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Then I freeze.
Where am I supposed to go now? I have a few friends at the base that I could crash with for a few days, but it’s late, almost two in the morning and I hate to wake them up.
I reach for my phone, scrolling until I find his number and hit dial.
“What?” Theo snaps as soon as the call connects, and I bite back a grin.
“Good morning to you too, sunshine,” I joke, and he huffs out a sigh.
“Are you back in the states then?” He asks.
“Yeah. I got back yesterday.”
“We’ll have to do dinner.”
“How about an early breakfast instead?” I suggest, and I hear his chair creak.
Theo is a lawyer and a complete workaholic. He was a grade ahead of Rhett and me in high school, and after he graduated, he went to Harvard and then law school while Rhett and I enlisted. We’ve stayed in touch, though, and now that we’re stationed in Los Angeles, close to his law office, we try to meet up at least once a month.
“The diner? In twenty?” He asks, and I smile.
“See you soon.”
I hang up, starting my car, but I pause before I can shift into drive. It feels wrong to leave Lottie. I can’t help but think that she’s going to be hurt if she wakes up alone, but I can’t seem to get myself to go back upstairs. Not right now, anyway. I need to see Theo. I need to talk about this with someone. Then I’ll have a plan and know how to handle all of this.
I look in the rearview mirror one last time before I shift and take off down the mostly deserted streets toward downtown.
I reach the diner at the same time as Theo, and he nods as he heads my way.
“Good to see you,” he says, and I nod, pulling him in for a hug.
“How have you been?” I ask him as we head inside.
“Fine.”
That’s Theo for you. He’s always fine. My dad would have loved him. He never shows emotion, never lets on to what’s really happening to him inside.
We head to a booth towards the back, and I slide in across from him.
“So, what’s up?” He asks as we each grab a menu.
“Nothing,” I lie.
“Then why did you call me to meet you at three o’clock in the morning?”
“Can’t I just miss you?”
“No,” he states flatly, and I roll my eyes.
“I slept with Lottie.”
“Fucking finally!” He half shouts, and I stare at him in shock.
The waitress chooses that moment to come over and take our order. She gives us a sleepy smile as she flips open her notepad.
“Pancakes and coffee please,” I order.
“Same, but add bacon to mine.”
