AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He didn’t tell too many people about how much he read. Those in the service knew and it’d been a little bit of a joke that he was a secret nerd, but he wasn’t. To him it was more of an escape from reality.
“Sorry about that accident,” he said. “Kyle was a good guy. I’d crossed paths with him too for a few years.”
“Yeah,” Trace said, his smile dropping. “We lose too many men.”
Kyle had been Trace’s best friend who died in the line of fire.
“We do,” Zane said. “I got out before I saw anymore. Glad this one got out safely too.” Zane slapped Luke on the shoulder.
“I left because I missed your mug,” he said to Zane. “When I came back to be in your wedding I figured if you can settle into this life and find a woman as sexy as your wife then there was hope for me yet.”
Zane laughed and Trace looked over to see Lily blush having heard that comment at the table. Luke winked at Lily. She sure was good for his buddy.
And though he was joking when he said that, there was part of him that wished it were true for him.
Not that he thought it’d ever happen. No one would want someone with his background.
Not only his military career as a sniper—a killer many saw—but the projects he grew up in. The trash he came from and the broken system that didn’t do much to help him until he helped himself.
“The price of being a hero,” Zane said.
He hated when people said that to him, truth or not.
Trace laughed. “I’d rather write about them in books. Speaking of which, Zane, I heard your father is retired local police. Don’t suppose there is a shot I’ve got of picking his brain if he’s in town for the holidays?”
Trace was a mystery writer who’d come to Mystic to work on his latest book.
“I’m sure my father would be more than willing to do it,” Zane said. “He’s been around for a long time. He’ll tell you there wasn’t much crime here and what something like that would do in this area.”
“That’d be great,” Trace said.
“I’d help out if I could,” Luke said. “But not much I can offer just yet. Once stationed, who knows where I’ll be? I put in for this area, but that doesn’t mean anything.”
“Not a lot want to be around here,” Zane said. “You might luck out being close by.”
That was what he was hoping for. “It is what it is,” he said. “I’ve got nothing holding me close by. I’m still closer than I’ve been to anyone else in years that I’ve known personally.”
The table talked some more around him while he just watched. He turned and noticed Heather get up and walk out toward the bar and asked if he could get drinks for anyone.
He got the order and left. When he arrived at the bar, Heather was there by herself at the end and he moved closer to her.
She must have felt his presence and turned. “This seems like a flashback.”
She was smiling now and he wondered if she needed the time to get under control more.
“It does,” he said. “Am I to guess you know why I’m here? It’s not like you came to talk to me when we saw each other.”
He saw the flush to her face even in the dim lighting. “It was a shock,” she said. “And I’m embarrassed.”
He leaned closer to her. “Over what? I’ve got some fond memories of that night. Nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“I guess I do too,” she said.
“You guess?”
She got her wine and before she could pay, he threw the money down like he had last time they were in a position like that. “I’m not going to have a repeat of that night because you’re buying me a drink.”
“I didn’t think that,” he said. “I’m here placing an order too.” Which he did when the bartender came back with his change, but he didn’t take it knowing he had more to pay.
