Page 71 of Protecting What Is Mine

Epilogue

Jack

Being stateside again has been a welcome break from the chaos of the last few months. But I have to admit, coming home and seeing my brothers all settling down is a tough pill to swallow.

“Jack? Hey, you in there? Hello?” Opening my eyes, I’m greeted by the sight of Hank snapping his fingers above me.

“Was the fact that my eyes were closed not enough of a hint?”

“Uh, yeah. It was pretty damned obvious. I asked about grabbing a weekend up at your cabin over an hour ago, and you said, let me think about it and then closed your eyes to take a nap.”

“Right. So you had to wake me up because…?”

Hank groans. “Oh my God, I know you weren’t asleep. You were blinking and swallowing. You don’t do that when you’re sleeping. Besides, unless you grew out of it, you tend to snore pretty damn loud.”

I open my eyes wide to stare up at him and then blink and swallow in the most exaggerated way I can. “Alright. I’m awake. Now what’s so pressing that you need an answer right this minute?”

“Look man, today’s Thursday.”

“And?” I gesture for him to continue.

“And, I’d like to take Mollie up this weekend, but I need to know…like now, so she has time to find someone to cover her shift tomorrow.”

“Is that why you invited me over? I thought you just wanted to go four wheeling.”

Hank shakes his head. “No. It’s not like that at all.”

I scooch my head back on the armrest to look at him. “It’s not that I’d mind, ordinarily. It’s just that I was thinking about getting away for a couple days myself. Between you and Gabe…and Chet, I think you’ve logged more time at my place than I have.”

Hank lets out a big, melodramatic sigh. “Fine. But think it over, would ya? And quickly.”

I close my eyes and lay my head back on the couch. Desperate to think about something besides my brother. Fat chance of that, now that he’s got me feeling bad. After everything Mollie’s been through, how can I not offer the cabin to them?

Hell, somehow…against all odds, even Hank seems to have found a keeper. And I couldn’t be happier for him. Truly.

Mollie seems like the kind of woman most men dream of, but over time begin to doubt actually exists. She’s beautiful and kind and humble and grounded. And by all indications, isn’t looking for anything more from my brother than to be loved and respected in equal measure to what she feels for him.

And then there’s my situation. I’ve spent basically my entire adult life focused on my career. I’ve never had the time to think about settling down. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. And if someone had asked me six months ago, I would’ve said I loved my life, without so much as a whisper of doubt.

But now? Seeing my family so happy as they settle into their lives, I can’t help but wonder if my priorities aren’t screwed up. My chosen profession isn’t all that conducive to finding a long-term relationship. I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking for something like that. I laugh as I think about what my Tinder profile might look like.

Jack, 28

Stationed overseas for months at a time.

Often involved in highly classified missions which I cannot discuss.

Leader of men, sometimes on the front lines of combat.

Not interested in anything short term.

Yep, that ought to do it. I’m sure in the two weeks I have left before shipping out again, I’d find the perfect girl and we’d have an amazing connection.

Plus, of course she’d stay committed and faithful over the many months I was gone. Often with long stretches of little to no contact in between.

You know, because we had that amazing connection we built over the ten days or so we knew each other.

No, the hard truth of it is that Chet, Hank, Gabe, and Frank all have something going for them I don’t. Availability.

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