Page 7 of The Wounded Mountain Man

"Thanks." I smile at the man I've known my whole life. He's my dad's best friend, so he's basically like an uncle. Because I feel so safe with him, I've been able to push myself out of my comfort zone and strike up conversations with some of these guys. Me? Semi-social. It's wild.

"I couldn't have done it without you."

"You absolutely could have." He nudges me with his elbow. "You should be proud of yourself, Logan. You've only been working here a few months, and you're already making a positive difference."

"I'm just doing my job," I say, spotting Tex's buddies and my sometimes verbal sparring partners Mitch, Bronson, Lance, and Cliff walking in. "Let the shit talking begin."

He lets out a soft laugh. "We don't tease you that much, do we?"

"You do." I elbow him back. "But I secretly love it."

"Good. I'm glad. That's how I talked most of them into coming."

"By giving them free rein to make fun of me? Nice."

With a hearty laugh, he gives me such a solid clap on the back he almost knocks me off balance. These mountain men don't know their own strength sometimes.

"And now that I know you secretly love it…"

I groan. "What have I done?"

Smiling, he says, "I'll catch you later," then joins his friends, embracing them one at a time, even Bronson, the most standoffish of the bunch.

Just as I'm about to scurry back to my office, having had my fill of peopling for a while, a figure by the entrance catches my eye. I walk over to Wade. "Hey."

"Hey." He tucks his hands into his pockets as he looks around, almost nervously. "Are you free for lunch? If not, it's cool. I can head back to the diner."

"No. I'm free and happy to eat now."

I lead him to the cafeteria next door, and it's only as we're waiting in line to place our orders that I put two and two together about why I'm picking up on a vibe from him. This is his first time back in a military setting since he finished his treatment. It makes sense he'd be in his feelings. But still, he showed up. That's what counts.

"Want to eat in the common room?" I suggest once we get our food.

"Sure."

We go back next door and sit down at one end of the super long dining table. He fills me in on how Hattie is going through a difficult patch—struggling with both Jax being a little shit and the diner, while worrying about Charlie, praying he returns safely—and that he feels guilty for being AWOL while she's been going through all of that.

"I should've come back and helped her." He stabs at his salad. "But what was I doing? Fucking around for the past year, feeling sorry for myself."

"You have every right to process what happened in your own way," I say gently. "And you're back now. That's what matters."

"Yeah. I guess."

When we finish eating, my gaze drifts over to Tex and his buddies kicking back on the couches, engaged in a lively card game.

"Want to meet some people?"

"Uh…"

Sensing his reluctance, I quickly add, "They love to make fun of me."

He grins. "You should have opened with that."

We walk over to the group. "Guys, this is my best friend, Wade. Wade, you know Tex, and this is Bronson, Cliff, Mitch, and Lance."

Wade gives a hesitant wave. "Hey, guys."

"What are you playing?" I ask as Tex begins scooping up the cards, a game having just finished.

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