Page 34 of Unmade

I should probably check in on Riggs tonight, maybe give him a call or shoot him a text. Possibly suggest a beer for the weekend. Because if David was leaving, it couldn’t be an easy time. As far as I knew, Riggs had stayed in the condo they’d shared, and I couldn’t imagine that. All those memories…? Then again, I couldn’t imagine living with someone even if we were dating either. Much to Kristen’s disappointment. Although, I was sure it was morphing into relief. I was a shit boyfriend these days.

Either way, Riggs was one of those men who had to be dragged into counseling after an op, which I could relate to. He didn’t open up easy. He was a few years older than me and ten times more of a recluse. He had a kid in high school, but other than that, he’d never mentioned any family.

He’d been close with my brother.

Leighton and I went into one of the elevators, and he asked where the closest grocery store was.

I scratched my jaw. “I usually go to the Harris Teeter behind the Macy’s. There’s a Costco near there too.”

“Thanks. I can’t remember the last time I cooked.”

Ah. And now he’d have a kitchen at my place. “Recruits still get dinner in the cafeteria if you don’t wanna make something.”

Actually, anyone at Hillcroft could get dinner; it just needed to be preordered to prevent waste. But the general rule was that the cafeteria closed at seven.

“Or you can get Hot Pockets,” I said.

He side-eyed me and snorted under his breath.

I smiled and watched the number tick above the doors.

It was a short ride, one floor up, and Leighton responded as we left the elevator.

“Don’t worry, sir,” he said. “I called you hot in the showers too.”

I grinned and let out a chuckle. Good to see he had a sense of humor buried in his indifference.

“In my biased opinion, way hotter than Coach,” I replied.

He smirked a little. “Agreed.”

All right, then. I was telling Coach later.

I stood a little taller and aimed for the other recruits waiting by the exit. Miguel had a similar duffel to Leighton, and Oliver and Riley had opted for the Hillcroft-provided seabags.

“Follow me, guys,” I said, heading out.Follow the guy Leighton thinks is hotter than Coach.

Maybe I’d needed that ego boost today, even if it’d been said in jest to some degree. Moreover, it’d been delivered by the right person, seeing as he’d unknowingly ruined half my morning after his post-run display of abs. My two donuts and I hadn’t felt awesome.

To my credit, it wasn’t my fault. With Danny throwing recruit training and mentoring at me, Shira and Coach benching me from my own assignment, and Doc clearing me for workbut not really, I was stuck in a limbo where I didn’t train as hard as I should.

I had to change that. Maybe Alex could run around in the gym while I worked out, because everyone wanted a kid there.

I was fucked one way or another.

We crossed the plaza in front of Hillcroft, and the sun poked out from between angry clouds. The humidity was off the charts, and?—

“Operator Beckett.” Miguel walked up next to me. “Can I ask why I wasn’t assigned to the private unit? I have nothing in common with these kids.”

“That’s why,” I told him. “I get where you’re coming from, but the one problem we always have with older recruits is their inability to connect with the younger ones—which is fundamental for teamwork exercises. And frankly, they need more people to look up to.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “Show them the way instead of keeping to yourself.”

He frowned but said nothing, and he fell behind with the others. Or two of them; it seemed Leighton was up next.

“I couldn’t help but overhear,” he admitted. “If it’s gonna cause problems, I can share with others.”

“My choice wasn’t random, Leighton,” I replied. I stopped at the red light and looked around. Hobbs Circle hugged a park area where I snuck out to have my lunch every now and then, and Lincoln Towers was on the other side. “Right now, you’re the only one who has private counseling with Doc, and that’s personal affairs. I chose you for my apartment because it’s up to you to decide what you divulge when your schedule differs from the others’.”

I remembered very well how much you stood out when you lived the barracks life and had an appointment. Some nosy fuckers would always ask where you’d been.

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