Page 99 of All Along

“The offer to be my head of security still stands,” Hudson throws out. “In addition to the salary, the benefits include health insurance, free meals at the resort for you and your family, and living accommodations in a condo on the resort grounds.”

“Dude.” Kyle whistles. “Do you have any more job openings?”

“There’s always room for a friend of Caleb’s. Assuming you can convince Caleb to take the job.”

“Challenge accepted.”

I shove Kyle away. “Everyone needs to stop pushing me.”

“Someone’s got to push you, you knucklehead. Did this idiot ever tell you about the first time we went rappelling?” Kyle chuckles. “He cried like a baby.”

“I didn’t cry.”

“But you wanted to.” He grinds his knuckles over my head and I punch his shoulder. He laughs as he catches his balance on a chair.

“How do you do it?” I ask.

“Do what?”

“Laugh and joke when you lost part of yourself back there in the sandbox.”

He sobers. “I didn’t lose part of myself.” I nod toward his leg. “My lower leg is a body part. It’s not part of myself.” He taps his fist on his chest. “In here. I’m still me.”

“But your career is over.”

“There are other careers.”

“But you loved being in the Army.”

“Not as much as I love my wife.” He smiles. “She’s happy as a pig in shit to have me home. She’s pregnant.”

“Mandy’s pregnant?” He nods. “Congrats, bro.”

“Thanks.” He clears his throat. “And the Army is paying for my bachelor’s degree. I’m going to be an engineer. Plus, I’m volunteering at the VA on weekends. Compared to some, I’m a lucky son of a bitch.”

My throat tightens as guilt stabs me. I’m being a whiny bitch about my injury whereas Kyle lost part of his leg and he’s moving on.

“You always were full of optimism.”

“And you never shut up about the woman you were going to claim once you did your time in the Army.” He scans the room. “Where is she? Did you finally man up?”

I scratch my neck. “I pushed Maya away.”

“Dumbass,” he mutters.

“It’s why we’re here,” Lucas says. “We need to figure out a plan of action for him to win Maya back.”

“I told you. Maya is better off without me.”

“Dumbass,” Kyle repeats. “We might need to get Mandy. She’ll talk some sense into him.”

“I can pick her up,” Hudson volunteers.

“Whoa.” I hold up my hands. “His wife is a ball buster.”

Kyle grins. “She keeps me on the straight and narrow. Doesn’t let me hold pity parties with a bottle of moonshine.”

And the hits keep coming from him. I might as well confess now before they drag it out of me. “I might have said some nasty things to Maya after I found out I wasn’t able to return to active duty.”

---