Page 3 of Burned By the Broken Doctor

“Yeah, quite the redemption arc, ain’t it?”

He plops onto the seat opposite me and pours himself a drink. “Full round journey from blowing things up to fixing them. How’s it working out for you?”

“Good, I guess.” I clink my glass against his. “At least I’m not bored enough yet to go all out destroying my life with a second marriage.”

Damon pauses for a bit and drops the whiskey glass to stare at me. He knows I’m talking about his upcoming wedding to June. It’s part of why I’m here in Harmony Creek. That, and the opportunity to see my father.

“You’re hopeless, you know that?” He chuckles, a deep, rumbling sound. “I’ve told you that June and I love each other.”

I twirl a finger around the edge of my glass, studying Damon’s eyes. He seems to truly believe what he’s saying which makes it more clear that my friend is in trouble…huge trouble.

“I should give up on trying to convince you that love is as real as when people thought the earth was flat. It’s a concept that will soon be proven wrong.”

Damon grins. “Wish you were a car, Liam. I think you need fixing.”

“Yeah, well, I’m the one who fixes humans, and I know more about the human body and psychology. Love is just a dopamine rush making you do stupid things.”

“Like joining the military? For the love of the country?” Damon retorts, eyebrow raised.

He’s changing the topic. I believe that Damon inviting me to be his best man when he knows how much I hate the concept of marriage must be his subconscious asking me to save him. And I’m determined to do my goddamned best.

I’ll let him change the topic for now.

“Better not let Big Sam loyalists hear you say that,” I laugh.

He grins. “Captain Miller couldn’t stop yammering about duty.” A nostalgic look comes into his eyes. “Those were the days.”

“Yeah, they were. We survived on adrenaline as much as food. You miss those days?”

“No.” He shakes his head, his gaze flickering toward a photo pinned to the bulletin board behind him. A woman with warm brown eyes and a bright smile that could melt glaciers stares back. “I’m glad I came home.”

“Because of her?”

Damon's smile widens. He takes a long sip of his whiskey, swirling the amber liquid before letting out a sigh. “Look, Liam, I know you can’t understand. But June is different. She gets me. She gets why I need to keep my hands dirty, why this town, this garage, is all a part of me.”

“I think you’re just in the dopamine stage, Damon. It wears off.”

“You must have felt love once, Liam.”

“Never.” I shake my head.

“Yes, you have. I remember when we lost Rex, the guard dog. You nearly cried when we buried him.”

“That’s different, Damon. Animals stay loyal. They don’t change. Humans?” I lean across the table. “You can’t bet you’ll wake up to the same person you went to bed with.”

“That’s the beauty of it.” Damon leans across, too. “It’s what makes life interesting.”

“It’s scary,” I relax into my seat, shaking my head as I take another sip. “One minute, everything can be perfect, and the next, it’s all falling apart.”

Damon looks at me, his eyes softer now. “You’re scared of getting hurt. I get it. But sometimes, the risk is worth it.”

“That’s an illusion,” I murmur quietly. “The scars last longer than the pleasure.”

“I think you’ll change that opinion when you meet the right person.”

I raise my glass at him. “Don’t hold your breath, comrade.”

Damon studies me as we sit in silence for a moment, the only sound the faint hum of the workshop. We’ve been friends for years now, and even when we don’t see eye to eye on matters, we try to understand each other’s perspective.

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