Page 5 of Keeping Astrid

“Great, let’s get out of here.” Ox stood and Growler followed, the evening may have been a bust in terms of work, but after the conversation he had with Ox and the fact he’d shared some of his inner thoughts with him, Growler was feeling more part of the team than he had when he’d first walked in.

Growler tossed his napkin onto his empty plate. “You’re right, that burger was amazing.”

Ox lifted his beer bottle. “And the beer isn’t that bad either.”

Growler chuckled and raised his own bottle to his lips. The pale ale was the right amount of bitter, and it slid down his throat easily. Like him, Ox had nursed one beer through most of the dinner. Considering he was driving, Growler appreciated it.

After seeing his mom and her dependence on alcohol, he always limited himself to one glass or bottle when he was out.

Growler glanced around the bar. The crowd had increased during the time they’d been eating. It reminded him a little of the bar close to base that most of the Navy personnel frequented.

He waited for the stab of regret to hit him that he wasn’t still living close to the base. Close to the beach where he could surf and paddle board when he needed to clear his head. There was a smidgeon of feeling, but nothing to make him wish he was back there.

Was it because of the discussion he and Ox had had earlier that he wasn’t feeling that way? Or was it because he was happy with his decision?

Time would tell what the real reason was, but for the time being, he was content.

“Have you heard from any of the guys from your former team?” Ox asked when the live band stopped playing and a DJ took over.

“Not this week. Last week Rocket called to shoot the breeze. He sounded happy and said the rest of the team were all good. They were getting ready to head out on another mission soon.”

“Do you miss it?”

Growler shrugged. “Some days. I mean, I’ve not been out long, you know that, but yeah, I'm happy with the decision I made.”

“That’s good, and if things go the way I want them to, then there could be more chance for you to put your skills to good use. It was one of the reasons why I was glad to have you join us. It gave me more of an impetus to finally do something that had been in the back of my mind for a while.”

“Whatever you need, you know I’ll be there for you and the others.”

Ox nodded and glanced over the crowd again, his brow furrowing and his lips thinned. Growler tensed. He followed the direction of Ox’s gaze but couldn’t see anything but a group of women laughing together.

“Something wrong?” he asked when Ox’s attention remained where it was.

Was he missing something? Normally, if shit was about to go down, the back of his right hand itched. He’d learned not to ignore it very early on in his career. But his skin remained itch-free.

“Not really.” Ox turned his attention back to him, but Growler didn’t miss the way his fingers clenched his bottle tighter than he had been. “Just someone from a rival security agency is here.”

Growler was tempted to question him further, but the door opened again and two women walked in. One had black hair that was curled so that soft waves fell just past her shoulders. Her companion also had dark hair, but it was short, cut into a pixie style. Both headed to the bar. He couldn’t say what drew him to the one with long hair, but the urge to get up and talk to her was one he hadn’t had in a long time. Gone were the days when he picked up women who piqued his interest with a wink and a big smile.

Maybe it was the way her body language suggested she wanted to be anywhere but there. Her eyes were darting around the room, as if waiting for someone to jump her. Her friend tugged her hand to get her attention and pointed to the person who had come up to them, holding her phone.

It was clear the newcomer wanted a selfie, and his dark-haired mystery lady nodded and plastered a smile on her face. Growler may not know who she was but he could spot a fake smile anywhere, and the one she was giving for the photo was anything but genuine.

“Who are you?” he murmured under his breath.

“That’s Astrid Conway. She’s got a cooking show on the Tasty Network. Started off doing videos on social media. Some went viral, and her career took off.”

Ox had either caught him looking at her or he’d heard his quiet question—which would be a miracle considering the noise level in the bar. His boss had relayed the information as if he was giving a rundown of a suspect in a crime. Was Ox interested in Astrid Conway?

Growler didn’t want to examine why that bothered him. Did it matter if Ox was interested in Astrid Conway? It wasn’t like he was going to follow through with his urge to go up and talk to her. As far as he was concerned, the next year of his life was going to be focused on getting his new career up and running. He didn’t need the distraction a pretty television star could provide.

“You’ve done some security work for her?” Growler found himself asking.

“Nah, but I have made a couple of her dishes. The recipes are easy and quite tasty.”

“You watch a cooking show?” Growler bit back a laugh, trying to imagine Ox sitting on the couch, taking notes about how to stir a sauce. Or fry a steak.

“I do,” he said without shame. “It’s a good way to unwind.”

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