Page 4 of Forever My Protector

He replied, “So you believe in fate?”

“Not exactly,” I quickly tried to save it.Was it just me or was it suddenly getting hotter outside?“Thanks for your help again, Colt.I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t come.Well, I guess wait for roadside assistance, but this was faster and now I can still make it to my apartment, take a shower, and get over to Brooke’s for dinner.”Why was I telling him all of this?

“I hear she’s making her famous meatloaf.”

“Are you—” I was almost afraid to hear the answer.I knew the longer I was around Colt, the more I was going to want to know what happened to my brother and not just what the Army told me, but the specifics, his last mission, what he was like over there, what truly did him in.

He shook his head.“No, I’m not coming, but Max did invite me.I’ve only been back a few weeks and we haven’t been able to get together yet.”

Looking into his eyes I saw kindness and compassion, but when I looked down a little further I saw the sign that he served in the Army and all that did was remind me of what I’d lost.“I better go,” I said, quickly.“But thanks again, Colt.”

“Sure.If you ever need anything, you know how to find me.”

I did, but that was the last thing I was going to do.

Chapter Two

Colton

Damon was working under the hood of a car when I got back to the garage and Marcus was no where to be found.“Hey, where’s Marcus?I’ve got his turkey club right here.”

Damon closed the hood and wiped his hands on the towel in his jumpsuit.“That’s a sweet BMW,” I commented and whistled at the beauty.A green M3, what wasn’t to like?

“Sure is.Bert from the bank down the street just brought it in.Kept losing fluids, but there’s bigger issues.I suspected it was the engine.”

“And was it?”I asked, passing his tuna salad sandwich to him.

He grabbed it and sat down on a stool close by.“Indeed.I’m just about done with it.He should have it back by the end of the week.”

I sat in a stool next to him and took a swig of water from the bottle I was carrying around.“How was the girl in distress?”Damon asked in between bites of his lunch.

“Turns out, I knew her.Or of her, but still.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.I served with her brother.We didn’t know each other when we went in, but became friends and then I learned he was from Miami, so we had lots in common.”

He nodded.“The one that died?”I nodded.“She cute?”

I shrugged.“I filled up her tank, that’s all.”

“Bet you wanted to do more than that.”

“She’s fine, and busy as she pointed out.Had plans to get back to her apartment as we speak, if she’s not already there by now.”Now I was just droning on to get a rise out of him.

“You’re so fucking frustrating, dude.”

I wasn’t completely open with my feelings and certainly didn’t like talking about them.I did not wear my heart on my sleeve, let’s just say that.I’d been that way for as long as I could remember.“It was weird seeing her, all right.I felt sorry for her loss and wanted to apologize.I wanted to tell her it was all my fault and that I made the wrong call.But she didn’t know me, didn’t know about me, that I was his officer.In fact, the only reason she knew I’d been in the Army at all was because of these,” I said, holding up my tags.

“It wasn’t your fault, bro, and nobody blames you.Believe me, when you’re there, you make calls you think are the right ones and they’re fast decisions.Time isn’t on your side.”

“Damon, I don’t think I can bear standing up there tomorrow, speaking at Brandon’s funeral, knowing that she’s there listening.”

“Brandon became like a brother to you and you miss him, too.”

I let out a deep breath I didn’t know I was holding.“Yeah, but he was her brother.”

“It’s not going to get any easier.Have you thought of talking to someone about this?”

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