Page 96 of Breathe
Laughter from the foosball table traveled around the area and the thump of rock music swept through the air, piped in from the back porch speakers.
Seth and Jordan were hanging out with the members of YA. Seth at thirty-three and Jordan at twenty-seven seemed to speak the younger generation’s language—it had to be their status as hackers.
“You good?” Stone asked, coming out of the screen door behind him.
“Yeah.” He turned, glancing over at the other man. “What about you?”
Stone worked his shoulder around a bit and pressed it with one hand.
“I’m good, better than I could have been if a bit lower. Still stiff, though.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Real’s cell phone buzzed, and Stone wandered away, and Real answered it.
“Real?”
“Yes? Who’s this?” he asked.
“Owen.”
“Hey, man, I haven’t talked to you in ages. How you doin’?” Real smiled.
He’d met Owen shortly after joining Genesis and had hit it off with the Pegasus operative as well as Owen’s brother, Ace. The two men played a mean hand of poker.
“I’m good, you?” Owen asked.
Real’s eyes searched and found Azrael. “I’m doing great.”
Owen chuckled. “Is Jordan around?”
“Yeah, he’s here.”
“Can you hand him the phone?” Owen asked.
“You don’t have his number?” Real snorted.
“He’s pissed at me and won’t answer my calls,” Owen muttered.
Real chuckled. “Yeah, hold on.”
Real walked over and handed a surprised Jordan the phone, and then turned away. He didn’t want to overhear that conversation; he didn’t care why they were arguing.
His life was perfect and filled with happiness, and he wanted nothing to interfere with that.
“Coming through,” Azrael said, coming toward him carrying a heavy serving of food, and Real caught the tray from the man’s hands.
“Lead on,” Real said, jerking his head with a smile.
Azrael smiled and pointed to the far table where the food trays were stacking up.
The party was for no apparent reason that Real could tell, other than just to have a good time. When Azrael told him he washaving a party on Saturday, Real thought it was going to be just a few of the guys.
What it turned out to be was anything but…and they were pretty much out of chairs.
No one but their closest friends were invited. He saw Crow with Rebel, Wrath with Rogue, Fisher with Justice, and Ice with Echo.
Stone and Dave sat off to one side, and Real had to wonder why Dave had made the trip back from Colorado to be here for just a party. Lately, if Dave wasn’t at his Santa Barbara home, then he was in Colorado. Real knew the man had plans to retire. Perhaps Dave preferred the warmer weather here? God knows he did.
