. The world must be coming to an end.”
“Very funny.” The truth was that spending time with Wren had made me feel so damn alive. The moment I’d looked into her lavender eyes, I wanted nothing more than to taste every inch of her. A woman hadn’t done that to me in… forever.
I sat back, sipping the beer, trying not to feel sorry for myself, which I did far too often. Hawk was married, almost every member of his last team hooked up with the perfect woman, some with families or with ones on the way. It was at night I felt the loneliest, which allowed the ugly nightmares to set in. Maybe a shot of tequila would make me feel better. Maybe it would take three.
“I’m going to grab a shot. Another round?”
