Page 20 of Capturing Perfection

“Holy shit! I can’t believe you didn’t call us. We would have come with you. Been there for you both.”

“I know … I know. I wouldn’t have asked anyway, but it’s nice to know.”

“Clay, after everything you did for Ethan after his attack … we’d do anything for you, man.”

“Who knew we’d end up here, given where we started?”

“Are you talking about you and Logan, or our friendship?”

“Either … both, I don’t know.”

“Well, I can’t speak for Logan, but Ethan and I consider our lives richer for having you in it. You and Logan have had a hard, long journey to get where you are. I can’t imagine the roller coaster of emotions the two of you have dealt with since you were teenagers. That’s your past. You’re together. You’re solid. Logan is healing, and today is one more step on that journey. Each new day is further from the pain of your past. The best piece of advice I can give you is when you wake in the morning, turn to each other and greet the new day in thanks. Then go live every moment you have together to the fullest.”

Clay leaned his head back against the building and tried to prevent an errant tear from sliding down his face at Ryan’s heartfelt advice. He knew Ryan believed and lived every word. Ethan’s attack last winter had nearly killed him, and the two of them had used the experience to solidify their relationship. Instead of focusing on what could have happened, they celebrated each day and lived for the next.

“Clay? You there, man?”

“Yeah … how’d a G-man get to be so damn smart?”

“While you gumshoes are making hourly stops at the nearest Krispy Kreme, us G-men are actually training.”

“Hmm, in this training, do they let you talk to actual suspects or are you still role playing with dolls?”

“You leave Ginger out of this. She could take your ass any day.”

Clay laughed. “That image is disturbing on so many levels. Besides, only one person has unlimited access to my ass. Thanks, Ryan.”

“No problem, buddy. You call us the moment he’s out of surgery. When you two get home and settle in, let's all have a quiet dinner together. Nothing crazy, just four friends.”

“That sounds great. I’m gonna go. Tell Ethan I said hi.”

“Will do.”

Clay felt much better after talking to Ryan. He was calm in his skin once again and vowed not to drink one more cup of coffee. The thousands of milligrams of caffeine most likely hadn’t helped the situation. He chucked a still half-full cup in the nearest trashcan and headed back towards the waiting room. When he arrived, he opened his laptop, connected to the internet through the hospital’s wireless connection, popped in his custom ear monitors, opened his Apple Music on his phone, then set about responding to the multitude of emails he’d received in the past several days. The department had been accommodating about Clay's need for time off to get Logan back and forth to his appointments. Hell, Clay had the equivalent of six weeks of PTO banked. When he'd put in the request, his sergeant appeared at his desk asking when pigs had learned to fly. However, even though he was out of the office, he and Tim still had active cases they were working on. He clicked on another unread email. It looked like they'd finally gotten some result back from the crime lab on the home invasion homicide from three weeks ago. He unlocked his phone and opened his messages to text Tim.

Just saw email from crime lab. What the hell is hair ice and why was it on our body in South Boston?

I'm sorry, this number has been disconnected until dumbass detectives return from PTO or the apocalypse, whichever comes first. Also stop harassing crime labs over frozen fungus. Yeah, I know you sent a chat to Lindsey.

Tim, I’m climbing the walls waiting to hear if Logan’s out of surgery. Help me distract myself. Throw me a bone here.

Sorry, I don’t swing that way. Also, I enjoy living, and flirting with the boyfriend of a highly trained Army Ranger sounds like a fast track to a Viking funeral. You want a distraction? Go back and reread that report. Some kind of freak fungus made the guy’s hair freeze like fairy floss. You can't make this crap up.

Fairy floss? Did you hit your head?

I watch British crime dramas when I can't sleep. Sue me

Grrrr… you're an asshole!

And yet... you love my asshole. It’s like a Hallmark card, but with more cursing and trauma bonding.

You keep talking like that and I’m filing a hostile work environment report.

I am the hostile work environment. Also, this number is now officially ignoring all pissant partners who text me about a case when they are emotionally compromised.

You’re not wrong. I can’t even think straight right now. You really think I should sit this one out?

I know you should. You’re no good to the case like this. Take care of Logan. The dead guy in Southie isn’t going anywhere. Like literally. He's in the freezer downstairs cooler than a scoop of Van Leeuwen's Hazelnut Fudge Cookie.

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