Page 15 of The Wounded Warrior

“That sounds like a plan. I’ll chop and thaw, you make fire.” This was the best part of being here with Matt, these little things that they’d never gotten to do together as adults. Normal things.

“Man make fire.” Matt thumped his chest. “Momma wants us to drive up for supper Sunday. Asked us to bring rolls.”

“We can do that.” Time with Momma and Preacher could be…exhausting. They worried so. But Luke did love them.

“Yeah. I need to get out there and work on the barn roof before it gets too hot.”

Matt worked harder than any man he’d ever seen. “Be careful,” he murmured. He’d go make himself a sandwich to tide him over ’til supper.

“Eh. Let’s go have a beer. It’ll wait ’til tomorrow.”

“Yeah?” He grinned hugely. Beer was better than a pain pill any day.

“You know it. All work and no play, blah, blah, blah.”

“I do.” He’d humped his load in the military for long enough, for sure.

“Let’s go have a sit.” Matt gave him a grin, one that was more familiar than the one he saw in the mirror. “Maybe I’ll pull out the dominoes.”

“Oh, Christ. You’ve become one of those old cowboys who plays Mexican Train on the porch.”

“I will beat your ass down, man.”

“Never happen.” Luke grinned, feeling better everymoment. He wheeled up toward the house and didn’t even protest when Matt gave him some help on the hill.

“Harder, Matty! Work those hamstrings!”

“Fuck off, you dipshit.” Matt cackled, though, the laughter ringing out.

Days like this, Luke thought he might just make it through the recovery, no matter what it took. These kinds of moments were worth all the pain in the world.

Now, he just needed more of these days.

Chapter Nine

“Hey, sweetie. How’s it going?” Rory grinned at Sue Ann over the counter, the scent of doughnuts finally smelling good and not like he wanted to die.

“Good. Miss Lori said you got food poisoning and were real sick for a couple three days.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He’d lost ten pounds when all was said and done. He kinda looked like a victim of some type of scourge.

“Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better. What would you like today?”

“Two apple fritters with coffee for me and a half dozen chocolate glazed for the office.”

“Lori in a mood?” She winked, the joke an old one.

“My sweet, even-keeled assistant? Never say so.”

“Ha! I went to high school with y’all, don’t forget. Puberty was something. I can’t wait to see her with menopause a few years down the road.”

“Yeah. Then I’ll need a full dozen.”

“You got it. I’ll throw in a couple of these new cinnamon bun crullers. Tell me what you think.”

“Oh, man. You rock, honey. Thanks.” He paid his bill and put an extra five in the tip jar before grabbing his sack and his cup of Joe and heading out.

Grinning, he hummed a little bit of some song Lori kept playing at the office. Rory hated being sick, so today was a banner day, since he was all well.

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