Page 54 of Expiry Dating

The bright colours in the hospital cafeteria were jarring and doing nothing to help his headache. After picking up a turkey sandwich, the only thing that looked mildly edible, he took a seat with the others.

“It’s been a long ass time, bro. How’s life on the outside?” Logan’s tight smile didn’t reach his eyes. He’d obviously been caught up in the same carnage if the stitches across his temple were anything to go by.

“Different.” It was the only thing Brady could think of to say. It’s not like he could tell them the truth. That life on the outside currently feels like he’s being stabbed over and over again in the chest.

Benny cocked an eyebrow. “Ace told us you met a woman.”

Of course he did.

Brady took a swig of his Dr Pepper. “Yeah, well, it didn’t work out.”

“What happened?” Chase asked, clearly sensing a story.

The last thing Brady wanted to do was relive last night, but it wasn’t like he had anyone else to talk to about it. And he was too damn tired to try and deflect. He scanned his brothers’ faces and came to the conclusion that they could use the distraction. So he laid it all out for them, from his and Alice’s initial arrangement to him declaring his love.

While they pondered the guts he’d just spilt, he made short work of finishing his sandwich.

Logan piped up first. “You gotta fight for her, man.”

“Yeah, it’s obvious she feels the same,” Benny agreed.

Chase was next to put in his two cents. “She’s just running scared.”

For the first time in twenty-four hours, Brady smiled. “Thanks, guys, but as much as I love your confidence, I’m not really sure what else I can do. I mean, I told her I loved her, and the woman couldn’t get away from me fast enough.”

“And you’re good with that? Letting her walk away.” Chase’s eyes roved over Brady’s face.

“Hell no, I’m not good with that. But what else am I supposed to do?”

“Prove it to her. Prove you love her. That you’re better than those other asshats,” Chase returned.

Brady pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve some of the tension building back up in his head. “Am I though? What do I have to offer her, huh? I’m just another former fucked-up marine.”

“I fucking knew it!” Chase slammed his hand hard against the plastic table. “You don’t think you’re good enough for her, do you? Come on, man, you really think this girl gives a shit you’re not a marine anymore? I mean, Jesus, Brady, she fell for who you are, not what you used to do for a living.”

Benny and Logan grunted in agreement while Chase continued to glare at Brady. He’d rather rehash last night’s painful rejection a hundred more times than have this conversation. Because when it came down to it, he wasn’t good enough for her. She deserved the world. Not some weak-ass, broken, former marine with blood on his hands.

“Ricky died because of me. I know it, you know it, Ace fucking knows it,” he said through gritted teeth. “I got kicked out of the marines, fucked my knee, and if all that wasn’t just damn peachy enough, turns out I scream in my goddamn sleep every night too. Yeah, I’m a real fucking catch!”

After gathering his trash, he walked it over to the bin before storming out of the cafeteria. He knew at least one of his friends would follow him, but he didn’t care.

Chase kept a safe distance until they made it outside. Suddenly feeling exhausted, Brady was relieved to see a bench so close to the entrance. Seconds after taking a seat, his friend joined him. Neither of them said anything for a while, until finally Brady couldn’t take it anymore.

“Say what you gotta say, man.”

“Fine.” Chase’s tone was firm. “First off, Ricky’s death was not your fault. The only one who thinks that it was is you. And, yeah, you might have fucked your knee, but you’re one lucky son of a bitch, and we both know it. You could have lost your damn leg, and then where would you be? As for the dreams”—he let out a long sigh—“you think we don’t get those? Brother, trust me, it’s hard to do what we do and walk away without fucking nightmares. They’ll get better, I promise. And you know talking about them helps.”

Brady only snorted in response.

“Come on, man, it’s fucking killing me seeing you beat yourself up like this. We let you push us all away ’cause we thought you just needed time. But this is some bullshit. You need to get your shit together, bro.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“You talk about it with her? What happened to Ricky.”

He thought back to his conversation with Alice, how she’d held him, how every night he woke up screaming, she soothed him back to sleep. He really didn’t deserve her. “Yeah,” he croaked out. “She’s had a front-row seat to the nightmares too.”

Chase nodded. “You gotta go after her, man. Seriously. Fight for her for God’s sake. You deserve to be happy.”

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