But when did Chris ever turn down any kind of challenge?
A.J.’s arms tightened over his chest with a pinch of irritation as he studied Brian climbing out of the pool, his focus back to the main subject at hand. “We might seriously need to access all the CCTV footage in Vegas from last weekend. Maybe use our facial recognition software to see what he was up to there.”
“You don’t think that’s taking it too far?”
A.J.’s brows rose, the movement probably hidden by the brim of his hat.
“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Chris caved before A.J. had a chance to school him on what it meant to have a sister since Chris was an only child.
A.J. removed his hat and dropped his eyes to his cowboy boots, his thoughts traveling back to the forest once again. To how real Marcus had seemed, as if he were still alive.
He’d met Marcus at college when they’d both worn crimson and white, the University of Alabama’s colors, while playing ball. They joined the Navy together after that. Different classes at BUD/S, but they managed to wind up on the same squadron. After their stint in the military, they were brought back together when Luke Scott and his sister, Jessica, recruited them to join a different kind of team, one that completed off-the-books missions the military or government agencies couldn’t or wouldn’t handle for whatever reason.
Amigos por siempre, Marcus used to say to A.J. Friends forever.
And it did end. Way too early for Marcus Vasquez.
“When was the last time you talked to Savanna?” A.J. tried to pull his thoughts away from the day he had pounded his trident into Marcus’s flag-draped casket.
“It’s been too long,” Chris answered, a look of regret in his eyes.
“I need to reach out. See how she’s doing.” Savanna was back in Birmingham. She’d remained single since becoming a widow. Surely struggling to move on from Marcus’s death.
“Yeah. Time keeps slipping by.” Chris’s eyes thinned, and his forehead tightened as if the conversation was sobering him up.
“And we have no idea how much time we’ve got.”
When it’s my time to go, it’s my time. Don’t you dare shed a tear, Marcus had said to A.J. a week before he died as if eerily knowing the future. Ve al cielo y ve a mi padre otra vez.
Your father doesn’t want you up there with him. Not anytime soon, he’d replied to Marcus’s words about joining his dad in heaven. And what makes you think you’ll go before me, brother?
“What brought on the question about Savanna? Coming back home and seeing everyone?” Chris asked.
A.J. tore his head out of the past. “Something like that.” He swallowed the lump the size of the Talladega National Forest down his throat. “Can you call Harper about Vegas after you dry off?”
Harper worked with the teams, in a similar capacity as Jessica, handling most of the intelligence and investigative components of their operations. The two women were the best of the best at what they did, and A.J. wouldn’t spin up without their intel backing the missions.
“I’ll go call her now. I’m not too worried about interrupting a Saturday-night date.” Chris secured the towel that started to slip. “Harper is holding out for a certain someone. Same as you.” He slapped A.J.’s chest and walked away.
A.J. focused on Roman in the pool. Maybe Roman would work up the nerve to ask Harper out someday. It’d taken Asher, Bravo Three, nearly losing Jessica to get his head out of his ass and share his feelings. But Jessica was the more stubborn one when it came to their relationship—and now they had twins.
A.J. supposed anything was possible.
Seeing ghosts, for example.
Calling Ana for a date . . .?
“I think I’ve had enough of this BUD/S drown-proofing or whatever your buddies said they were having me do,” Brian griped once out of the pool and did an about-face as if mocking those who served. Or maybe he really was just that stiff and uptight. “Not sure what family I’m marrying into. Does Ella have any idea the kind of hell you all planned on putting me through today?” Brian snatched a crimson red towel off the lounge chair. “Not sure if it’s worth this.”
A.J. puffed out his chest and stabbed a finger in the air, unable to hold back. “I reckon you better go unfuck yourself right now, then come back over here and decide if you want to take back those words.”
“I didn’t mean it’s not worth marrying Ella. Damn, man.” Brian